Page 33 - AlertDiver_Winter2013

www.alertdiver.com | 31
Tobermory is located at the northern tip of the Bruce
Peninsula, a sliver of land cutting into Lake Huron and defining
Georgian Bay. Among Tobermory’s best attributes is the variety
of dive sites available. The topography of the lakebed features
areas of sharp decline, and diveable wrecks exist in water from
as shallow as 10 feet to well beyond recreational depths. The
sharp drops and rises are actually responsible for many of the
wrecks: Ships cruising along in deep water would hit shoals that
seemed to arise out of nowhere. The multiple levels under the
waves can be better understood by taking in the amazing sights
above the water. Large and small islands — dozens of them —
dot the surface. Among them is the much-visited Flowerpot
Island, which gets its name from its unusual rock pillars,
products of weather and time.
“Something we have that’s unique among Great Lakes
destinations is that there is always somewhere to dive because
of all the islands that protect the sites,” Graham said. For me the
chain of small, uninhabited islands brought back memories of
diving the Galapagos, where fish, fowl and other fauna were our
only company. Although there were no whale sharks to greet us
beneath the surface in Tobermory, the tree-covered islands and
soaring birds — including a bald eagle — were reminiscent of
being out on the open sea surrounded by nature.
One of the area’s dive highlights, the City of Cleveland, is
just outside the marine park. This 255-foot-long wreck lies
in only 30 feet of water and has an abundance of interesting
features. After a giant stride into the lake, I was greeted by
large boilers and lengths of wooden decking. But the highlight
of the dive was the propeller, which stands tall in the clear,
bright water. Hovering in such shallow depths with a full tank
of air, I could have spent hours on the ship, poking around the
timber planks and the engine room, but the knowledge of a
Top: The massive propeller is one of the highlights of the City of Cleveland, the least-visited wreck in the Tobermory area. Bottom, from left: A little fishing
boat cruises around Big Tub Harbour. A diver explores the pilot house of the Niagara II. A diver enters the site inaccurately named The Caves; also known
(more appropriately) as The Grotto, the site features two entrances to a cavern in 20 feet of water where divers often encounter swimmers.
Opposite: A diver explores the engine room of the Niagara II, a former sandsucker intentionally sunk in May 1999. The wreck lies perfectly upright in
approximately 100 feet of Georgian Bay’s crystal clear water, just east of Little Cove.