Scuba Diving in Tobermory - Historic Shipwrecks in Clear Water

Shipwrecks invoke a sense of nostalgia. After my wreck dives in Tobermory, Canada, I stood on the deck of the dive boat and watched the rocky, pine-covered shoreline fly past. The captains of the sunken vessels I had just visited had navigated the same landscape over a century ago without GPS, radios, and weather monitoring stations. The harbor at Tobermory provided shelter for these ships during heavy storms.

Tobermory was once a small logging and fishing village. These days, Tobermory has become a tourist destination and is part of the Fathom Five National Marine Park. Don't let the “tourist” designation fool you. Scuba diving off of Tobermory requires a sense of adventure. While there are dives for both novice and experienced divers, the conditions are cold and sometimes difficult. However, divers who are willing to follow in the footsteps of the old-time frontiersman and brave Lake Huron's “cool” waters will find over twenty-one well-preserved shipwrecks waiting for them in the clear water. Here's 5 reasons to dive Tobermory.

_{Related Links:}

• Official Diver's Den Website for Wreck Diving in Tobermory
• 6 Tips for Transitioning to Cold Water Diving
• Wreck Diving Basics

I visited several dive shops in Tobermory before deciding to dive with the Diver's Den. Diver's Den was the friendliest, and had the best selection of dive gear for sale. The owner made time to chat with all the divers, and every single employee I spoke with was polite, positive, knowledgable, and helpful. The rental equipment was excellent, and they even had semi-dry 7 mm wetsuits, gloves, and hoods for tiny people like me. The dive shop does everything from filling diver's tanks and directing them to shore diving, to arranging all diving logistics including gear, boat travel and guides.

This is a dive shop for divers. Don't expect your gear to be set up for you or someone to hold you hand during the dives (unless you hire a private guide). However, if you are a relatively independent diver and can take care of yourself, you will find that the staff gives you just the right amount of freedom, while still being helpful.

_{Wrecks that the Diver's Den visits:}

• The Niagara II Shipwreck
• The Wreck of the Forest City
• Photo Gallery of Tobermory's Shipwrecks

Perhaps part of the pleasant atmosphere was due to the owners' philosophy - to keep all the employees diving. Every Wednesday afternoon, the entire dive shop staff (including the owners) stops working and has a staff dinner and dive. The result? The employees actually know what they are talking about when it comes to the dive, and they seem happy to be there. This was a homey shop that made all divers feel like part of the club, whether they were locals or vacationers.