shipwrecks at Tobermory

[Stoo]

Speaking of shallow...

I dove the Minch last week with Mrs. Stoo. We were on our way back from getting blown out of a dive at Bad Neighbour Rock.

The Minch is popular as an off-gas dive... It's pretty busted up, but still lots to see. There are also some old cribs under the water a little further into the bay. They are left over from the days when logging was a key industry here...

A few pics of the Minch...



The wheel... in about 30'



Main deck section which lies on a steep slope



Looking back from one of the cribs.

 

[gcarter]

I dove the Minch last week with Mrs. Stoo. We were on our way back from getting blown out of a dive at Bad Neighbour Rock.

The Minch is popular as an off-gas dive... It's pretty busted up, but still lots to see. There are also some old cribs under the water a little further into the bay. They are left over from the days when logging was a key industry here...

A few pics of the Minch...

View attachment 213195

The wheel... in about 30'

View attachment 213196

Main deck section which lies on a steep slope

View attachment 213197

Looking back from one of the cribs.

My son's first boat dive

 

[empressdiver]

The Lady Dufferin is used primarily to do deep dives - not for the scenery!

There is a nice, shallow shore dive with good vis at Little Cove, which is the same bay that the Niagara II wreck is in.
You could also scooter out to the wreck instead of going on a charter boat.

 

[simcoediver]

Its a long hike in carrying scuba gear& a scooter to do a shore dive to the the Niagara II ! maybe if you are hauling it in on wagons then ?

 

[Timmy V]

To bring and old thread back to life! I am heading there Saturday. So far we are diving the King, Wetmore, Niagara and the Rose. Likely also booking Forest City. What is there for shore diving with decent access/parking? So far all I see are the Tugs and lighthouse. Anything else? Is the Sweepstakes able to be done by shore or is it all private property?

Thanks.

 

[Stoo]

Tim, it's my understanding that you can swim to the Sweepstakes with a float as long as you stay close to shore and are diving it within the "open" hours. (This is so you don't get chewed up by one of the tour boats). You should confirm this with the Park Office though when you register for your tag. It also makes a nice night dive. When it's dark. And there aren't tour boats. Just sayin'. Access from The Lighthouse, or possibly from Big Tub Lodge, although you would want to ask their permission.

As for other shore dives, someone mentioned Little Cove (aka locally as "Dave's Bay). It can be tricky parking, but if you get there early or late in the day you should be fine. And as mentioned, you could scooter to the Niagara but it's a VERY long swim and I wouldn't recommend that. There was a guy who swam out last weekend. We saw him on the shore near the wreck then he kinda disappeared, so I assume he was heading back. (In the absence of any Missing Person reports!)

If you are looking for a deeper wall dive, you can probably gain access to the north shore via the property at Trail's End Lodge. This is private property, but if the owner is there (Art Amos) he would likely grant access. He's one of the original Tobermory divers and knows everything there is to know about the wrecks there.

The shore drops about 100' straight down in front of his Lodge. Head west towards the North Point. There are some cool rock formations there. Just be aware of boat traffic and weather as a north wind will make for a rough entry.

 

[treasurechaser]

To bring and old thread back to life! I am heading there Saturday. So far we are diving the King, Wetmore, Niagara and the Rose. Likely also booking Forest City. What is there for shore diving with decent access/parking? So far all I see are the Tugs and lighthouse. Anything else? Is the Sweepstakes able to be done by shore or is it all private property?

Thanks.

The cliffs/Tugs is such a nice dive, the cliffs are pretty dramatic and drop off fairly deep, I think it goes to 90 feet, cant remember will need to check my log book. We always do it first dive when we visit Tobermory. Its close, free parking and takes 30 seconds to carry gear to a nice big deck with stairs you can walk right into the water. The tugs are in pieces but swim out a little more and follow the cliffs. They are awesome and free.

EDIT: This last photo I found out was taken by board member, Stoo whos located out of Tobermory. Nice photo! Not even sure if this is little cove, the tugs or something else. Was the only thing that came up when I tried searching for them and my memory recalls them looking very similar. You can expect it to look like this when you dive it. Apparently it is cropped. Will await a fuller version. This one is still very cool!

 

[Stoo]

Hey, that's my pic at the bottom... All cropped! ;-)

 

[NorthernPike]

Where's the credit to the photographer???

:^)

 

[empressdiver]

You could go in under the docks in Big Tub Harbour and do a dive at 20-40 ft. Suit up out of your car parked on the road or in the parking lot of the motel and walk down the stairs and jump in off the docks.
There are a couple of very large sunken submarine cylinders that were used in a cascade to fill scuba tanks in the dive shop. There were nine cylinders in the cascade located along the western outside wall of the dive shop. The bottom ones were not supported off the ground properly and rusted out and exploded about 15 years ago, sending one through the restaurant roof and a couple into the harbour. I'm not sure if the sunken ones still have air in them. The employee working there died in the explosion. The Ontario labour board did a big investigation of this accident.
There is also a sunken life boat located close to the coast guard docks, and a couple of steel frames with chain link fencing material further west.
Probably better to just do the dive quietly.
You could also do this dive by scootering out from the lighthouse.