Tobermory Dive Operations

[Coldwater_Canuck]

haha sounds like fun


Anyways, I just saw Divers Den has a San Jacinto / City of Clevland trip on July 4, exactly the weekend I'm free. It sounds like that would be a great trip and the deepest it gets is around 80 feet: perfect for me.

So I'll probably sign up for that, and maybe if there's something on Friday I'll sign up for that as well to get myself warmed up.

 

[shoredivr]

That's a great wreck, just found in the past 15 years...lots of deadeyes and front winch intact. It's like the port and starboard sides just opened like a book and then the deck fell right flat down on the sides. The City of Cleveland is great, too, debris field spread over quite a distance, lots of cool tings to see in the wreckage. Neither site gets dived much as it's north of the National Park.

Hmm, hope I'm free that day, they are great dives.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

That's a great wreck, just found in the past 15 years...lots of deadeyes and front winch intact. It's like the port and starboard sides just opened like a book and then the deck fell right flat down on the sides. The City of Cleveland is great, too, debris field spread over quite a distance, lots of cool tings to see in the wreckage. Neither site gets dived much as it's north of the National Park.

Hmm, hope I'm free that day, they are great dives.

That's good to hear. I thought they sounded like pretty good sites, but they only run the trips occasionally. Pure luck that they happened to run one the day I was planning to go. So I'll probably sign up for it next week.

 

[Graeme Tolton]

The caves, I can swim through both tunnels on one breath, no SCUBA. I had a lot more fun there with just mask, snorkel and fins than I did on SCUBA. As for the boats, G&S has the Joseph Simon which has a hydraulic lift on the back, which is great for getting back aboard, especially if you have several heavy tanks! I was on the lark this morning on a 2 dive trip out to the Niagara II. It is a good boat to be on with a small group. I was with another diver this morning who had never been on Niagara before and we had plenty to see on 2 dives with no penetration.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

The caves, I can swim through both tunnels on one breath, no SCUBA. I had a lot more fun there with just mask, snorkel and fins than I did on SCUBA. As for the boats, G&S has the Joseph Simon which has a hydraulic lift on the back, which is great for getting back aboard, especially if you have several heavy tanks! I was on the lark this morning on a 2 dive trip out to the Niagara II. It is a good boat to be on with a small group. I was with another diver this morning who had never been on Niagara before and we had plenty to see on 2 dives with no penetration.

Good to hear all of that. I've heard the Joseph Simon is an awesome boat (and the hydraulic lift would definitely be helpful (of course I could always end up on the Lark)).

Anyways, I've contacted Divers Den and am setting up the dives, I've just got to call tomorrow to confirm everything.

Two more questions to you Tobermory pros:
1.) How can I pay that National Park fee: do I have to actually go there in person or can I pay it ahead of time online somewhere?

2.) What is generally the tipping procedure on these boats (this is kind of a stupid question because you're supposed to tip what you feel is appropriate, but in reality there are certain expectations, so I just ask)?

 

[bleeb]

1.) How can I pay that National Park fee: do I have to actually go there in person or can I pay it ahead of time online somewhere?

Maybe someone more knowledgeable can correct me, but AFAIK the diver registration has to be paid for in person at the same time you sign the park release. The Visitor's Centre is about a 5-10 min walk from the harbour, or when you first arrive, you pass by the turn-off just before reaching town. In the past it's been open till 8 or 9 during summer weekends but I couldn't find hours for this summer on their web site. On busy weekends, there may even be a park staff member selling passes right on the docks. Their office used to be conveniently right on the harbour, but they closed it when they built that fancy new Visitor's Centre a few years ago.

 

[elan]

The caves, I can swim through both tunnels on one breath, no SCUBA. I had a lot more fun there with just mask, snorkel and fins than I did on SCUBA. As for the boats, G&S has the Joseph Simon which has a hydraulic lift on the back, which is great for getting back aboard, especially if you have several heavy tanks! I was on the lark this morning on a 2 dive trip out to the Niagara II. It is a good boat to be on with a small group. I was with another diver this morning who had never been on Niagara before and we had plenty to see on 2 dives with no penetration.

Yeah those were nice 2 dives and there are bunch of things yet to see Even w/o penetration. I would definitely do more trips to Niagara

 

[elan]

2.) What is generally the tipping procedure on these boats (this is kind of a stupid question because you're supposed to tip what you feel is appropriate, but in reality there are certain expectations, so I just ask)?

I just usually give captain 10 bucks for 2 single tank dives at the end of the trip. No one complained yet I have not been diving many charters yet but out of those I have done all of them were very helpful and nice.

 

[elan]

I guess I have a few questions:

a.) How difficult are the various dives in general?

Thanks!

I have been just on 2 Georgian Bay sites yet and my observation is it's not that much of the difficulty of the wreck (assuming you dive within rec limits and do not penetrate) but the cold water. It is dangerous. Do not overlook it. We dove 38-43F in Georgian Bay and it brought us surprises. Be careful and have good regs and good exposure protection, dive redundant if you go below 50-60'.
Today I have found that my crab mitts are not adequate for those conditions. We dove today and at the end of the dive on the 40 minute or so my fingers were so cold that my actions like purging the valves were really slow. I cannot wait for my dry gloves to arrive.

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

I have been just on 2 Georgian Bay sites yet and my observation is it's not that much of the difficulty of the wreck (assuming you dive within rec limits and do not penetrate) but the cold water. It is dangerous. Do not overlook it. We dove 38-43F in Georgian Bay and it brought us surprises. Be careful and have good regs and good exposure protection, dive redundant if you go below 50-60'.
Today I have found that my crab mitts are not adequate for those conditions. We dove today and at the end of the dive on the 40 minute or so my fingers were so cold that my actions like purging the valves were really slow. I cannot wait for my dry gloves to arrive.

While I've never dipped quite to that range, I've been close to it, I believe the coldest I've gotten at depth was 43 and it didn't cause me any problems. My reg is sealed and suitable for cold water. For a wetsuit, I don't own one yet so I'm hoping the dive shop gives me a suitable one (I'm hoping they use 7mm farmer johns here). It's weird, I've never felt my fingers get cold (the only thing I find painful is my forehead when I first get in cold water).

You're right that it is a concern, but I think it's one I'm used to overall. One thing that does worry me is proper weighting since I've never been in freshwater.