Tobermory Dive Report September 15, 2017

[cleung]

I went up to Tobermory alone to dive with Diver's Den as their afternoon boat on Friday Sept 15 was scheduled to go to Caroline Rose and The Caves, two sites I have never been to but was really looking forward to. Diver's Den requires four divers and good weather (minimal wind) to go to these two dive sites and we had a total of five divers today who all agreed to make it to these sites. Diver's Den requires a minimum of two divers for a boat to the other dive sites.

First stop was at the Caroline Rose. Buoy line straight down to the bow of the wreck and maximum depth was 53 feet. Water temperature was 17 degrees C by my computer. The wreck was okay but not spectacular. Saw its propeller as well as the typical gobies, crayfish and a school of small perch. After a few rotations of the wreck, I had enough and ended my dive at 33 minutes.

Next dive was The Caves which was the site I was really looking forward to be at. As we approached the site, there were lots of people on land along the rock ledges and cliffs. Some were swimming and jumping in. For this dive, the Captain suggested that we swim at about 20 feet depth towards the right hand side of the rocks and look for the opening into the grotto. We found it and at first it was dark but as you enter it, you can soon see the sunlight shining through the grotto. There were a few snorkelers who jumped into the water near us. There were spots on the rock ledges to actually stand and poke our heads out of the water once in the grotto.

We used another cave opening which is smaller than the one we used to enter, to exit the grotto back into the bay. I did not see this second opening from the bay when we were searching for the bigger cave opening but once inside the grotto, I was able to see this smaller one with light at the end of the opening to the bay.

Once back in the bay, we made our way across to the other side of the entire site. Here after passing by large boulders, we found a cave with quite straight sides of limestone. Again at the end of the cave, we were able to stand on a ledge and poke our heads out of the water again. From there we headed back to the boat.

Dive time was 47 minutes with maximum depth of 24 feet and 19 degrees C water temperature. The Caves was an amazing dive and it is the closest thing I've been to that is probably similar to a cenote dive.

Driving time to Tobermory from Mississauga was four hours and after loading gear at Diver's Den, parking was a few minutes walk away at the parking lot on Legion St for $15 for the entire day. Like other Canadian dive shops I used so far, divers have to carry all gear and tanks by themselves to the boats. One thing I should point out about Diver's Den is that they were reluctant to get me on the morning boat which goes to the deeper wrecks. Even though I'm a Master Diver (NAUI) who have done many deep dives, they said I should have more cold water dive experience before attempting the deeper dives at Tobermory. Maybe next year then.

 

[rhwestfall]

Yeah, the rock formations are quite spectacular, offsetting the quite sterile environment. One of the really cool things we had happen to us while there earlier this year, was the diving birds plunging into the water and swimming around us chasing the few fish that were present.

 

[gcarter]

One thing I should point out about Diver's Den is that they were reluctant to get me on the morning boat which goes to the deeper wrecks. Even though I'm a Master Diver (NAUI) who have done many deep dives, they said I should have more cold water dive experience before attempting the deeper dives at Tobermory. Maybe next year then.

Spent a week in Toby in August diving with G&S. The cold water experience advice is well warranted.

For example, we did a double dip on the Forest City. 10 of us divers in the water, all experienced, most with more than my 300+ dives, many of the others DMs or instructors, well versed in deep and cold. 5 of them had free flows. They knew how to handle the situation but it could be dicey without cold and deep experience. Nonetheless, there were some serious conversations about how it all happened and what needed to be done differently. We had no further issues for the week.

I went to the bottom @ 150 FFW and 4C. Easy to get in trouble there without experience.

 

[cleung]

Spent a week in Toby in August diving with G&S. The cold water experience advice is well warranted.

For example, we did a double dip on the Forest City. 10 of us divers in the water, all experienced, most with more than my 300+ dives, many of the others DMs or instructors, well versed in deep and cold. 5 of them had free flows. They knew how to handle the situation but it could be dicey without cold and deep experience. Nonetheless, there were some serious conversations about how it all happened and what needed to be done differently. We had no further issues for the week.

I went to the bottom @ 150 FFW and 4C. Easy to get in trouble there without experience.

I do understand the rationale but when I asked them the general requirements, they said that they would like to see ten cold, deep water dives before doing their morning dives. So I asked them point blank -- where should I get this experience then because it doesn't seem like it's going to be with them. If not them, then with who and where? They were quite vague on making any suggestions. I might have even been open to taking a specialty course dive with one of their instructors but they did not offer this option.

In contrast, the dive shop in Brockville did not have such constraints for those certified advance and above. So the way I left it with Diver's Den is that maybe I'll have to take my diving as far as deeper dives goes, elsewhere like Brockville, until I accumulate the ten cold water deep dives before returning to Tobermory for their deeper sites.

 

[Dogbowl]

We made the mistake of doing our very first cold water dives in Tobermory by ourselves. We were beginners (still are) and thought we could at least try to do the "easy" shore dives, as some here suggested could be easily done. It was a big fail and we ended up signing up to do a course with Divers Den to salvage the remaining days we had left. Just our experience.

 

[gcarter]

I do understand the rationale but when I asked them the general requirements, they said that they would like to see ten cold, deep water dives before doing their morning dives. So I asked them point blank -- where should I get this experience then because it doesn't seem like it's going to be with them. If not them, then with who and where? They were quite vague on making any suggestions. I might have even been open to taking a specialty course dive with one of their instructors but they did not offer this option.

In contrast, the dive shop in Brockville did not have such constraints for those certified advance and above. So the way I left it with Diver's Den is that maybe I'll have to take my diving as far as deeper dives goes, elsewhere like Brockville, until I accumulate the ten cold water deep dives before returning to Tobermory for their deeper sites.

The classic dilemma.

 

[rhwestfall]

Brockville is warm......

 

[gcarter]

No thermoclines. Kingston is colder for sure.

 

[Marie13]

We made the mistake of doing our very first cold water dives in Tobermory by ourselves. We were beginners (still are) and thought we could at least try to do the "easy" shore dives, as some here suggested could be easily done. It was a big fail and we ended up signing up to do a course with Divers Den to salvage the remaining days we had left. Just our experience.

Define cold...

 

[gcarter]

We made the mistake of doing our very first cold water dives in Tobermory by ourselves. We were beginners (still are) and thought we could at least try to do the "easy" shore dives, as some here suggested could be easily done. It was a big fail and we ended up signing up to do a course with Divers Den to salvage the remaining days we had left. Just our experience.

Not sure what time of year or what dives. The Tugs are an easy shore dive and were @ 20C in August.

Define cold...

My simple answer would be "requires a hood". But there is cold and there is d*mn cold. For me cold is 16C down to 9-10C. Below that is d*mn cold. Below the thermocline in Toby is d*amn cold.