Tobermory — Fathom Five

Diving runs from boats out of Tobermory, with regular public charters between May and October, and from shore at sites such as The Tugs and Big Tub Lighthouse Point, reached by boardwalk or brick walkway. Divers register and buy a Parks Canada dive pass before going in, at the Visitor Centre or the dive shop in downtown Tobermory. A guided shore dive serves as a check-out before progressing to deeper wreck or charter diving. Big Tub Harbour can carry considerable vessel traffic, and divers must stay within 30 m (100 ft) of a displayed dive flag.

Underwater, the park is shipwrecks and rock. More than 20 historical wrecks lie in the park, among them a schooner towed into Big Tub Harbour after damage off Cove Island and a barque that foundered off Echo Island in 1884. At Big Tub Lighthouse Point the submerged Niagara Escarpment gives a wall dive. At the Caves, the grotto entrance is 6 m (20 ft) deep, with hidden passages leading from inside the grotto to the open waters of Georgian Bay.

There is something for every level, with wrecks between 6 m (20 ft) and 46 m (150 ft) deep. The shallow Sweepstakes is visited by divers, snorkellers and tour boat passengers alike, and guided public charters take recently certified divers. Arabia is recommended only for advanced groups, and strong currents may run there. The water is cold, and cold-water diving can feel very different from tropical conditions; a guided shore dive helps divers adapt to drysuit diving and the reduced dexterity of thicker exposure protection.