Tobermory · Canada · Wreck · Freshwater
Forest City
A steamer down a slope from 18 m to an intact stern at 46 m
Area photo: Laslovarga · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Forest City is a 66 m steamer that ran into Bears Rump Island in fog in June 1904 and now lies down a steep incline, the broken bow in 18 m and the more intact stern at 46 m. That spread makes her two dives in one: a recreational look around the shallow wreckage, or a technical drop to the engine and boiler at the bottom.
Where it is and how deep
45.3152° N, 81.5570° WPublished position for this site.
Site maps published elsewhere
The dive
The wreck sits on a steep incline, so your depth is decided the moment you choose which way to swim. From the moorings the shallow, broken bow starts at 18 m among the hull strapping, and the slope falls away from there. Divers staying inside recreational limits work the top of the wreck, follow the hull down as far as their plan allows, and turn before the incline steepens.
Following it all the way down brings you to the more intact stern at 46 m, where the compound engine, the double boiler, the tow bits and the rudder post are all still recognisable. The operator rates the site Advanced, Tec, and that bottom half is technical territory. The ascent is a long climb back up the same slope, so gas planning rather than bottom time is usually what sets the turn point on this wreck.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Forest City
- Type
- Bulk freighter (steamer)
- Length
- 66 m (217 ft)
- Built
- 1870
- Sunk
- 1904
- Cause
- Drifted off course in morning fog and ran into Bears Rump Island
- Lies
- Down a steep incline, broken bow at 18 m and the more intact stern at 46 m
The Forest City was built in 1870 at Cleveland, Ohio, and worked as a bulk freighter until June 1904, when a morning fog rolled in, she drifted off course and ran into Bears Rump Island. Because she came to rest on a slope rather than a flat bottom the wreck reads as a sequence: broken at the top where the impact was, progressively more intact the deeper you go.
Marine life and season
- Freshwater fish
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Tobermory: Public charters run May to October; the water is coldest in February and March and warmest in August.
Know before you go
- The slope makes depth creep easy: the bow is at 18 m and the stern at 46 m, so pick a turn depth on the boat and hold to it.
- Conditions can change quickly with wind direction out here, so confirm with the charter that the site is running before you plan a day around it.
- Stay clear of overhead features on the hull unless you are properly trained and equipped for them.
Dive videos
🇨🇦 Tec #Wreck Diving: Forest City (Tobermory, Canada) - Series Episode 2 · International Scuba Divers Club on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Forest City?+
The wreck runs from 18 m at the broken bow down to 46 m at the stern. Recreational divers work the shallow end; reaching the engine and boiler at the bottom is a technical dive.
What is left of the Forest City?+
The compound engine, the double boiler, tow bits, the rudder post and hull strapping are all still identifiable, with the stern the most intact part of the wreck.
Sources
- Forest City dive site — Dive Life Tobermory
- Tobermory Dive Sites — Dive Life Tobermory
- Fathom Five National Marine Park — Wikipedia
In The Logbook
- Cold-water diving: is it worth the drysuit?Cold water · 8 min read
- Deep wreck diving: where recreational stopsWrecks · 8 min read
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