Tobermory, Canada
Lake Huron Shipwreck Dives

August 13th and 14th, 2005

Past Trip Report

We had two days of incredible shipwreck diving in the crystal clear waters of northern Lake Huron aboard the tugboat, Teak Isle which was built during the winter of 2004. This weekend trip has been one of the favorite dive destinations for Michigan Divers and promises to be just as fun this year. The staff of Divers Incorporated has been traveling to the Bruce Peninsula for the past fourteen years and every year is better that the previous one. On August 12th we once again headed north to the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario Canada for a shipwreck adventure in a place that we really love. We were going diving in the Fathom Five National Marine Park of Canada.

When we arrived we were astounded to see our charter boat. The Newly rebuilt Teak Isle was a charter boat out of a dream. It was huge and we were all able to bring our gear aboard and spread out in comfort. Unlike the crowded "cattle boats" that we have heard horror stories about, this boat was perfect for diving and relaxing as a trip up north should be.

Our first Dive of weekend was on the newest wreck in the area, the Niagara II. Always a favorite among the divers of Divers Incorporated, This vessel was deliberately sunk by the Tobermory Maritime Association in May, 1999 as a dive site. To call this a typical shipwreck would be an understatement. It is more a "Jungle Gym for divers." This 182' sand sucker was carefully prepared to offer a number of penetration opportunities and a super fantastic dive site. Almost everything is there. The wheel in the pilot house, the open engine room with lots of empty space (they took out the engine.) Lot of nooks and crannies to peek into... you could do 10 dives here and not see it all. We had a great time exploring and taking pictures in the crystal clear waters of Lake Huron.

Our Second dive of the weekend was the Carolina Rose. This 132' schooner was towed to Driftwood Cove and sunk by a group of sport divers to make a dive site in late August 1990. The ship was majestic in her day. You can see what she looked like with her sails since her nearly identical sister ship is featured on the back of the Canadian Dime. When she was sunk, they did not put her deep enough so that first winter the ice and storms did a lot of damage. She now lies in about 55ft of water and has a lot of interesting stuff to see. There are a variety of tools and fittings and the prop is clearly visible. The water on this dive was incredibly clear and very warm for Tobermory.

Just up the Coast from Driftwood Cove is "the Grotto." This under water cavern is accessible with a 50ft swim through to take you into an open air cave. A popular tourist attraction among hikers and campers, this is always a fun dive where you have an opportunity to surprise people swimming in the underground lake. The geological sites outside make this a fun place to dive, especially when the water is as clear as it is.

After the grotto, Captain Steve took us on a boat ride back to Big Tub harbor where the water was a smooth as glass. Here we had an opportunity to get dinner at a local restaurant with the boat taking us right up to the front door. After dinner we had an opportunity to see the wrecks of the City of Grand Rapids and the Sweepstakes from the surface, just like the Glass bottom Boats full of tourists. The Sweepstakes is a 119' schooner that has been carefully preserved and sits on the bottom upright and intact in about 20' of water. Access to the interior of the schooner has been blocked to better preserve the 137 year old vessel but there is still a lot to see on it. This two- masted schooner was damaged off of Cove Island then towed to Big Tub Harbor where she sank in September of 1885. The hull is still intact, with the windlass and a portion of the bow rail still in place. Nearby lies the city of Grand Rapids. This 122ft steamer sank in 1907 after burning to the waterline and lies less than 100ft from the wreck of the Sweepstakes.

The next day we had a little rougher weather, but nothing that the Teak Isle couldn't handle. We traveled to the wreck of the Schoville and did a dive there in the lee of Russel Island. It was a great dive with lots of stuff to see.

For Lunch we headed into Minch Bay where we cooked hotdogs on the grill at the stern of the Tug. It was a terrific bay with the wreck of the Minch visible from the surface. True to form, all of us did a dive in the spectacularly clear water. It could have been the Caribbean if the water was a little warmer. This is truly what Lake Huron Scuba Adventures are all about. The dive was fantastic.

Our last dive of the weekend was the W. L. Wetmore, another favorite among Divers Incorporated travel enthusiasts. This 213ft steamer was wrecked during a storm in November, 1901 when it ran aground on the end of Russel Island. This dive is fantastic with a lot of stuff to see. The impressive boilers come within a few feet of the surface and the anchor, chain pile, broken propeller and rudder are easily found. The visibility was super clear and the dive was really fun.