Divers Den Tobermory, Canada - Upgraded to Adventure Tobermory 2025. New Dive Operator(s) Welcome! We Look Forward to Diving Again!

[Rider999999]

Divers Den Tobermory, Ontario, Canada Permanently Shutdown!

Hi All:
Just heard....What has transpired?

Let us know.

Attached is a picture of the Notice.

 

[Tracy]

The old owner's no-compete ends in 2025. I know he was talking about leasing a couple of boats and starting back up. Maybe those are related?

edit

Nope, sounds like the family that owns the building, equipment, and boats didn't renew her lease.

 

[rhwestfall]

@Stoo

 

[Stoo]

Divers Den Tobermory, Ontario, Canada Permanently Shutdown!

Hi All:
Just heard....What has transpired?

Let us know.

Attached is a picture of the Notice.

I suppose "technically" this is true, but the dive operation is under new ownership. Please see my detailed reply. This image is from that "press release". As always, it's important to read the entire thing. As much as this sucks for Kelly, I think it's going to be interesting and good times ahead.

 

[Stoo]

Mike was a great Operator and Dive Boat Captain! My Divers had some of their best experiences with Mike. A True
Diver.

Yes, lots of great staff there. I suspect the majority of Captains will come back as well as other staff. I think this will be a good thing. BHC has deep pockets and whenever they take on something, they do it right. Look for some older boats to be replaced to start with.

It definitely sucks for Kelly, but I'm glad that Blue Heron was willing to step up and carry on...

 

[Stoo]

LOL I see the thread heading has been changed, but it's still kinda odd. There's no "new competitor". There might be, at some point, but not currently. With one exception, it would literally be impossible for someone "new" to open a shop there. Water-adjacent property is stupid expensive, there's no available commercial dock space and it's a five month season (of which two are likely break even at best). The ROI just isn't there.

If anyone is still eager to try, make me an offer on my place. It's on the harbour, has parking and is commercially zoned. All you need is a fleet of six-packs on trailers to launch and retrieve every day. Seriously. ;-)

 

[Stoo]

Tobermory reached its peak with two great dive Operators G&S and Divers Den. We hope that the new configuration promotes business competition of multiple Competitive Dive Operators. Thus, providing Divers with a choice. If realized, I am sure that Divers will return to the true Dive Mecca of Canada. We want to return to Tobermory to dive... Listen to your customer base. Expansion and Entrepreneurship can grow the Tobermory Dive Business. We want to return to dive in Tobermory once more. 2025 can be a great year!

This is such a weird post. Is something preventing you from coming to Tobermory? Are you one of the people Kelly banned from her shop?

Diving is a fraction of what it was there years ago. When I ran a shop there, there were three shops and all of us were busy. Park registrations are a fraction of what they once were. There are many reasons for this but diving in general is declining so it shouldn’t be all that surprising.

Tourism is booming there… many would say there’s too much of it. But diving is only a small part of it.

 

[Rider999999]

Beyond diving,

I have had an interest in Tobermory, Ontario for some time with regard to potential capitalization and development of project(s).

I have visited Tobermory many times over the last decade assessing opportunities and monitoring unfortunately the decline of Divers diving in Fathom Five National Marine Park and the surrounding waters.

I have had many interesting conversations with Divers, Captains, Campers, Dive Professionals in Canada and local business owners in that area and other Regions, and locals of the Bruce Peninsula. I have heard many concerns.

Since you asked a question. I will reply:

No. I have not been banned from "Kelly's" Shop.

However, I have been made aware of many banning's including that of SCUBA related businesses, distasteful conflicts, censoring on social media and the obvious postings from Kelly's friends populating social media with positive propaganda posts following anyone sharing a concern. Controlling the narrative.

Having a monopoly; a void of competition and choices for businesses and customers, in Tobermory can create a choke (access) point with undesirable economic effects on the local community and the businesses that funnel and feed business revenue in Tobermory's direction.

i.e. Attenuating your own revenue stream. Not 'Enlightened Self-Interest'

Hubris is not conducive with a good business plan and is not a marketing strategy.

On a positive note, change can be good and I hope these changes manifest such.

Your messages have clearly indicated your personal allegiance.

Kelly has demonstrated energy, intelligence and motivation. I know she will find a new challenge which she can rise to.

"Life is but a Series of Projects" Look forward and grasp the next opportunity.

I look forward to diving in Tobermory in 2025.

 

[Leahveedubb]

Hi all...

So I can update you on this as I have been thick in it. But relax... All is well. The OP didn't read or comprehend Kelly's announcement.

So the short version of a long story

Blue Heron Company has owned the two buildings, all of the boats and controls the commercial dock space that most people would say make up Divers Den ever since Lynn and Larry Graham sold the business to Mike and Kelly. The divorced sometime later, leaving Kelly as the sole owner. Kelly was leasing all of this stuff from Blue Heron.

BHC’s insurer announced outta the blue a couple of months ago that they can no longer insure all that stuff. I believe their reasoning was that BHC had no control over how it’s being operated.

BHC advised Kelly of this and said she’d need to get her own insurance. But she couldn’t, and I'm unsure of the reason.

As a result, BHC told Kelly that they couldn’t renew her lease on everything as the assets and operation couldn't be insured under the current status…

Blue Heron, if you don't know, is the largest business in Tobermory. They own a large fleet of tour boats, motels, retail outlets, a Beavertails, a pile of rental cottages. They've been a client of mine for many years and I can tell you that they're great people and very dedicated to the town and astute business people.

They will continue to run the dive business under the name Adventure Tobermory. I’ve had a couple of good meetings with BHC and I think they’ll do a great job. Hopefully most of the same staff will be back. We discussed some really interesting ideas that may happen down the road.

In the short term it's business as usual. Existing reservations will be transferred over to "Adventure Tobermory". The new manager is Szilvia Mervyn. She worked for Kelly for a couple of years and has been a manager at Blue Heron since then. She's a PADI DM and is attending an ITC this summer I believe. She's a lovely and very capable person.

It's a **** situation brought on by the insurance industry. As anyone in the dive business is all too aware, insurance and dive businesses seem to be in a constant state of friction in recent years.

As for Mike (Kelly's ex husband), he is not going back in to the dive business and if he does, it would be with this "new" venture. He'll likely be servicing the compressors etc. The non-comp wouldn't carry over to the new company anyway. BHC is buying assets, not the business. They already owned most of them anyway.

There are rumours of a new dive operation opening in Big Tub (where I managed one many years ago) but I can't see that being ready by next season, if ever.

But yes, Kelly is heart-broken/angry etc. She's a dear friend and we've shared some hugs and tears over this. I have no doubt she'll land squarely on her feet and do great things. Kelly is first and foremost, a business person. Yes, she dives, but she gets her jollies from being an entrepreneur.

Perhaps the OP or an administrator could change the title of this thread as it's extremely misleading.

I know this is all very new but any idea for someone who is trying to book some 2025 dives if you’d still do it under the Divers Den website? I tried to search “Adventure Tobermory” and it did not come up with anything.

 

[rhwestfall]

I know this is all very new but any idea for someone who is trying to book some 2025 dives if you’d still do it under the Divers Den website? I tried to search “Adventure Tobermory” and it did not come up with anything.

There is an email address in post #5. That might be a starting point...