OW Dives in Tobermory

[rollins]

Just got my PADI OW Cert last weekend in Brockville, Woo Hoo!

We might go to Toby in August for a few days mid week. Can anyone suggest some good novice dive sites there, good charters, and hints on how to line up a buddy there, since my wife doesn't dive.

Cheers,
Mark

 

[wetman]

Do the tugs at night - i've loved every night dive i do there. Don't let anyone talk you into the wetmore - painfully shallow and awful surge. Other than that, if you get a chance, do the Niagra II for sure and or the caves. Both are very interesting and pretty easy. Be ready for the cold - theres a evil bitterness in that water all year long.

s

 

[Groundhog246]

Night dive? Niagara II? He did say he just finished his OW right? Certified to 60 feet and you suggest the Niagara II! :wacko:

You could look for a buddy on here, preferably one who's dove in Toby and is familiar with the conditions. Or look for a dive shop heading that way and tag along. When our LDS goes for an OW weekend, there are always a fair number of certified divers tagging along to dive. Oftne they don't have a 'regular' buddy. Sometimes they're not familiar with the area and looking for guidance. Meanwhile, get some local practice dives in. You'll find Toby colder than Brockville, so better to have less to think about (or in other owrds, the mechanics more ingrained).

 

[rollins]

Thanks, great idea to try and link up with a dive shop heading up there. I definitely won't be doing any night dives or caves for awhile :wacko: I'll be practicing up on Wednesdays, our LDS has a club that dives every week on the St. Lawrence.

It will be colder than 54F in August? Yikes!!

 

[Groundhog246]

Temps will depend on your depth. I haven't got my log right to hand to check, but if I recall from last summer when my wife certified late Aug, temps at the shallower depths (tugs) was low 60's. I did one off the back wall and at 85 feet it was 42F. There is usually one or more thermoclines present in the summer. Last I heard it had not yet warmed enough to establish one yet this year.

We're off to the Owen Sound/Wiarton area this weekend. My wife is doing her advanced and our 14 year old his OW. Picked up his wetsuit yesterday evening. He had quite a struggle getting it on when fitting him out (imagine that ), so after he got home I had him put on take off a couple of times while offering some tips I've learned along the way. For some reason I can't convince him that a pair of pantyhose would help. Of course he then wanted to jump in our pool with it on.

 

[wetman]

Well, mid august is two months away - likely enough time to get 30 dives in if you do it right at which point night diving will be no biggy i'm quite sure. I think my 6th or 7th dive was a night dive and i was much more comfortable on that dive than any of the previous ones. Up here, every dive is a night dive below 30 or so feet so i dont see the difference really. And i only recommended it on the tugs, not the niagra.

As i recall, doesn't the decking start at around 50ish feet or less on the niagra? Not much advanced about that.

"the caves" really aren't caves - its about about a 15-20 foot swim through 10 feet down that opens up into a place that hikers end up at. But the area outside the caves is actually nice to explore, shollow, lots of light and lots of biggy rock formations. You can go in or not if you want, it will still be nice.

The other thing you might want to look at for an easy walk in is the lighthouse - theres a sloping wall there that goes to the flat bottom at around 70-80 feet if i recall so you can go as deep as you're comfortable.

steve

 

[diver gadget]

Yes the decking of the Niagara starts in 50 feet, so does the Begining of the forest city. Then the forest city drops of to 150.

 

[Groundhog246]

wetman once bubbled...
As i recall, doesn't the decking start at around 50ish feet or less on the niagra? Not much advanced about that.

"the caves" really aren't caves - its about about a 15-20 foot swim through 10 feet down that opens up into a place that hikers end up at. But the area outside the caves is actually nice to explore, shollow, lots of light and lots of biggy rock formations. You can go in or not if you want, it will still be nice.

As long as he resists the temptation to follow the rest of the group to the bottom. You're right, time to do quite a few dives between now and the end of August. However, it's more likely he'll do 8 to 10 by then, and most if not all in warmer conditions.

How about working on getting 15 to 20 dives in, working hard on buoyancy control and being comfortable? Then sign up for an advanced class heading to Toby. You'll get to dive numerous sites with experienced guidance and gain new skills in the process.

 

[wetman]

I was just in coz a few months ago, the reef went down to 600 or more feet at the bottom. I didnt go that far because i wasn't comfortable with the idea and it exceeded my training. What is your point?

steve

 

[wetman]

The other issue is - if you're from the kingston brockville area, THERE IS NO REASON to go to toby. It is cold, nasty water and there are so few dives there worth doing and so infinitely many more in kingston/brockville that are warmer. In 3 trips to toby, i've never seen this legendary visibility that i'd heard about and almost alway get better vis in kingston/brockville than i've had in toby. If you're not diving dry, you're diving painfully wet and your second dive of the day if not the first (if you get to start out in a perfectly dry wetsuit for the first dive), will be very uncomfortable.

steve