Toronto diving

[Scotttyd]

I am headed to Toronto for a family vacation next August. Any suggestions on dive sites/charters? What are the water temps that time of year? (I have a dry suit, but not looking to lug it all the way to Canada for one day or two of diving). I have a some experience doing ocean dives >100ft here in NC, and am of intermediate experience (although several of my dive site experiences are considered "advanced site")

 

[grf88]

I would suggest either Kinston or Brockville, 2.5 hours and 3.5 hours drive from Toronto. Water temps in Brockville, on the St. Lawrence, would be 60 plus degrees in August while Kinsgton would probably be in the low 50's. For more information on the wrecks and charter operators download the Google Earth plug-in from Ontario Underwater Council:

Ontario Underwater Council

Also take a look at some of the great wreck photos on the following sites to wet your appetite for the wrecks.

Ontario Scuba Diving

St.Lawrence

Warren Lo Photography

There is some diving in the immediate Toronto area but nothing like what you will find in Kingston and Brockville.

PM me if you want any other information.

Glenn

 

[Rye22]

Definitely worth the drive to Brockville.

Depending on the quality of diving you want to encounter, you can always head north 45 minutes to Barrie and go diving in Lake Simcoe at Big Bay Point. However, it's pretty basic and where most simply do their OW qualifying dives.

 

[BEM]

This August the St. Lawrence was 73 degrees (from Alexandria Bay to Malone, NY)

From downtown Toronto it's about 100 miles (straight down the 401) to Kingston (lots of diving - but you'd need your dry suit in Lake Ontario), 190 miles to Rockport (great boat diving - 3 or 5 mm wetsuit) and about 210 miles to Broackville (again 3 - 5 mm wetsuit.)