By GLENN GARNETT
The barque Arabia met her end in a storm on Oct. 5, 1884, as wicked autumn gales blew the 132-foot schooner ashore near the northern tip of Ontario’s Bruce Peninsula.
The crew managed to scramble into a lifeboat and were rescued by a passing tug. Their ship, with its cargo of corn, was later washed into the frigid deeps, where it's rested, undisturbed, for 87 years.
The shivering men of the Arabia were delivered to the harbour of a nearby fishing village called Tobermory, unaware that in the next century their otherwise unremarkable ship would be the star attraction at Canada's first underwater park.
Unfortunately, many tourists only get a passing glance at picturesque Tobermory in their mad dash to board the Chi-Cheemaun car and passenger ferry on their way to Manitoulin Island and other adventures in Northern Ontario.
But Tobermory is an interesting destination in itself. The village got its name from Gaelic fishermen in the early 19th century, who thought its ideal harbours compared well with Tobermory in Scotland. 'Tober Moray' means "well of the Virgin Mary" in Gaelic.
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every summer, with pleasure boaters, divers and tourists converging on the picturesque village. |
We discovered Tobermory over a decade ago when we joined friends for a weekend of wreck diving. The charm of the village and the beauty above the below the waves have drawn us back every year to a terrific rental cottage on the shores of Georgian Bay.
Tobermory is the northern terminus of the world-famous Bruce Trail, and many of the natural delights and spectacular scenery, such as the cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment, can be found in the home stretch of this path.
The village hugs a harbour called Little Tub. A boardwalk traces the edge of it, and from the south you can peer down and watch all kinds of marine traffic, from huge luxury yachts to small motorboats, come and go. With full-service facilities for pleasure craft, it's a popular port of call for boaters as they fare the Great Lakes.
You'll find quite a variety of crafts, clothing and souvenir shops throughout the village - my friends stock up on unique Christmas and birthday gifts when they visit every summer.
Perhaps the most popular tourist attraction of the North Bruce area is Flowerpot Island, so-named for the two 60-foot tall limestone and dolomite "flowerpots" created by centuries of erosion. Visitors can enjoy the walking trails, cliffs, caves, rock formations and abundant flowers the island has to offer. Tours leave several times a day from Little Tub.
There are two national parks in the Tobermory area -- one wet, one largely dry. Bruce Peninsula National Park, located south of Tobermory, offers spectacular limestone cliff vistas, wilderness trails to commune with nature, 40 species of orchids (please don't try to collect the whole set!) and a sandy beach for the kids.
To the north of Tobermory is Fathom Five National Marine Park, with over 20 shipwrecks and 19 islands within its 45-square-mile protected zone. From the Wetmore, sitting in 30 feet of water, to the Forest City, a challenging wreck broken up on a steep slope that takes you to 150 feet at the stern rail, there's something for every skill level and interest.
But it's the siren call of the Arabia that has been luring divers from across the continent, and around the world, since it was located in 1971.
It's ironic that while the Arabia sank without casualties the day it foundered off Echo Island, it has claimed well over a dozen lives in its resting place on the floor of Georgian Bay. It's a wreck that demands, and receives, respect from the hundreds of experienced divers who visit her every year.
A lot of things can go wrong here. Over 100 feet down, there's limited time to see everything within your no-decompression limit, and it's bitterly cold -- with temperatures hovering around 40F, dive regulators can freeze up and minor hassles can become catastrophes. Visits are short and sweet.
As we suited up for our fourth Arabia dive, the water was flat calm, it was hot and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Below, we knew, a winter icestorm was raging. We made our way down the yellow marker line, the clear blue water giving way to darkness. The current builds and the cold water slaps you in the face.
Following the marker line to the rail, we encountered sinister-looking deadeyes, resembling small skulls, among other marine gadgets remarkably untouched by souvenir hunters. We then turned and made our way to the bow and the Arabia's defining feature, its magnificent bowsprit jutting into the gloom.
There never seems to be enough time to see it all: The wheel, the anchors, the windlass and other deck doodads. Your numb fingers and toes - and your gauges - tell you time's up.
Few were on hand to see the Arabia slip beneath the waves, but the whole town came out on May 16, 1999, to see Tobermory's latest underwater attraction, the Niagara II, take its place. The year before, a local organization called the Tobermory Maritime Association purchased the 182-foot long freighter, destined for scrap, firm in the belief that if they sank it, we would come.
Because Fathom Five is the exclusive preserve of ancient ships submerged by foul weather misadventures, the rechristened Niagara II was scuppered just outside its borders, but close enough to be a short boat ride by dive charter from Little Tub.
Descending the marker line, the wreck is quickly visible through the clear water, with a Canadian flag hanging from the sternpole at 50 feet. The wheelhouse is adorned with dozens of plaques recognizing the contributions of local businesses and individuals who foot the bill to buy and sink the freighter, and on the bridge there's a wheel to turn and other gadgets like a swivelling radar tower to play with when hopefully nobody else is looking.
You can descend the smokestack into the hold, where tiny fish have already made themselves at home, and poke your head into a few small cabins throughout the ship.
Whether you dive, hike, canoe, fish, sail, swim or just want a place to sit back in a lawn chair and enjoy a Georgian Bay breeze, a trip to the Tip o' the Bruce is well worth it.
For more information on Tobermory, check out their website, www.tobermory.org.
Campers should contact Bruce Peninsula National Park at 519-596-2263 or check out the website for a complete list of privately owned campgrounds. Reservations are a good idea during July and August and especially for long weekends.
Photo credit: Donna Rest
