5 cold-water adventures

The Sweepstakes, a twin-masted schooner, is accessible from shore and is also a popular second dive with charters. According to Kohl, it’s the most-visited shipwreck in all the Great Lakes due to its intactness and accessibility. Protected at the end of a cove in 20 feet of water, the wreck has been there since 1885 and remains in perfect condition. Of great interest to divers are the bow’s starboard railing, the windlass, the Roman numeral draft markings, the mast holes and the centerboard box below deck.

The Wetmore is a wooden steamer that ran ashore in 1901 and broke up before it could be salvaged. It’s popular because the viz is always high, it’s in only 25 feet of water and there’s lots to see. Starting at the bow, there’s a huge mound of anchor chain that leads to a massive wooden-stock anchor. There’s also a boiler, what’s left of the propeller (three of the four blades broke off when it ran ashore) and scattered tools, such as wrenches. The Wetmore is unusual in that the hull has split open and divers can see the 19th-century construction techniques, like the use of hanging knees — sort of like pegs used to attach the deck to the hull.

The Niagara II is Tobermory’s most recent wreck: It was scuttled in May 1999 with all its doors and hatches removed. The 185-foot steel freighter is in about 80 feet of water and is much-loved by divers because there’s so much to see, and even when you’re inside, daylight is always visible.

In town, don’t miss St. Edmond’s Museum. The second floor is dedicated to shipwrecks in the Tobermory area; since it was established before legislation was passed to protect the wrecks, it has an excellent collection of artifacts. The Fathom Five National Marine Park is also known for its interpretive exhibits about the area’s shipwrecks. At the end of the day, join the leagues of divers who gather at the Crow’s Nest for good eats, local music and endless conversation.

MUST DO
Walk All Over Bruce
Day trippers and long-haul hikers set out to explore the scenic trails of Bruce Peninsula National Park. Expect watery panoramas from stony cliffs; in summer, 44 species of orchid bloom in the park’s glades.

MUST DIVE

1. The Tugs
2. The Sweepstakes
3. The Niagara II
4. The W.L. Wetmore
5. The Grotto

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Divers Den: Fast Facts
PADI dive center Tank fills Custom nitrox mixes Open-water to advanced technical training Equipment rentals Full fleet of boats for scheduled trips and charters 519-596-2363Web: http://www.diversden.ca/

SCAPA FLOW, SCOTLAND: A Ghostly Fleet

Off the northeast coast of Scotland lies a lonely scattering of islands known as the Orkneys: a desolate, windswept landscape where traces of stone-age settlements and standing stone circles remain. Random tourists seeking a wee dram of authentic Scottish culture rarely wander this far off the beaten path, but in the town of Stromness, the blue and white international code “A” flag used by divers studs a string of pubs spaced an even 20 feet apart (or so it seems).

Stromness is situated in Scapa Flow, a natural harbor used since the 13th-century Viking fleet of King Haokon and still in use today. To divers, Scapa Flow is the cold-water, WWI version of the Pacific’s Bikini Atoll or Truk Lagoon and is arguably Europe’s top wreck-diving destination.

In November 1918, after the WWI armistice between the Allies and Germany, 74 German ships surrendered and were ordered to lay anchor in Scapa Flow. The following June, the German admiral, upset by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, ordered his skeleton crews to scuttle the entire German High Seas Fleet. British forces managed to prevent 22 of the huge vessels from sinking, but 52 still ended up on the bottom. Unfortunately for wreck divers, a massive salvage operation for scrap metal continued for decades, leaving only three intact battleships (500+ feet long) and four cruisers (300+ feet long).

The battleships lure technical divers, but there are several other wrecks, all in depths ranging from 30 to 150 feet, in remarkably good condition. In Burra Sound, only 20 minutes from Stromness, the popular WWI and WWII blockships lie in 30 to 50 feet of water. The blockships had been used as coastal defense mechanisms to allow only one entrance into Scapa Flow and clearly were targets of the enemy. Compared to the German fleet, these wrecks have lots of marine life and excellent visibility.

The blockship Gobernador Bories is likely the most photogenic wreck of the bunch; it’s flooded with light and pulses with sea life. Swim the length of the inside hull and you’ll be followed by tame fish looking for a handout and will swim through the ranks of hundreds of ballan wrasse.

In Orkney’s beautiful, clear waters, divers can expect walls of brightly colored jewel anemones, angler fish, scallops and tons of invertebrates, including pincushion starfish, nudibranchs, brittle starfish, shrimp and squat lobsters. Great stands of kelp mark the entrances to Scapa Flow.

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