Floating over Sweepstakes shipwreck

Location:

Little Tub Harbour, Tobermory, Ontario

Located as part of the Fathom Five National Marine Park in Georgian Bay which is part of Lake Huron (1 of the 5 Great Lakes)

Fathom Five National Marine Park was created in 1987 and was the first National Marine Park in Canada.

The park has over 20 shipwrecks making it a popular place to SCUBA dive and snorkel. There are also some other non-shipwreck dive sites. I’ve been diving here once and went with Divers Den.

Paddle in and out of coves, inlets, around and to islands and over shipwrecks along the rocky shoreline. The rocky cliffs along the shoreline are a part of the Niagara Escarpment and can be as high as 61 meters (200’) above the green waters of Georgian Bay.

Tobermory is also home to The Bruce Trail northern terminus cairn.

Parking:

Street parking along Bay St and beside the boat ramp in the harbour and a Public Parking lot at Hwy 6 and Nicholas St. $3 per hour or $15 per day (on-street and Municipal parking lots) Paid parking in effect May 15 to October 15. Parking via app or machine on-site for pay and display. If you pay via app you can extend your time, assuming you didn’t pay for the full allotted time, from your phone if you need to.

The entire area by the boat ramp and Bay St gets very busy. I would recommend getting there early to avoid the busy boat launch and get a limited parking spot close by (roughly 30 spots).

Launch:

Easily accessible with a boat ramp and floating docks. However, the area gets very busy with car and boat traffic as well as pedestrians. 

There is a small ramp fee ($5) you need to pay at the boat lunch. In the summer months, there is someone at the boat ramp collecting money (cash or credit card) or you can walk to the office to the left of the boat ramp past Blue Heron Cruises but before the ferry docks (approx 3-5 min walk one way)

Check out my Tobermory YouTube video for full visuals and for two other launch location details in the area.

Little Tub Harbour Boat Ramp Launch 2020

 Weather:

It’s very important to check the marine forecast for this location. Georgian Bay is part of Lake Huron and the weather can be volatile and unpredictable on the Great Lakes. 

Keep in mind that not only does the wind play a role in waves on the Great Lakes but boat traffic and reflection from the rocky shore will too. 

With a rocky shoreline & cliffs, there aren’t always places to get on the shore quickly or hide from the wind.

Route:

The route will depend a lot on the weather, your paddling ability and your aim for the day (a few hours/a full day, other activities like hiking or snorkelling)

Little Tub Harbour (main marina) to Big Tub Harbour is a must with the easily visible shipwrecks (most famous: Sweepstakes), the Big Tub Lighthouse and a short paddling distance.  You can also drive to Big Tub Lighthouse and launch here (rocky launch point). Keep in mind that it’s a very congested area in the summer with limited parking ($5/hour for a max of 3 hours). 

Little Dunks Bay and Dunks Bay around the eastern coastline of the peninsula are great options to paddle too or launch from as well (small paid parking lot at Dunks Bay). 

The popular Grotto is located further down the same side of the peninsula and is a beautiful spot however this is too far of a paddle for most people when launching from Little Tub Harbour in Tobermory (over 16 km one way).

If you are looking to do the Grotto I’d suggest getting to it by Little Cove Beach (New for 2022: reservations required) The paddle from Little Cove Beach to the Grotto is approx 18 km paddle round trip. Be sure to check the weather including the wind and swell. I wouldn’t recommend this paddle for beginners. Another option is to book a reservation at Halfway Log Dump. This is approx a 10 km paddle round trip and requires a 1km walk from the parking lot to the water. You can also see the Grotto by visiting the main entrance to the Bruce National Park at Cypress Lake.  Entering from the main park entrance you need to book your visit to the Grotto at the Bruce National Park (day trips April 30-October 31 need to be booked in advance. Camping also requires advance reservation)  and hike from the parking lot to the Grotto (approx 1.5km and the launch is a rocky beach). Cypress Lake, located in the Bruce National Park, is also a good paddling spot.  For both launch locations, you’ll need to drive there from Tobermory. Roughly 10 mins back down the peninsula. Parking and National Park fees apply for both Little Cove Beach and Cypress Lake.

Flowerpot Island (6.5km from Tobermory) and other islands are great ones to paddle to however this is for experienced paddlers and the weather also plays a big role. The Fathom Five Marine Park fee applies when docking at Flowerpot Island. See more info on Fathom Five. 

Flowerpot Island makes a great day trip. You can always go to the island on a cruise.  Blue Heron or Bruce Anchor – options for tours and drop-off shuttle. 

You might find that once you get out of Little Tub Harbour (launch area) it’s too wavy or windy. Know your limits. You can always stay in Little Tub Harbour where it’s protected.

Watching the Chi-Cheemaun ferry dock

Overall:

• This is a must-paddle location but requires planning in advance. 
• Tons of exciting activities to do in the area in addition to paddling.
• It’s a great vacation spot and worth making it a trip!