Last Camping
Trip of the
2024 Season

We set off on our four-hour drive from Georgina to Tobermory during the Thanksgiving long weekend. As we embarked on our last camping trip of the season, the morning was chilly and overcast. Our plan on our trip to Tobermory was to canoe around Big Tub Harbour to potentially see two shipwrecks, the Sweepstakes and The City of Grand Rapids. In the past, we have thought about visiting and expanding our list of places to camp outside Algonquin Park. After hearing from our friends about Tobermory, we decided it was time to experience the Bruce Peninsula for ourselves! A new adventure and a perfect ending to our 2024 camping season.

We arrived around 11:00 AM at the visitor centre to register our canoe for recreational use. We had called in advance to check what the process was to use our canoe in Tobermory. Apparently, there are many areas around the area at which we could use our vessel in and the conversation with the guide at the visitor centre was very helpful! We learned about high-traffic areas where other campers would frequently visit with their canoe or kayak and areas where you could park. For this season, we were planning to explore the Big Tub Harbour and scope out potential areas to explore on future camping trips. We were cautioned after arriving that the waters were not suitable conditions to canoe around; even the glass-bottom boats that hosted the tours over the shipwrecks had temporarily stopped for the weekend. Our main reason why we came to Tobermory was to canoe over the shipwrecks but not use our ROV. The shipwrecks are protected against the use of motorized vehicles and only the glass-bottom boats are authorized to observe below the waterline. However, if the water conditions were right, we would be able to drop our Go Pro camera in the water to record footage.

Tobermory sign

Bruce Peninsula National Park and Fathom Five National Marine Park Visitor Centre

Big Tub Lighthouse

After leaving the visitors centre, we had ample time to tour around and visit the Big Tub Harbour lighthouse before our check-in time at Cyprus Lake Campground at 2:00 PM. Camping permits are valid until 11:00 AM on the day of check-out! Great for accessing the first-come, first-serve hiking trails and free parking at Parks Canada Visitor Centre and Singing Sands. When we arrived at the Big Tub Lighthouse, the surrounding area was quite busy with tourists and campers staying here for the long weekend.

Big Tub Lighthouse

Exploring the shores around the lighthouse of Big Tub Harbour

Lighthouse History

The lighthouse was originally constructed in 1885 after the Department of Marine purchased the land. The lighthouse at Tobermory Harbour was a joint effort by John George and David Currie, designed to improve navigation safety in the area known for frequent ship accidents and as a haven during harsh weather conditions. From 1885 to 1952, there were six keepers responsible for the lighthouse until it became automated. During that time, early lighthouses relied on wood, coal, or candles for light.

Dunks Bay Beach

After visiting the Lighthouse, we then visited Dunks Bay -
a quaint sandy beach located a brief drive southeast of Tobermory. The beach was relatively small since most of the land was privately owned up to the water’s edge. If the day hadn’t been so windy, this beach could have been an ideal spot to launch our canoe with a sandy takeoff; unlike the rocky terrain commonly found in the Georgian Bay area.

Little Tub Harbour

While we were waiting to check-in at our campsite, we stopped by Little Tub Harbour. The ferry sets off from this harbour, transporting visitors to Manitoulin Island. We happened to get a glimpse of the MS Chi-Cheemaun, a Canadian ferry that has proudly carried both passengers and vehicles in Ontario for 50 years since 1974. The ship makes its way across Lake Huron connecting Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula with South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island. The ferry service is available during the warmer months between mid-May to mid-October.

As of 2022, the MS Chi-Cheemaun is the third largest passenger vessel on the Great Lakes, following the expedition cruise liner Viking Octantis and the US ferry SS Badger.

Cyprus Lake
Campground Office

We arrived at the Cyprus Lake gates at 2:00 PM; we tried checking in earlier around noon and were advised to come back closer to check-in time. Booking our campsite ahead of time made checking in at the campground office a breeze. Since this was not a backcountry camping site, we were obligated to buy firewood as we were not able to cut down wood in the campground area. Normally the firewood would be bundled in a net for purchase, but the campground received the wood in bulk instead. We were allowed to use as much we needed for the duration of our stay!

Stockpile of firewood available for campers at Cyprus Lake.

View of our campsite #232 at the Tamarack campground

The Grotto

After setting up our campsite - our tent and adjusting the picnic table, we began our one hour hike over to the Grotto - a rare littoral cave formed by the constant erosion of waves from Lake Huron, in Georgian Bay. The hike was windy and cold, but that didn’t stop the campers! At times on the way to the Grotto, we passed large groups of people and the hiking trails were never empty. Our dog, Fay, got a lot of attention from the groups of people passing by. She is normally very shy and wary of strangers, but she was quite pleased with the long hike. When we arrived at the Grotto, we took some time to admire the crashing waves, the beautiful sloped rocky edges, and plenty of places to take some great selfies!
The Grotto is located within Bruce Peninsula National Park. It can be accessed through the Head of Trails, with parking available at the Cyprus Lake P1 lot.