Dive Life Tobermory.
PADI Five Star dive centre in Tobermory running snorkel tours, charters, and certification courses on Fathom Five National Marine Park shipwrecks

The brief.
Dive Life Tobermory is a PADI Five Star IDC Dive Centre on Bay Street in Tobermory, Ontario, at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. The operation runs snorkel tours, public and private dive charters, and PADI certification courses across the shipwrecks of Fathom Five National Marine Park, with departures from May through October. Owners Steve Mervyn (Divemaster) and Szilvia Jones Mervyn (PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor) maintain a dive shop and fill station at 3 Bay Street and a retail store and training centre at 8 Bay Street. The shop sits in a Tobermory dive tradition that has run since 1967, and supplies compressed air, 32% banked Nitrox, custom blends, and 100% oxygen for technical and emergency use.
8. ways in.
- 01
Big Tub Harbour Snorkel
For: All ages; minors under 18 with an adult companionWhen: May–October, 6pm departureA 1.5-hour evening snorkel through Big Tub Harbour, with shipwreck viewing at Sweepstakes and City of Grand Rapids. Wetsuit, snorkel, mask, and fins included; one additional hour of pre-departure check-in for gear fitting. Suited to experienced and novice snorkelers comfortable in deep water.
From $40 + HST
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Daytime Snorkel Tour
For: All ages; minors under 18 with an adult companionWhen: May–October; 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm departures (daily availability varies)A 2-hour guided snorkel inside Fathom Five National Marine Park, sites varying between the Grotto at Indian Head Cove and shipwreck sites including the W.L. Wetmore, Minch, Avalon Voyager, and Sweepstakes. Wetsuit, snorkel, mask, and fins included; participants check in one hour ahead for gear fitting. Open to experienced and novice snorkelers and swimmers.
From $65 + HST
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Discover Scuba Diving
For: Ages 10+; under 18 with parent/guardianWhen: May–OctoberA 2–4 hour try-dive starting with a short PADI eLearning module, followed by gear fitting, basic skills practice in calm water, and one guided dive at "The Tugs" shore site. All rental equipment included; basic swimming ability and a medical questionnaire required. Graduates receive a $100 discount toward the PADI Open Water Diver Course, with the discovery dive credited toward that certification.
$259 + HST per person
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Public Dive Charters
For: Certified divers age 10+; five experience tiersWhen: Regular departures May–October; 2 dives over 4 hoursFive public charter tiers gate by experience: Guided (10+ logged dives in 18 months), Intermediate (cold-water experience and 10 logged dives in 12 months, depths under 60 ft), Advanced (10 deep cold-water dives in 18 months, depths under 100 ft), Senior Advanced (Advanced Open Water cert plus full equipment with air-source redundancy, depths over 100 ft), and Night (night-diver certification, primary and secondary lights, tank marker). Bookings must be placed at least two days ahead, with a 6-diver minimum per charter. Membership discounts available.
From $160 + HST
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PADI Open Water Diver
For: Ages 10+; able to swim, medically fitWhen: May–OctoberA 3-day entry-level certification course built on PADI eLearning, five confined water dives, and four open water dives. Graduates are certified to dive to 18 metres (60 feet). Rental equipment, in-person instruction, and eLearning included; mask and snorkel are required and offered with a 15% student discount on arrival. Minimum two participants; smaller groups may be combined or offered private instruction at adjusted rates.
$949 + HST per person
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Private Charters
For: Divers age 10+; snorkelers and swimmers no minimum age (minors with guardian)When: May–OctoberA private vessel and captain for scenic island runs, wreck snorkeling at geological and shipwreck sites, or scuba dives on a group's own schedule. Water and snacks aboard; air fills, tank rentals, and snorkel/scuba gear rental are extra. Booked through the operator directly or through Peek.
From $450 + HST
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PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
For: Ages 12+; PADI Open Water Diver certification requiredWhen: May–OctoberA 2-day continuing-education course built on five Adventure dives — Deep Diver and Underwater Navigation are mandatory, with three additional dives chosen from Wreck Diver, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Nitrox, or Search & Recovery. Tanks, weights, and air fills included; gear rental is $100/day + HST and the Fathom Five National Marine Park dive tag ($5.50/day or $21.50/annual) is extra.
$649 + HST
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PADI Rescue Diver
For: Ages 12+; (Junior) Advanced Open Water with Underwater Navigation, current Emergency First ResponseWhen: May–OctoberA 2-day rescue-skills course for ages 12+ holding (Junior) Advanced Open Water with Underwater Navigation completed and current Emergency First Response training. $599 + HST instruction plus $168.40 + HST Crew Pack — total $767.40 + HST.
$599 + HST instruction plus $168.40 + HST Crew Pack — total $767.40 + HST
Worth knowing.
- 01PADI Five Star IDC Dive CentreSource ↗
- 02Operating in Tobermory's diving tradition since 1967 ("divers serving divers since 1967")Source ↗
- 03Owned and operated by Steve Mervyn (Divemaster) and Szilvia Jones Mervyn (PADI Open Water Scuba Instructor)Source ↗
- 04Two Bay Street locations: dive shop and fill station at 3 Bay Street; retail store and training centre at 8 Bay StreetSource ↗
- 05Operates seasonally May through October, with daily 8am–8pm hours during peak season (June 12 – September 6)Source ↗
- 06Fill station offers compressed air, 32% banked Nitrox, custom Nitrox blends, and 100% oxygen for technical and emergency cylindersSource ↗
- 07Snorkel and dive sites include shipwrecks W.L. Wetmore, Minch, Avalon Voyager, Sweepstakes, and City of Grand Rapids, plus the Grotto at Indian Head Cove and Big Tub Harbour, all within Fathom Five National Marine ParkSource ↗
- 08Public dive charters operate in five experience tiers (Guided, Intermediate, Advanced, Senior Advanced, Night Dive) with a minimum 6-diver booking and 2-day advance reservation requirementSource ↗
Get in
touch.
- Website
- www.divetobermory.ca/
- Phone
- (705) 351-2309
- Address
- 3 Bay Street (Dive Shop & Fill Station) and 8 Bay Street (Retail Store & Training Centre), Tobermory, ON