Flower Pot Island, Tobermory, Ontario
- Lyn (aka Jazz)
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
I had been on the road for over a month when I decided to head up the Bruce Peninsula. The peninsula is a strip of land that separates the main portion of Lake Huron in Ontario from Georgian Bay. I ended up heading to the very top of the peninsula to the quaint town of Tobermory, where I tucked myself into a lovely B&B and explored the area for a couple of days. I was especially interested in seeing Flower Pot Island.
After checking out the various boat cruises offered, I booked two with Blue Heron Cruises, a sunset cruise and the Drop-Off Cruise to Flower Pot Island, part of the Fathom Five National Marine Park. This marine park is renowned among divers. I am not a diver, so if I wanted to see shipwrecks, I would need to do it from a boat. As a self-confessed geology nerd, I was very excited to see the stacked rock formations. The promise of a swim and a hike had me anticipating my day with glee. I was not disappointed.
The tour is advertised as being on a glass-bottomed boat. This does not mean the entire floor is glass. The glass section is large, but I thought I had a more clear view from the side of the boat. The island became increasingly crowded as more cruises dropped off passengers throughout the day. I would suggest getting the earliest cruise available. Parks Canada suggests you'll need 1.5 hours to see the flowerpots and cave, double that if you want to go to the light station, and 4-5 hours if you include following the entire loop trail.
THERE IS NO WATER ON THE ISLAND, so plan ahead and bring plenty with you. Compost toilets are only located at Beachy Cove and the light station. There is a modest cash-only snack bar at the historic light station. It is a pristine natural environment, as the rangers gently explained to some children stacking inukshuk-style art on the rocky shores. Visitors are expected to leave the area undisturbed.
The tour began in a sheltered Bay, surrounded by cottages and marked by Big Tub Lighthouse. This is where two 19th-century shipwrecks can be seen resting just below the surface.
The water is so clear, we had an excellent view. It is easy to see why this is considered to be a prime location for divers.
From there we cruised through the Devil Island Channel and the narrow channel between Cove Island and the Otter Islands.
There are some lovely cottages, modest and grand, along the shores.
You'll enjoy stunning landscapes surrounding the cottages. The approach to the island goes past the Parks Offices.
Soon we can see the first formation, the large flower pot.
Cruising past the Large flower pot, the small flower pot can be seen in the background.
We arrived at the dock, where a ranger greeted us and reminded us about the lack of water and the need to protect the island and its formations from damage.
I spent much time wandering along the rocky beaches and getting up close to the flowerpots.
As you can see in the photos, it is very rocky. Strong footwear is important when scrambling around.
In this formation, the Ojibwa people see a mighty warrior and have many tales to tell about his life
I continued along the trail to the light station and museum, which is totally off-grid. The museum was nothing remarkable, but it was a lovely trail.
And then back to the beach area for a swim.
I spent several hours enjoying the water and the excellent people-watching before making my way to docks to catch my return boat. It had been an excellent day full of wonderful sights, a good hike, geeking out on geology and swimming in refreshing waters. I look forward to doing it again.
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Tobermory is a wonderful little town. I visited there many years ago when the kids were young. This boat tour to the island is a great way to explore the local geography and history. Seeing the sunken boats was also interesting. For us with a young family, the kids liked watching the boats come in and out from the harbour and eating fish and chips in the dockside restaurant.
How long was the ferry ride from the mainland over to the Flower Pot Island? I can see why it is such a popular destination, the tourist crowd in one of your pictures on the jetty do look a bit scary! The rock formations are unusual and I would absolutely go for a swim and hike around the island too.
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