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Toronto, Canada

Scuba Diving in Toronto: Great Lakes Wrecks and Cold Water Clubs

Toronto divers have something most coastal cities do not: cold fresh water that preserves 19th-century wooden shipwrecks almost intact, with visibility that regularly beats the Caribbean.

Find divers in TorontoCertification guides

Quick facts

Season
May–October, ice diving in winter for trained divers
Water temperature
4–20°C depending on depth and month
Visibility
10–30 m in the Great Lakes

Dive sites in and around Toronto

  • Tobermory (Fathom Five)

    3–35 m, dozens of wrecks including the Sweepstakes; the region's headline destination.

  • Kingston wrecks

    Comet, Wolfe Islander II and more at 15–27 m; superb visibility.

  • Humber Bay / Lake Ontario shore

    Shallow local training dives close to the city.

  • Innerkip Quarry

    Freshwater training site used by most GTA schools.

Cold water is the skill, not the wrecks

Great Lakes diving means dry suits, redundant regulators and careful thermal planning even in August, because the thermocline can drop water to 4°C below 20 metres.

Clubs run shared drives to Tobermory and Kingston through the season — the diving is a weekend trip, so having a group is what makes it affordable and regular.

  • Dry suit and hood essentially mandatory below the thermocline
  • Tobermory requires site registration and a permit
  • Ice diving certification is popular locally in February and March

Diving is a buddy sport — find yours in Toronto

SportConnect is free. Add scuba diving as your sport, list your certification level and Toronto as your city, and you can browse and message local divers, clubs and dive centres planning trips.

Create your free diver profile

Frequently asked questions

Can you scuba dive in Toronto?

Yes — Lake Ontario shore dives locally, plus Tobermory and Kingston wrecks within a few hours' drive.

How cold is the water?

Surface temperatures reach 20°C in August, but below the thermocline expect 4–8°C year round.

Is Great Lakes visibility good?

Often excellent — 20 to 30 metres is common at Tobermory and Kingston.

More diving guides

PADI Open Water DiverPADI Advanced Open Water DiverPADI Rescue DiverPADI DivemasterPADI Enriched Air (Nitrox)PADI Dry Suit DiverSSI Open Water DiverBSAC Ocean DiverDiving in MiamiDiving in New York CityDiving in LondonDiving in BarcelonaDiving in SydneyDiving in DubaiDiving in BerlinDiving in Los AngelesDiving in TokyoDiving in ChicagoDiving in Singapore

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