When I was a kid we used to camp on the Bruce Peninsula in the summer. One memorable day trip was taking a glass-bottom boat from Tobermory to Flowerpot Island. I’ve yet to do it with my own children, but I thought it would be interesting to research the area — Fathom Five National Marine Park — and see what I came up with.
Fathom Five National Marine Park was established in 1987, the first National Marine Park in Canada (now called National Marine Conservation Areas). The park covers 130 square kilometers and includes twenty islands, among them Flowerpot Island, where you can camp and hike. A new visitor centre serving Fathom Five National Marine Park and Bruce Peninsula National Park opened in 2006.
The park is popular with scuba divers as there are nearly two dozen shipwrecks to be seen — some of the oldest and best preserved in Canada. Most of the boats sank between 1871 and 1907. (Wikipedia includes a chart that lists them.)
Flowerpot Island features two “flowerpots,” pillars of rock formed by the erosion of limestone from the harder dolomite. A third stack toppled in 1903.
You’ll probably spy wildlife during your visit to Fathom Five National Marine Park (including rattlesnakes, squirrels, maybe even a bear) and come across rare wildflowers, including 44 species of orchids. (An orchid festival is held annually in June.)
There are two lighthouses in the area: Big Tub near Tobermory and Flowerpot Island Light Station. Big Tub Lighthouse was built in 1885 (though a light was first hung in 1881) and still operates today. The land was purchased for $18 and the cost of the wooden tower was $675. The light had six official keepers over the years before it was automated in 1952.
According to one source, a lighthouse was built on Flowerpot Island in 1897 but has since been replaced by a steel tower. There is a small museum maintained by the Friends of the Bruce District Parks Association, who have cared for the site since 1995. In 1998 they established the Volunteer Lightkeeper Host Program, where you can live in the lighthouse for a few days and help out by greeting visitors and maintaining the site.
Exploring shipwrecks, spotting orchids, and visiting historic lighthouses are just some of the activities that will keep you busy when you visit Fathom Five National Marine Park.
Sources
- Fathom Five National Marine Park via Parks Canada
- Fathom Five National Marine Park via The Canadian Encyclopedia
- Fathom Five National Marine Park via Wikipedia
- A Guide to Planning a Trip to Fathom Five National Marine Park, Ontario via ToDoCanada
- Big Tub Lighthouse via Wikipedia
- Flowerpot Island via Tobermory.com
- Friends of the Bruce District Parks Association