Blue Heron Boat Cruises

Photo Credit: Selma Yalazi

Blue Heron Boat Cruises based in Tobermory, Ontario offers a unique experience for adventurous travellers. Climb aboard one of two glass bottom boats and depart on a cruise of Lake Huron for Flowerpot Island or Fathom Five National Marine Park. Blue Heron Boat Cruises operates the Blue Heron V which is a 17 meter boat that can carry up to 96 passengers and the Great Blue Heron which is 24 meters long and can carry up to 125 passengers. Both vessels have glass bottoms to allow passengers a unique view of the lake and many shipwrecks below.

Flowerpot Island

During the cruise to Flowerpot Island visitors will see Tobermory's other harbor marked by Big Tub Lighthouse, built in 1885, and view two shipwrecks at the head of Big Tub Harbor. These are the wrecks of the schooner "Sweepstakes" from 1885 and the steam ship "City of Grand Rapids" from 1907. Both of these ship wrecks are shallow enough to be visible from the sides of the boat as well as through the glass bottom viewing area. Flowerpot Island is part of Fathom Five National Marine Park and is famous for the two "flowerpots" or "sea stacks" on it's eastern shoreline. Once the boat arrives at Flowerpot Island, passengers can go ashore to explore the 495 acre island. This cruise is 1 hour and 20 minutes plus the length of time you decide to stay on the Island.

Fathom Five National Marine Park

This 2 hour tour begins with a visit to two nineteenth century shipwrecks located in Tobermory's Big Tub Harbor. From there visitors will cruise past Doctor Island, around Russel Island, past Griffon Cove and some very shallow underwater shoals and then head north to Cove Island. Finally the boat will turn east through some narrow channels and passages to the Otter Islands, and eventually around Flowerpot Island.