Submitted by Brad Snyder
The Tobermory Takeover is all about introducing our divers to the amazing diving we have right here in our own backyard. We began bringing a group up 10 years ago, and back then, the largest group we could gather was 8 people. This was our 10th year hosting the event, and this year we had 80 divers and a waiting list of 30+ people. Divers Den in Tobermory has become a key collaborative partner in this event and it couldn’t happen without them, and the Coach House Inn is our base of operations.
For those lucky participants that did get a spot this year, we had a few special surprises for our participants. One surprise that seemed to excite the whole gang was a bagpipe serenade from Divers Den down to the pier for all 80 divers. Everyone, including 27 staff members, had an exclusive 10th Anniversary t-shirt and custom designed PADI hat. On Saturday night we also host a huge BBQ at the Coach House for the participants and Divers Den Staff to allow everyone to share stories about the days adventures.
But the weekend is also as much about the community as it is about the diving. This incredible group of people is also committed to the environment, and all you have to do is look around Tobermory to see its beauty too. Over the years, we have completely eliminated the single use plastic bottles from the trip, which would have been 600+ for a weekend like this. Each participant was provided a custom designed water bottle to ensure everyone had one for the weekend. We also had numerous divers taking a course this weekend called Dive Against Debris. They learn about collection and reporting underwater debris to help keep our lakes and oceans clean.
In a nutshell, the Tobermory Takeover is the single largest diving event in Ontario. It’s about a strong community coming together to enjoy the sport we all love and share that with new people. It’s about fun, friends and fellowship. But what impresses me the most about this community is how they come together to support our common cause for all divers, which is safety first and then of course, fun.
We look forward to many more years of fun in Tobermory.
