Further to my previous post on the Sauble Beach that we visited on a Friday evening a few weeks back, we had a lot of attractions lined up until Monday evening. They form a part of the Bruce Peninsula and the adjoining Fathom Five National Marine Park. On Saturday morning, we had to first get the permit for the famous Grotto (natural intricate cove) since the parking for it is through timed slots and is distributed on a first-come first-serve basis. The slots are from 7-11am, 12-4pm, 5-9pm. It is suggested to reach as early as possible if you even want to be safe for a slot (you can only get a permit for that day, not for future). On weekends (especially long ones), all the slots could get filled up in the morning itself…you can follow their twitter handle @BrucePNP or even use #grottoparking to see the current availability.
We reached the entrance (on the Cyprus Lake Rd) to the Bruce Peninsula National Park about 8.30am and were given the option to choose from any of the 2nd or 3rd slots. We went with the 12-4 one since photography is better during the day time and one could enjoy the reflections in crystal-clear waters too! In the meantime, we backed-up our car and headed further up about 10 kilometers to the Tobermory Visitor Center (map here: BP-FF_Map_en). As I’ve mentioned earlier also, the benefit of starting with the Visitor Center can’t be undermined…the folks there give you valuable information even though you might think you know it all!
We were advised to head to the tower right next to it and then go to the Dunks Bay just a short walk away. We did exactly that and were treated to spectacular views of the entire Georgian Bay from the summit of the tower. It was quite windy and cloudy that morning, but the views from up there are still fresh in my memory.After that, we headed to the Dunks Bay and were in awe looking at the clarity of the water. I could even count stones deep into the turquoise waters…I felt the clarity to be even better than that of Lake Tahoe in California that we saw in April last year!
We got so excited about the prospect of what is coming up next that the 3 hours at those 2 small sites seemed to pass by in a jiffy!
There are other attractions in Tobermory too, especially a cruise to explore the Flowerpot Island of Fathom Five NP (we covered that on Monday). Our priority was The Grotto for most of Saturday and The Blue Mountains on Sunday. More on these coming up next…
Beautiful pictures. I always feel wanderlust reading your posts 🙂
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Aw, that’s a weekend bliss for me 🙂
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Gorgeous pictures!
Just curious, are all your pictures shot using a DSLR or are some of these gems shot on a mobile too?
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Some are from my iPhone too…most of them are from DSLR, though.
Thanks!
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I found last three pictures interesting. The walk in the woods underneath these lovely trees is something that I’ll enjoy. And that lake with tree line ending right on the edge is a great sight. You got yourself a great place to visit and enjoy nature at its best. Keep ’em coming! Truly Canada is incredibly beautiful.
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Canada is indeed beautiful, but most of the beauty is in the West. If you land in Toronto area, there is not much natural beauty (but buildings) to enjoy!
Also, Canada is horribly expensive. I have been finding hard to survive here with my salary (which is exactly the same number as in the US). Same is the situation with whosoever relocates from the US. I will have to leave Canada as soon as possible. Maybe I’ll write a detailed post on the comparison sometime.
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I have heard a lot about Canadian beauty but I wasn’t aware that it is western part of Canada.
I always thought that Canada is at par with the US on almost everything. This revelation is new to me and I’m glad that you broached this subject. Surely, will look forward to hearing more about it. Having lived in both countries, you are certainly best judge on both experiences.
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Lovely pictures! I love places that are nestled in the lap of nature (not much interested in Historical spots). The second last click looks like a very common wallpaper that Google offers when we search nature pictures. 🙂
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Thanks! That’s a compliment for my day 🙂
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compared to the heat
i’m dwelling in
this looks refreshing 🙂
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It indeed is 😊
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Quite beautiful place but the location seems a bit out of the way.
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Yes, there is not much of nature around Toronto except his area.
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The last two pictures are so wonderful that i can stare at them for a long time.I hope you are well.
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Thanks, Neha…yeah, life as usual 😊
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Your travelogues make me travel too 😀
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Hahaha, then you should 😊
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That’s worth climbing the tower to behold the spectacular views around… and clouds formed a wonderful cover but I feel a pretty blue sky could get more underwater detail. I loved the trail
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Yes, bluish cover would have added more beauty, white just looks bland…we can’t control that though 🙂
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Oh, Ontario is beautiful, I didnt get a chance to go to that side, one of my blogger friends was there and she really liked it.and your clicks are awesome as always.
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I would say your side is much better…there are very few options from Toronto!
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The pictures are gorgeous. You always make me want to get out and explore.
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Hahaha, that’s what we all should do at least once in a while. Thanks 🙂
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A great find, Alok. It is beautiful! Thank you for the tour and inspiring destination ❤
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Happy to know. Thanks 🙂
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I so enjoyed viewing your visit to Tobermory, Alok. When I’m in a new park I like to visit the Visitor Ctr first too, if possible, to get a good overview and any recommendations. Dunks Bay is breathtaking, and I really like seeing over the dense forest from the observation deck. Enjoyed every one of your photos, and the symmetry and geometrics of the tower too.
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Thank you very much, Jet. I like to make it a point to click symmetrical…it adds a lot of sense to the shot!
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Thanks for the view from the top of the tower because I would never be up there myself! Can’t deal with open stairs… gets my vertigo going big time! But I love the photo.
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I understand. Well, I got that view for you ❤️
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Amazing captures, Alok. You guys are making the best of your time in Canada. Some day I would love to visit.
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Canada is not so rosy as it sounds to be – quite expensive, and less beauty in the east at least. It might be better to just come here as a visitor!
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So I’ve heard that it’s really expensive.
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fantastic picture fabulous article about ur journey thanks for sharing
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My pleasure!
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I sure can see the clarity of water thro your pics. I bet it was just nice staring into the water. Just wondering – can you snorkel or kayak here? Would be fun to do either here.
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You can’t do that at the spots mentioned here, but there are some ship wrecks close by (we saw them too, will cover in separate post) where you can Snorkel. Likewise for Kayaking, you can do it at some other spots in the town.
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I am very surprised after seeing crystal clear water , yes it is possible in India too in Andman island but for that we have to travel a long distance . I know , I cant reach there so I read your posts and enjoyed America here at my system . 🙂
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Happy to know that, buddy. My pleasure!
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Dunks Bay looks so pristine.
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It sure is ☺️
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Dunks Bay looks like a slice of paradise! Crystal clear waters are always such a treasure to find, delight for the eyes and food for the soul.
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True that, Arti. Good to see you after long!
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