The water surprises you before anything else. Turquoise over the shallows, deep blue offshore, so transparent that the hulls of shipwrecks can be made out several metres below the surface: Georgian Bay has nothing to envy the South Seas, except the temperature. At the very tip of the Bruce Peninsula, between Lake Huron and this almost self-contained bay, the village of Tobermory serves as base camp for one of Canada's most beautiful lake regions. Expedition ships anchor offshore and bring passengers ashore by tender, right into the small harbour of Little Tub.

A village of divers and lighthouses

A few hundred residents, two sheltered harbours, wooden docks and fish-and-chips counters: Tobermory keeps a human scale that's a welcome rest from the big ports of call. The village has earned a worldwide reputation among divers, drawn by cold, clear waters that preserve shipwrecks like few places on the planet. At the entrance to neighbouring Big Tub Harbour, an 1885 lighthouse marks the passage to the open lake; its silhouette is one of the most photographed images in the region.

Fathom Five, a park beneath the surface

The surrounding waters form Canada's first national marine park, Fathom Five, which protects more than twenty wrecks of schooners and steamers that fell victim to storms and reefs. No scuba tanks are needed to see them: glass-bottom boats pass over the best-preserved hulls, including that of the schooner Sweepstakes, resting a few metres down in Big Tub Harbour. Seeing a 19th-century ship appear beneath the hull, whole or nearly so, gives passengers a thrill they long remember.

Flowerpot Island and its stone vases

6.5 kilometres offshore, Flowerpot Island owes its name to two limestone pillars sculpted by the waves, standing on the shore like giant flowerpots. The island's trails lead from the rock columns to caves, then to a historic lightstation run by volunteers. Wild orchids and twisted cedars complete the setting of this tiny, endearing reserve, reached by local excursion shuttles.

The cliff and the Grotto

The neighbouring shoreline belongs to Bruce Peninsula National Park, where the Niagara Escarpment plunges into the bay in white cliffs. The most popular spot is simply called the Grotto: a cave open to the water, whose inner pool lights up with bluish reflections in fine weather. The coastal trails leading there cross a conifer forest clinging to the limestone; the contrast between pale rock, dark forest and luminous water creates landscapes that look retouched, though they are entirely real.

For a successful call

• The village can be explored on foot in an hour; save the rest of your time for the water and the trails.
• Glass-bottom boat outings last about two hours, with an optional stop on Flowerpot Island.
• Bring hiking shoes: the limestone shores are uneven and sometimes slippery.
• The water stays cold even in summer; the bravest swim, the others take photos.

The north to share

Tobermory also marks the end of the Bruce Trail, which runs nearly 900 kilometres from the Niagara region; hikers who complete it come to touch the village cairn as if finishing a pilgrimage. The call often ends the same way: a last look at the harbours, a cone of fish and chips, then the tender heading back to the ship between the buoys. Georgian Bay closes its clear waters behind the visitors, guardian of its wrecks and its stone islands.