Scuba divers meet a water snake hunting 30 feet beneath the surface

Northern water snakes are a large, non-venomous creatures that live in eastern and central North America. Most people see these along the shores as they hunt for fish, frogs, mudpuppies and small mammals. They are capable underwater swimmers and they live on both land and in water, but they are always close to a body of water.

This snake surprised a group of scuba divers who were exploring the Tugs, a group of wrecks in shallow water at the edge of Georgian Bay in Tobermory. The tip of the Bruce Peninsula is a top scuba diving destination in Ontario, Canada. The wrecks here are numerous and fascinating, and rich in history. The group noticed a large fish above them and they looked up to see that there was also a snake descending from the surface. The snake casually swam past them and began looking around the crevices and the gaps in the limestone, clearly hunting for fish or crayfish. This is a spectacle that scuba divers do not expect. In fact, the snake is documented as being occasionally found as deep as 3m (10 feet) below the surface, but this snake was filmed at a depth of more than 7m (23 feet). After almost a minute at the bottom, the snake returned to the surface and swam along the top of the water.

Most scuba divers are true animal enthusiasts and they are always thrilled to see an interesting species while they are exploring. This was even more exciting for them because this is an animal that was very unexpected so deep under water. The group had been very fascinated with the tugboat wreck until that moment when the snake completely captured their interest.

Ontario waters are cold, in comparison with tropical scuba destinations, but the structures and clarity, especially in Tobermory, are unequaled. This group was led by Float n' Flag Scuba Dive Centre, from Burlington, that takes its scuba family (clients) all over the world. They book such a large gathering for this event in August that it is actually named the Tobermory Takeover. Exploring the underwater world is one of the most exciting experiences imaginable.