Kicked off new season at Fort Wetherill

[Scuba-74]

@EdC and I made a trip down to Jamestown, RI yesterday to ring in the new year and new season of diving. Initial plan was to dive Beavertail SP, but 20mph+ NW winds created really rough seas right outside of the cove, and since neither of us dove there before, we opted for a more protected site - Fort Wetherill.

Dove the west cove off of the boat ramp, first time for me at that location. Went in around 12:50, went along the point down to the tip and back. Water temp 41F; max depth 27, avg depth 19, dive time 41 min. Visibility was between 12 and 17 ft in my estimate, depending on the depth. Didn't see too much marine life, but there was this one cool looking fish (rock goby?), and tons of little jellies. No other divers spotted before, during, or after the dive.

 

[Scuba-74]

And here is a shot of Beavertail for comparison.

 

[AfterDark]

Beavertail is a very tricky dive site, best dove with locals. On the West side west winds are the worst. The East side of Beavertail is a killer. Surf picks up at a moments notice, conditions could be good going in but change to bad during the dive. I spent 20 min there once trying to gain about 20yds to egress. There is only one spot on the East side for entry and exit any other spot and you'll pounded on the rocks. Sometime an angler will slip on the rocks, slide into the sea and is drowned there.
The current off the point are changeable it can be normal or so strong it drags out far from shore, depends on the day.
You all were wise to thumb that site and probably lucky. We may have been reading about you in a different part of SB.

 

[AfterDark]

And here is a shot of Beavertail for comparison.

That's on the west side a nice spot when the winds are out of the NE coming off the land. In our younger days I would take my wife snorkeling in that little cove, too much of a climb for her these days. The west side is a nice spearfishing spot lots of togs. At night you can find enough bugs to make a meal also.

A equally tricky site is in Narragansett, Newton Av. A 14 year old girl was drowned there 2 years ago snorkeling with her father. She was swept into the rocks were she got stuck and could not over come the force of the surf. That dark coloration on the rocks is the slide into the water for the unwary individual. Black algae very slippery when wet.

A nice easy site this time of year is Ft Adams Newport, better vis than FTW

 

[Bubblesong]

Ft Wetherhill is a favorite for night dives too. Every time conditions are good there are other divers, so it never feels isolated. I noticed better viz in Late April early May. The critters are plentiful but small, such as flounders the size of a silver dollar, smaller fish and crabs. The protected cove is a bit of a nursery, excellent for closeup photos too.

 

[AfterDark]

Ft Wetherhill is a favorite for night dives too. Every time conditions are good there are other divers, so it never feels isolated. I noticed better viz in Late April early May. The critters are plentiful but small, such as flounders the size of a silver dollar, smaller fish and crabs. The protected cove is a bit of a nursery, excellent for closeup photos too.

It'll be nice until the seals start to live there and the GWs are patrolling the cove.

 

[Scuba-74]

Beavertail is a very tricky dive site, best dove with locals. On the West side west winds are the worst. The East side of Beavertail is a killer. Surf picks up at a moments notice, conditions could be good going in but change to bad during the dive. I spent 20 min there once trying to gain about 20yds to egress. There is only one spot on the East side for entry and exit any other spot and you'll pounded on the rocks. Sometime an angler will slip on the rocks, slide into the sea and is drowned there.
The current off the point are changeable it can be normal or so strong it drags out far from shore, depends on the day.
You all were wise to thumb that site and probably lucky. We may have been reading about you in a different part of SB.

We were going to dive one of the two spots on the west side that are listed in Jerry Shine's book. While leaving the park, we noticed that east side was much calmer and looked pretty diveable, so we wondered why it was not listed in the book. Your comment gives me an idea why

Both of us would like to come back and dive parking lot #2 (in picture) when the conditions cooperate. You are most welcome to join!

 

[AfterDark]

We were going to dive one of the two spots on the west side that are listed in Jerry Shine's book. While leaving the park, we noticed that east side was much calmer and looked pretty diveable, so we wondered why it was not listed in the book. Your comment gives me an idea why

Both of us would like to come back and dive parking lot #2 (in picture) when the conditions cooperate. You are most welcome to join!

Thanks for the invite. I'm not sure I'm up to that climb toting gear these days.

Pick a day with north or NE winds light is better, also try to dive during slack high tide, that'll give you all almost an hour with no to mild current on a good day, less most of the time.
If you head north during the hi slack you'll be able to ride the current back after the change and get more dive time as well as an easy trip back. Let me know when you go, I maybe having a good day!

The east side is best left to boat diving and young strong rock hoppers. It is a very nice dive dropping to 80FSW only 50yds from the rocks. Huge rock formations rise from the bottom with seaweed swaying back and forth from the constant surge. Big stripers and togs can abound there at times. The deeper depths are cold enough to support a pretty good bug population and are protected from lobster pot fishing by the rough surf there most of the time. Most of the pots are a good distance from the rocks laying in mud away from the rocks where the bugs live. A small rib launched from FTW along with the right weather is all that's needed for a good day of diving there.

 

[Scuba-74]

Pick a day with north or NE winds light is better, also try to dive during slack high tide, that'll give you all almost an hour with no to mild current on a good day, less most of the time. If you head north during the hi slack you'll be able to ride the current back after the change and get more dive time as well as an easy trip back. Let me know when you go, I maybe having a good day!

Thanks for excellent tips! Much appreciated.

It is a very nice dive dropping to 80FSW only 50yds from the rocks. Huge rock formations rise from the bottom with seaweed swaying back and forth from the constant surge. Big stripers and togs can abound there at times. The deeper depths are cold enough to support a pretty good bug population and are protected from lobster pot fishing by the rough surf there most of the time.

Had no idea it gets that deep out there. Something to look into, for sure.

 

[formernuke]

It'll be nice until the seals start to live there and the GWs are patrolling the cove.

When that happens I have to get a underwater camers