RI dive season 2025
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Bubblesong
Contributor
This Sunday August 30, at 8am looks calm at Ft Wetherhill with wind blowing out to sea, should be a good dive morning. I’ll be there for sure!
Bubblesong
Contributor
I can’t make it to Ft Wetherhill after all, but hope to see some photos from those who do make it!
We did 2 dives at FW today. I was shocked when we pulled into the parking lot, as it was packed with divers, most of whom were students. The only reason for the shock is that it hasn’t been that busy on the other weekends that we’ve gone.
Vis was around 8-10’ most of the time, dropping to 5ish, always with varying degrees of particulate. The local fish were out in force. I had no idea how curious young sea bass are. I had a couple that would swim up to me as if saying “hi”, then swim with me for a couple of minutes. Also, we found two spotfin butterflyfish along the east wall of the west cove (Boat ramp). Sea stars and flounder were everywhere, and they were big.
First dive was 58 minutes with a max depth of 29’, temp of 67. Second was 55 minutes with a max depth of 27’, temp of 68.
Erik
Vis was around 8-10’ most of the time, dropping to 5ish, always with varying degrees of particulate. The local fish were out in force. I had no idea how curious young sea bass are. I had a couple that would swim up to me as if saying “hi”, then swim with me for a couple of minutes. Also, we found two spotfin butterflyfish along the east wall of the west cove (Boat ramp). Sea stars and flounder were everywhere, and they were big.
First dive was 58 minutes with a max depth of 29’, temp of 67. Second was 55 minutes with a max depth of 27’, temp of 68.
Erik
Bubblesong
Contributor
@RIHappyDiver thank you for report about tropicals!
You’re welcome. I spoke with another diver who saw a couple of different types in the east cove, one type was butterflyfish but he wasn’t sure of the others.
It seems odd to me that I have only ever seen butterflyfish. There was once that I saw a flash of color too far away to make it out. But up close, it is always butterflyfish.
Erik
Cornbread O'Malley
Contributor
I made it to Ft. Wetherill (FW) for two dives on September 12, 2025, the first two dives in New England for me. I spent the entire month of September road tripping the East Coast visiting friends and family. I drove from the Dallas-Fort Worth area across the country with my scuba gear, visited friends along the way, and made my way to southern Massachusetts stopping to visit a dive buddy. Upon arrival he treated me to a dinner of clam cakes, quahogs, and clam chowder from Star Drive-In in East Taunton, MA.
The next day my buddy took me to FW for our dives. The drive to the site was very pretty especially the waterfront area around Newport, RI; I was impressed! We made our first dive entering the boat ramp to the west of the parking lot. Then our second dive was the entry to the southeast of the parking lot. We discovered that the exit from the second site is full of large submerged rocks southeast of the beach! Unfortunately, we didn't see very much at either site, and my buddy even lamented on the lack of wildlife. I did see two flounders. But I have been diving long enough to know that sometimes dives are a hit or miss. Visibility was about 3 feet then to about 5 feet past 50 feet depth. Water temperature averaged 68 Fahrenheit.
On land, my buddy took me to visit Fall River and then New Bedford. In New Bedford, we visited the Whaling Museum. Then we gorged on Portuguese food at Antonio's Restaurant. I don't think I could fit in my wetsuit after eating there!
I enjoyed my visit to New England, and I would like to make it back to try diving for lobster.
The next day my buddy took me to FW for our dives. The drive to the site was very pretty especially the waterfront area around Newport, RI; I was impressed! We made our first dive entering the boat ramp to the west of the parking lot. Then our second dive was the entry to the southeast of the parking lot. We discovered that the exit from the second site is full of large submerged rocks southeast of the beach! Unfortunately, we didn't see very much at either site, and my buddy even lamented on the lack of wildlife. I did see two flounders. But I have been diving long enough to know that sometimes dives are a hit or miss. Visibility was about 3 feet then to about 5 feet past 50 feet depth. Water temperature averaged 68 Fahrenheit.
On land, my buddy took me to visit Fall River and then New Bedford. In New Bedford, we visited the Whaling Museum. Then we gorged on Portuguese food at Antonio's Restaurant. I don't think I could fit in my wetsuit after eating there!
I enjoyed my visit to New England, and I would like to make it back to try diving for lobster.
Your post is one of the nicest posts on diving New England in a while. It made me want to go back ASAP to dive Cape Ann and RI like I used to do when I was in my 20s and 30s (only a few years ago, of course
). I have so many beautiful memories diving at FW. I used to enter water from the left cove, swim all the way out to the point, I think that we went down to 50ft there, and then turn and swim back in the right cove all the way back to the boat ramp. I did my instructor training there in 1987 through URI GSO.The best part is the information about the restaurants in your post. I am going to visit all of them, no doubt.
P.S. Perhaps you can share your friend's contact information so that I can get in touch with him to take me out to these restaurants. It seems that he is a nice friend to have in MA lol.
Star Drive-In in East Taunton, MA
Home | Antonio's Restaurant
www.antoniosnewbedford.com
Home - New Bedford Whaling Museum
Anchored in the story of New Bedford’s whaling industry, the New Bedford Whaling Museum documents and shares the diverse stories of this vibrant maritime region and its people, both bygone and current.
www.whalingmuseum.org
Cornbread O'Malley
Contributor
Ask about the amount of food for the dish before you order. I ordered the pork meat ribatejana thinking it good for one person. I received my order and was astonished that it could've fed 3 or 4 people!! I ate what I could and took the remaining for lunch the following day.Home | Antonio's Restaurant
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