RI Divers - I am curious about 40 Steps

[CT-Rich]

I was looking at surfer’s End also. If the wind is coming out of the west or North it should be pretty good. The charts indicate the cliff extends about 20’ below the surface in some places. During the summer, they charge for parking.

Green Bridge and Kings Beach are good, but the wind has to be right for it. A large rolling swell will make it a mess. At GB did you go outside of the cove? Generally, I find the farther you go the better the vis (of course, it’s better to learn the site in good conditions).

I haven’t done Beavertail recently, and it can get frisky on either side. The experience I had there was on the East side. It is much more protected and the currents don’t rip along like they do on the west passage.

One place worth checking out, that I plan on trying this winter is the cove side of Fort Adams. Beach entry, very protected, probably lots of artifacts to look at (RI law says old stuff belongs to the state). Being a park, I would expect a ranger to ask if you are bringing things out of the water. There are several wrecks in the cove also.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

I find the farther you go the better the vis (of course, it’s better to learn the site in good conditions).

I went as far as Leno's house on the left - left the cove maybe 50 feet or so and realized it was not getting any better. My point for diving there was to hit Gooseberry and I realized I could swim through the arch and not even know it was there... So I called the dive... it was a crap shoot and I knew that before the 4 hour up and 4 hour back to get there... lol

But I have been itching to see something besides Fort Wetherill... During the summer I don't think I would even attempt it - from the parking to the beach traffic on 95 in CT it would be a complete nightmare - as it was it took me 12.5 hours to get up there fool around and get back home...

 

[AfterDark]

Yeah, Green Bridge, Kings Beach, will be a mess for quite some time. Between the rain, and wind we've been getting I wouldn't drive from my house to dive either one until we get a least a week of dry, calm, weather to let things settle down. Beavertail is a danger zone. Vis is the least of the issues at that site. The East side that faces Newport has been a death trap for fishermen forever. I've dove both the East and West sides. One has to be in fairly good condition to dive Beavertail due the amount of work it takes to get your gear to the water and back to the car. The West side that faces Bonnet Shores is more benign, if the wind is east or north it is diveable but again the long climbs up and down the rocks make for a long day/night of diving. The "safest" spot to dive there is the point, it's a long walk but worth the effort on a good day.

Chance are you wouldn't have found the arches, even people that know where they are can have trouble finding the aches. Also Giant Strides Dive shop runs charters to the arches during the summer. That would be your best bet of actually diving the arches.

Well, I hope the next time up get up this way you have better luck. Personally when I drive long distance it's usually between 10pm and 8AM just because of the traffic.