Fort Wetherill

Fort Wetherill sits on Conanicut Island in Jamestown, Rhode Island, at the mouth of Narragansett Bay, and is a well known shore diving spot for the region thanks to the old fort's rocky point and easy access from the adjacent state park. Divers typically enter from the shoreline into a mix of granite ledges, boulders, and kelp-covered walls dropping into the bay, with the site topping out at around 10 metres, matching its reputation as an easy, accessible dive rated beginner. Cold Atlantic water here means a drysuit or thick wetsuit is standard for most of the year, and visibility varies a lot with tide and recent weather. Common sightings include lobster, crabs, anemones, and a range of cold water fish rather than any dramatic pelagic life. It is popular as a training and local recreational site because of the easy entry and moderate depth, though current and surge near the point can still pick up and catch less experienced divers off guard.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Asian Shore CrabHemigrapsus sanguineusReported here · unconfirmed
• European Green CrabCarcinus maenasReported here · unconfirmed
• CunnerTautogolabrus adspersusReported here · unconfirmed
• Black Sea BassCentropristis striataReported here · unconfirmed