Finally made it to Ft W for some diving. Three days. First dive on Thursday. Arrived around noon. Parking lot surprisingly full with divers in various stages of set up. It looked a bit fuller than it was bc some bonehead operating a kayak group parked his truck and trailer across about 10 spots right in front of the set up benches. Dive was nice and water temp surprisingly warm at 63. Vis was maybe 6-8 with some cloudy areas but I could make out shapes/rocks '8 out. More flounders on this dive than I ever recall seeing, maybe 10-12 all good size. Nice to see some familiar faces in the set up area and a thanks to Steve from New England Dive Shop Wallingford CT for fixing an o-ring issue on my pony set up. Weather was mostly sunny and warm although later breaking down my gear a weird fog crept in with the wind shift. Most have been the cool ocean air hitting the hot land air. It covered the coves.
Dove again Friday at about the same time. Not nearly as busy. Same vis but water temps reading 59 at depth and it felt colder in my 5 mil. Usual suspects on this dive but more large horseshoe crabs on this dive than I have seen in a long time. Noticeably missing were the juve black seabass in large numbers. Some but not as many as last year.
Dove again this morning at 8 AM. Parking lot empty except for two other divers I recognized from Thurs and prior trips. Mostly cloudy weather above this time and vis down a bit but still decent for Ft. W. All kinds of marine life on this dive but no seahorse and I spent time looking. Lots of blue crabs, a good size stripe bass, black fish, skate and searobin. The searobin almost looked pretty underwater. I remember catching them as a kid when flounder fishing and I distinctly recall not caring for that and trying get them off the hook. Water temps 63 in shallows, 61 at depth.
Nice to be back in the water. Fun trip to RI. Camped at Burlingame one nite, another at a b&b in Jamestown. Watched the US Womens World Cup game, 2nd half, at the Ganny which was fun. Sunset at Beavertail and fireworks and bridge lighting on the Newport Bridge to celebrate the bridge.
Happy diving.
Dove again Friday at about the same time. Not nearly as busy. Same vis but water temps reading 59 at depth and it felt colder in my 5 mil. Usual suspects on this dive but more large horseshoe crabs on this dive than I have seen in a long time. Noticeably missing were the juve black seabass in large numbers. Some but not as many as last year.
Dove again this morning at 8 AM. Parking lot empty except for two other divers I recognized from Thurs and prior trips. Mostly cloudy weather above this time and vis down a bit but still decent for Ft. W. All kinds of marine life on this dive but no seahorse and I spent time looking. Lots of blue crabs, a good size stripe bass, black fish, skate and searobin. The searobin almost looked pretty underwater. I remember catching them as a kid when flounder fishing and I distinctly recall not caring for that and trying get them off the hook. Water temps 63 in shallows, 61 at depth.
Nice to be back in the water. Fun trip to RI. Camped at Burlingame one nite, another at a b&b in Jamestown. Watched the US Womens World Cup game, 2nd half, at the Ganny which was fun. Sunset at Beavertail and fireworks and bridge lighting on the Newport Bridge to celebrate the bridge.
Happy diving.
