FTW Dive Report

[CT-Rich]

Mike and I went to FTW today. We were originally going to dive Newport, but there was a small craft advisory. The wind was heading out of the NorthEast, which usually bodes well for shore diving, but, not when it is 15 knots.

Our first dive we went along along the Western wall of the sandy beach cove. Visibility was surprisingly good. I kept our depth above 30 fsw as we came to edge of the cove. We ended up entering a little valley where the rock face cleaved away from the mainland. Because the water was very flat there was little surge. Lots of Tautaug were hanging out. I followed the valley to where it opened back to open water. I had assumed Mike was right behind me. When I looked back he wasn’t there. I saw his light waving back and forth in the distance. Rushing back I discovered him struggling with the float line. It was caught up on the rocks near the entrance of valley. We were already at our turn pressure anyway so we headed back. 64 minutes, max depth 34’, water temp 67F, visibility 10’

Our Second dive was around the point from the boat ramp to the goat path. We kept to a depth of a 31’ most of the way around, but we dip down to 40’ a couple of times. This is a good depth because you can do the whole distance in about an hour (54minutes). Deeper is a longer distance using more air. Lots of fish life out at the point. I was hoping we would see some schooling stripers all the way out, but this time there were none. We were in the water right after high tide, so there was almost no current, which can get ripping at times. 54 minutes, max depth 41’, water temp 67F, vis 5-10’

 

[tkaelin]

Nice, your mapping is way cool.

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

How do you trace your route like that? GPS on a float?

 

[CT-Rich]

How do you trace your route like that? GPS on a float?

I put an old decommissioned smArt phone in a dry box on the mast of my float. It has an app called Strava that records the GPS coordinates and I transfer it on WIFI when I get home.

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

I put an old decommissioned smArt phone in a dry box on the mast of my float. It has an app called Strava that records the GPS coordinates and I transfer it on WIFI when I get home.

I would love to do it but i just know some prick will come up with a boat and take it lol

I already had some fisherman cut my surface buoy and take off with it while i was underwater.

 

[tkaelin]

I might give it a try. Thanks.

 

[CT-Rich]

I would love to do it but i just know some prick will come up with a boat and take it lol

I already had some fisherman cut my surface buoy and take off with it while i was underwater.

I am not using a phone that I care about. It is not connected to a service. I am putting it in a five dollar dry box. If it was stolen it is worth pretty much what any old phone is worth (nothing).

 

[KDAD]

@CT-Rich as a diver who has never been to FTW can the above profiles and routes be followed by a first timer there without issues? Certainly I will try to have a dive buddy that knows the site with me but you know how that goes.

 

[tkaelin]

Just to chime in to provide a response to your question, FT W can be very easy to navigate and it can be tricky. Depends where you go. For example, entering at the boat ramp and diving the far west wall and back is very easy. See CTRich's first profile. I do that dive almost every time out but don't go as far as he did. You go out in the shallows, across sand flats to a wall and simply follow the wall. Turn around and follow it back. Going out from cove to cove around the point can be a little tricky for a first time as it can be easy to miss the wall at the point and get out to the small islands where it gets deeper and can have currents.

 

[KDAD]

Thanks. Between the routes shown in the pictures and the good descriptions I feel like I would have a pretty good idea of what to expect.