Scuba Diving in Rhode Island, United States

7 mapped sites

Destination guide

Scuba diving in Rhode Island, United States

Rhode Island, United States has 7 public dive sites on PickADive. Use the list below to compare mapped sites by depth, access, difficulty, ratings, and reviews before opening a site page.

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Public sites: 7; Indexed destination pages
Reviews: 0; Catalog review count
Rating: Building; Reviews are still growing
Common access: Shore; 5 dive sites

Seasonal patterns

Best months, historically in Rhode Island, United States

Typical conditions by month across dive sites in Rhode Island, United States— historical patterns, not a forecast.

Jan68%7°C
Feb67%5°C
Mar67%5°C
Apr71%8°C
May89%12°C
Jun96%16°C
Jul98%21°C
Aug90%21°C
Sep89%20°C
Oct86%17°C
Nov71%13°C
Dec67%9°C

From 6 sites’ typical conditions · historical typicals, not a forecast

Best dive sites in Rhode Island, United States

Showing 1–7 of 7

Fort Wetherill State Park

Rhode Island · 3–27.4 m

Fort Wetherill State Park in Jamestown is Rhode Island's most popular shore dive and the traditional checkout-dive site for the region, with two sheltered rocky coves flanking a former coastal artillery fort on Narragansett Bay's East Passage. The Right Cove offers an easy boat-ramp entry to about 30 ft, the Left Cove reaches roughly 60 ft, and advanced divers can work out to the Bull Point wall approaching 100 ft. Rocky reef, kelp and abundant New England marine life make it a year-round training and night-dive favorite.

AdvancedShore entry

King's Beach Fishing Area

Rhode Island · 6.1–12.2 m

A quiet shore dive off Ocean Avenue in Newport, about a quarter mile from Brenton Point, entered down an old concrete boat ramp from a free dirt parking lot. Average depth is around 20 feet with areas to about 40 feet over eelgrass, kelp and rock, with abundant flounder, crabs and seasonal fish; current runs parallel to shore with the tide. A relaxed, uncrowded alternative to Fort Wetherill that is frequently used by classes on weekends.

Shore entry

Beavertail State Park

Rhode Island · 3–9.1 m

A dramatic open-ocean dive at the southern tip of Conanaut Island (Jamestown), entered from a small cove below parking lot 2 via a steep rocky 'goat path'. Best diving is about 50 yards straight out in 20-30 feet over boulders, kelp and abundant fish life; the point is exposed on three sides, so it is strictly a calm-day site. Water here runs warmer than Massachusetts sites in spring and fall.

AdvancedShore entry

Sabin Point Artificial Reef

Rhode Island · Up to 0.9 m

Artificial reef built from Concrete Pallet Ball

Boat entry

Bull Point

Rhode Island · 3–30.5 m

An advanced Jamestown shore dive near the old DEM station west of Fort Wetherill, one of the only New England shore sites where divers can reach about 100 feet. Entry is a tricky climb down a rock hill to a rocky beach, then a short swim to depth along laid guidelines; colorful rock faces loaded with life give way to silt below about 80 feet. Strong currents make slack tide (or an incoming tide) essential.

AdvancedShore entry

Fort Adams State Park

Rhode Island · —

A shore dive inside Fort Adams State Park on the west side of Newport Harbor, entered from the shoreline off Lincoln Drive across the water from Fort Wetherill. The protected harbor-side bottom is sand, eelgrass and rock in modest depths, and the site is heavily used by training classes. Like most Narragansett Bay sites, it dives best timed to slack tide.

Shore entry

U-853 (wreck)

Rhode Island · 30.5–39.6 m

A German Type IXC/40 U-boat sunk by US Navy and Coast Guard depth charges on May 6, 1945 - one day before Germany's surrender - after it torpedoed the collier Black Point off Point Judith. The submarine lies in about 130 feet of water roughly 7 miles east of Block Island and is one of southern New England's most famous boat dives, with the conning tower, periscope and depth-charge blast holes visible. It is a war grave: penetration is hazardous and removing artifacts is illegal.

ExpertBoat entry

Plan a dive in Rhode Island, United States

Compare nearby sites

Rhode Island has 7 public dive sites in the PickADive catalog. Start with the map when coastline, nearby alternatives, and travel distance matter.

Explore sites on the map

Match depth and difficulty

Current public data shows 3 advanced and 1 expert dive sites. Listed depths range from about 1m to 40m where available. Shore is the most common listed access type. Use those signals as a starting point, then confirm the plan against training, equipment, and current local guidance.

Check conditions close to the dive

PickADive can help with research and comparison, but it does not certify that a dive is safe today. Weather, current, visibility, entry, boat traffic, and local rules can change quickly.

How condition context works

Common questions about diving in Rhode Island, United States

What are the best dive sites in Rhode Island, United States?

Use the ranked list on this page to compare 7 public dive sites in Rhode Island. PickADive highlights ratings, reviews, depth, access type, difficulty, and mapped location so you can move from destination research to a specific site page.

Is Rhode Island beginner-friendly for scuba diving?

PickADive does not yet have enough beginner-labeled public site data to summarize Rhode Island confidently. Review difficulty, access, depth, and recent notes on each site page before deciding.

Are there advanced dives in Rhode Island?

Yes. PickADive currently marks 4 dive sites in Rhode Island as advanced or expert level. These dives deserve extra attention to depth, access, current, visibility, and local guidance.

What depths can I expect in Rhode Island?

Listed PickADive depth data for Rhode Island ranges from about 1m to 40m. Use that as a research starting point, then verify current conditions and site-specific guidance.

Can I see Rhode Island dive sites on a map?

Yes. Use the map link on this page to compare Rhode Island dive sites by location, coastline, nearby alternatives, and individual site details.