By Bob Michelson
Guest Writer, Dive News Network
It’s the smallest state when it comes to land area but what Rhode Island may lack in land mass, it more than makes up for in amazing dives.  You can collect tiny tropical fish at 10 ft. or dive on an intact German U-Boat off of Block Island at 130 ft. No matter what your skill level or interest Rhode Island waters are calling your name.
Block Island, Rhode Island
Our trip begins with the shipwrecks of the Collier Black Point and the U-853.  Both wrecks lie off of Block Island at 100 to 130 ft.  The U-853 is the last German submarine sunk during World War II.  She was a 252 ft. German Type 1XC/40 U-boat. According to historical accounts the U-boat conducted three war patrol’s, sinking two ships totaling 5,783 tons. During her last patrol, the U-853 sank the USS Eagle 56 near Portland, Maine and just days before the end of the war in Europe, the U-853 sank the Collier Black Point during the battle of Point Judith.  It was her second kill and fatal mistake. 
The Black Point was steaming from New York to Boston and was sunk 4 miles east of Block Island at 100 ft. It sits at 100 ft. with her deck cannon still in place.  Visibility can be highly variable and averages 5-20 ft.  The U-boat blew off the stern, so use caution when approaching this part of the wreck and be aware of jagged edges from around the blast area.
On the same day, President Karl Dönitz of Germany had ordered all U-boats to cease attacking sea trade and return to their bases. Whether ignored, or ill warned, the captain continued on his quest to attack boats.  Unknown to the crew of the U-853 the hunter – killer group including the Atherton, and Moberly were steaming at full power towards their location to get to their homeport to celebrate the end of the war.
The killer group, informed of what happened to Black Point, dropped depth charges and hedgehog mines on the U-853 and sank her in 130 ft of water 7 miles off of Block Island.  The U-boat remains intact and upright on the seafloor with the majority of her 55-man crew entombed inside but the captain was later removed and buried in Newport, RI.
Today this wreck can be penetrated, but is recommended that only highly experienced divers with either advanced technical diver training experience attempt going inside the wreck.  Cruising over the deck area from bow to stern and around the conning tower is a rush, and if you read up on the history of this wreck prior to diving her, you can almost feel the battle unfold around you.  You can reach the conning tower at about 100 ft. with her deck lying at 120-125 ft. above the mud.

Jamestown, Rhode Island
One of my favorite locations in Jamestown is Fort Wetherill.  This location is home to a beautifully maintained State Park with plenty of free parking.  This dive site is split into two separate coves by a finger-like section of land.  This is a popular dive training location, so it is advisable to arrive early to secure a parking spot.
One cove has a rocky entry down to a small cobblestone to sand beach.  Once at water level entry and exit is very easy with a slow, shallow grade out to slightly deeper water of up to about 20 ft.  This is also my favorite place to hunt for small tropical fish during the late summer and fall months.  I frequently see dime sized Spot fin butterfly fish darting in and out of the rocks near the bottom.  This location is where one of the first juvenile Red Lionfish recorded in New England waters was captured in 2007.  Red Lionfish are native to the Indo-Pacific Ocean and are considered an invasive species along the entire East Coast of the United States from Florida to southern New England. The other cove offers wall-like diving and is home to Stony coral, frilled sea anemone, Black sea urchins and other marine species found south of Cape Cod in New England.  This side drops down to depths of about 70 ft.
Another good location is “The Dumplings”.  This dive site is shallow at about 20 ft. and offers a good vantage spot to swim out to smaller islands farther offshore. Swimming out from shore you will fin over sand and eel grass out to rockier substrate.  Typically found here are, northern lobster, crabs, Tautog, or blackfish. The Dumplings are my back-up plan in the event Fort Wetherill is blown-out due to weather.  Divers report potentially strong currents during an outgoing tide, so check your local tide charts before diving this location.
A third location in Jamestown is Beavertail Light.  This is a more advanced dive with depths dropping down quickly beyond recreational diving limits. The site is exposed to the sea and typically yields very difficult entries with pounding surf.  Enter the water on either side of the light house.  Due south of the lighthouse is an opening in the rocks that divers use to quickly get out to deeper water and away from the surf zone.  If you are more familiar with this dive site, either dive with a buddy who had dove this area before, or relocate Fort Wetherill if sea conditions allow.

Newport, Rhode Island
My favorite place to dive for small tropical fish that were brought up and deposited along southern New England by the Gulf Stream is Greenbridge in Newport, Rhode Island.  This area is an enclosed cove and is almost always open to dive regardless as to prevailing weather conditions.  Depths max out at about 15 ft. and tiny tropical fish are everywhere from late summer through early November.  This is where I first learned to collect tropical fish over 25 years ago and it is a ball!
Collecting Rhode Island Tropical Fish
Bring two aquarium fish nets – one very small and another large net.  Carry gallon zip lock bags in a mesh collection (or bug) bag that you clip to your BCD.  You coerce the tiny fish out from its’ hiding place and coral the animal into the second net, then you transfer the baby fish into one of your zip lock bags for transportation back to the surface after your dive in the mesh bag. There is some pre-planning that needs to go into collecting and transporting tropical fish back to your home aquarium.  First make sure you bring an aerating source (an extra SCUBA tank, or O2 bottle with an aerating stone attached works quite well).  You need a 5 gallon bucket, or equivalent to transfer and transport your collected fish home while keeping them well aerated. Of course you also need to have a well-established aquarium ready to accept your rescued tropical fish when you get home!
Rhode Island offers an impressive array of dive locations that keep divers coming back year after year!  I can well understand and appreciate our smallest New England State being named “The Ocean State” because once you dive in, there are an ocean of possiblities.