It's a few weeks past Memorial Day but I figured I would post these pictures now that the unofficial start to summer is in full swing and it's actually warming up! On Memorial Day weekend, I went to one of my favorite beaches in New England, Napatree Point in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. It's a 1.5 mile long spit of sand that juts out west from the historic district of Watch Hill. From Napatree, you can see Rhode Island, Connecticut and even Fisher's Island, New York!
The beautiful stretch of sand is currently a nature preserve but it once was government land with a fort in the first decade of the 1900's. The remains of the fort still exist at the western point of the beach, slightly hidden by the growing brush and sand dunes. The fort, Fort Mansfield, was built in 1901 and then removed from the list of active posts in 1909. In the late 1920's the United States government sold the land to a private developer who built homes on the sandy stretch of beach. These homes would only last a decade as well. In 1938, the Great New England Hurricane devastated the area and Napatree Point, destroying all the homes built on the peninsula, leaving nothing but the foundation of Fort Mansfield. There hasn't been any development on the stretch of land since and now it's a nature preserve where people can enjoy the beautiful beach and endangered birds, like the pipping plover, can nest!
The beach is absolutely beautiful and pretty clean. Memorial Day was a little early this year and although the sun was out, the wind was off the still frigid waters, by the afternoon beach goers were wrapped up in their hoodies and beach blankets.
If you walk down far enough, you feel as if you are on a deserted island. It's the perfect location for a quite beach day!
The above photo was taken from the top of one of the sand dunes, looking east towards Watch Hill. Notice the long stretch of beautiful beach!
The colors of the white sand, green dune grass, blue water and blue sky make for a perfect paradise on Napatree Point!
Another view of Napatree, looking east towards Watch Hill.
An artsy photo of some branches on a sand dune, looking out over Block Island Sound. Branches, debris and grass will build up the sand dune, protecting the strip of land from eroding into the surf!
Could you ask for a more perfect beach spot?
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