After spending a day at the Mansions in Newport (Northern Rhode Island), we decided to take a more relaxing day down at the beach, Narragansette Beach in Southern Rhode Island. After finally finding a parking spot (at 10:30 in the morning!!), we walked down to this gorgeous beach. Even at 10:30, the beach directly in front of the main entrance was getting crowded so we took a walk to the far end, about a half a mile to where it physically ends as it curves back into the ocean. There were a lot of surfer types but virtually no swimmers.
We sat for a while before I decided to try the waters. I eventually swam out to where the surfers were cueing up and did some body surfing, wave diving and general fooling around. It was pretty calm, just me and a bunch of surfers. Only later, when the shore patrol was approaching did we get informed that the area I was swimming in was a “surfers only” area. Now I know why the guys were giving me the eyeball. It was cool that nobody seemed to mind the old man out there, there was probably money riding on my ability to make it back into shore. When I finally did head in, I came very close to getting run over by a surfboard! I now look like a Maine lobster because I am a “tough guy” and didn’t use sunburn lotion.
It was midday so we decided to try the local seafood. We drove away from the crowds and found this, the 210 Oyster Bar & Grill in Wakefield. The food was incredible. Cathy enjoyed her fried oyster tacos and I stayed conservative and had the fish and chips. We had a good view of the Yacht Club and watched several dingies land with people from yachts that were too large to enter the area.
Some of the smaller boats that were tied up nearby, as seen from the restaurant…
On the way back, we stopped by the University of Rhode Island and spent some time looking at the campus. Pretty small school, founded in the 1890’s but pretty impressive in the layout. The football stadium was smaller than the student section at UGA but was fairly new and well-kept. Unlike SEC stadiums, it was actually open and you could walk around the stadium and field uncontested.
Next stop: Vermont and New Hampshire
Travelling with the Schinglers 