Ninigret Pond (Southern RI)
Ninigret Pond (Southern RI)
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Local Rules
Have fun and be safe! Be nice to the locals even though in the summer there may be more tourists than locals.
Where to launch
From the parking lot walk toward the pond down the path and on to the beach. To your right and left are the launch areas that I know of. Generally, I will inflate the kite on the beach and launch it from the water as it is away from the beach plum, bushes and people. I dont think there is a problem if you want to for another launch area.
Restrictions
I would stay out of the area that have eel grass and stay off the dunes just to help preserve the land. I think a stretch of beach is home to the piping plovers, not sure what the rules are but Id stay away from them too.
Hazards
There is a small mooring field on the west side of the pond, roughly 300-400 yards to the west of the launch area. Other hazards include people in the water and windsurfers. If on the ocean side stay clear of the beachgoers during the prime beach season. There is plenty of open beach, just might have to walk a little
Tide Information
The tide raises and lowers according to the oceans tide as it is connected through a channel on the east end of the pond. To get more information on the tide see a tide chart for the area.
Directions
From Boston take 93S to 95S. Drive roughly 45 miles and take left exit #9 toward North Kingstown Rt4. Rt4 turns into Rt1 which brings you though East Greenwich, North Kingstown, Narragansett, Wakefield and Charlestown. So, when you reach rt1 which is in North Kingstown drive roughly 22 miles until you see East Beach Rd/ West Beach Rd sign. There will be a turn around, take that and go past West Beach Rd, turn right onto East Beach Rd. From there follow East Beach Rd to the end. When you hit the beach area you'll want to turn to the left following the road, seconds after that you'll reach Ninigret Conservation Area. To park you may have to pay (May 1st through September 30th), but in the off season it is free.
Parking
[img_assist|nid=3571|title=Parking at ninigret|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=480|height=320]You will need to pay $12 non resident and $6 resident from May 1st through September 30th, otherwise its free. I think the lot is free after 4pm during the summer season. The lot can fill up quick in the summer time, but off season it is generally empty.
Best Direction
Southeast
South
Southwest
Good Directions
Northeast
East
Southeast
South
Southwest
West
Bad Directions
North
Northwest
Beach Faces
North
Comments
POND SIDE:
As described above the beach is razor thin, but the water is very shallow. Waist deep for at least 100 yards out and doesn't go over chest deep for probably 300 yards or more.
Water launching is the standard here cause there is no room to launch on land and if you drop the kite on the land side it will be shredded in a second.
Bayside beach faces N- most kiting is done here.
Oceanside beach faces S- this side has chop and shorebreak in SE, S, SW winds.