Charlestown Breachway State Beach, Coastal state park in Charlestown, Rhode Island.
Charlestown Breachway State Beach is a coastal park featuring a manmade channel that connects Ninigret Pond with the Atlantic Ocean. The park sits along Block Island Sound and provides sandy beach access with jetties extending into the water.
The breachway was created in the early 1900s to maintain conditions suitable for oyster farming in the pond. An artificial channel was cut to allow water to flow between the inland pond and the ocean.
The waterfront draws fishing enthusiasts who come year-round to catch various fish species and collect shellfish. Local people also use the jetties and shoreline to explore tidal pools and observe marine life up close.
The park has 75 camping spots for recreational vehicles with permanent holding tanks for water and waste. Visitors should note that access is seasonal and the area can get crowded during summer months.
The construction of the breachway used a horse-drawn narrow-gauge railroad to transport stones for the east jetty across the coastal terrain. This makeshift transport system was an ingenious solution for moving heavy materials at a remote coastal location.
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