The small island that lies between Rhode Island’s southern coast and Long Island’s eastern tip has elements of both New England and New York.  New Shoreham, the village on the north side of the island, is the business and administrative center of the island, and is home to most of the 900 or so year-round residents.

It is to New Shoreham that regular ferry boats come, each day, year round, from Point Judith (Galilee), RI, New London, CT and Montauk, NY.  I took the 11 AM from Point Judith, arriving in New Shoreham at noon, on Friday the 13th.   It turned out to be a fine day, and no one was brandishing a scythe.

I spent the day on foot, exploring much of the eastern portion of the island, from New Shoreham  to Rodman’s Hollow and Black Rock Point. This post shows New Shoreham, and Ocean View, its town park, overlooking the sea to the east.

Here are some views of North Point, as we steamed towards the island’s Old Harbor.

Around noon, we came into New Shoreham.

The Visitors Center greets one and all.

I enjoyed lunch at Finn’s, choosing an al fresco table.

Old Harbor Inn is one of nearly two dozen establishments where one could spend the night.  I, of course, was a day traveler.

The island’s sole rotary is in the middle of New Shoreham.

Another Cape Cod style structure is the chapel on the hill.

Just east of the chapel is Ocean View, with its meditation pavilion and short, but scenic trails.

Here are the stairs to nowhere.  Actually, the area is a remnant of a small farm house, from the 18th Century.

A small cenotaph memorializes a fisherman from New Shoreham.

From the overlook, one can see Ballard’s Beach and jetty.

The inland trail takes one around to a small farm, run by the town’s public school.  Ruins abound, of the abandoned farm.

The children decorated and laid these stones.

From Ocean View, the path took me past some other small farms.

Next:  Part 2, East Side resorts to the Payne Overlook.