The Weekapaug Breachway – a breathtaking view of the treasures of the Atlantic
The Weekapaug Breachway in Weekapaug, Rhode Island, is a shimmering, crystal-clear waterway that connects Winnapaug Pond to the Atlantic Ocean. Every six hours, the breach serves as a funnel through which millions of gallons of ocean water enter the pond to create the high tide, filling the pond to the brim. Then, six hours later, the breach carries the water back out to sea creating a low tide that leaves the pond with a series of shoals and mudflats.
Huge flat boulders create a 20 foot high rock wall on either side of the gap through which the water flows. One can walk over this wall from the Weekapaug Bridge to the end where the mouth of the breach meets the ocean, a walk of approximately 300 yards.
As you stand on the rocks at the end of the gap, there are several known points of interest to gaze at. The immediate west side of the gap is bordered by Fenway Beach, a beach reserved for the ‘towns’ of Westerly and Weekapaug. Beyond the beach are multi-million dollar ‘cabins’ perched on top of the cliff overlooking the rugged Atlantic coastline. This is old Weekapaug. old money. Exclusive. Private. The hoi polloi are welcome to ride their bikes or walk the streets, but they are not invited to stay. The east side of the canal presents a very different world: The Dunes Beach, a public beach filled each day with thousands of day-trippers. Beyond Dunes Beach is a six-mile stretch of pristine sand and water. Those ambitious enough to make the full hike will traverse Weekapaug Beach, Westerly Town Beach, The Misquamicut State Beach, and finally historic Watch Hill with its multi-million dollar mansions and the historic Coast Guard Light House, whose foghorn to warn Approaching boats can be heard all the way back to Weekapaug.
Your visual tour from the end of the gap is far from over! Looking 11 miles out into the ocean to the south, you’ll see Block Island, accessible only by ferry or plane. A day trip to the island includes unique shops and restaurants, picturesque beaches, and the chance to ride a moped through the stunning scenery of the Atlantic Ocean. It is this island that presidents like Clinton and Obama chose as their summer vacation getaway.
From the vantage point of the access road, 15 miles to the southwest, there is a faint view of Montauk Point, Long Island, home of the toney Hamptons. In truth, however, Weekapaug and The Hamptons are separated by more than 15 miles of ocean. They are light years away.
If you had been standing at the end of the gap on the night of July 16, 1999, you might have unknowingly witnessed a piece of our country’s dark history. A small plane carrying three people took off from New York that same afternoon, bound for Martha’s Vineyard. The plane skimmed the coast of Westerly and Weekapaug and headed out to sea. The last contact of the plane was made at 21:26. This would be the last contact the plane would make. John F. Kennedy, Jr., his wife, and his sister-in-law never made it to the Vineyard.