What’s Up Newport — Shoreline access advocates fly banner, literally

Photo: Thom Cahir

July 2, 2023

By Thom Cahir — Supporters of new law celebrate public shoreline access

In what can only be described as a triumphant victory lap Saturday, July 1, advocates who have been fighting for public access to Rhode Island’s shoreline, and against private property owners trying to limit those rights, gathered at several places along the south coast and Narragansett Bay as a single-engine plane towed a banner proclaiming, “The Rhode Island shore is not private!” The plane left Westerly State Airport before 10:30 am, flew by Misquamicut State Beach and along the coast before turning north up the bay near Point Judith.

One of the group’s most ardent supporters, Conrad Ferla noted, “everyone was cheering” when the plane passed the sand bar at the end of the Narrow River in Narragansett.

The issue of public rights of way to the shore came to a head in 2019 when Scott Keeley set off heading east from Charlestown Town Beach crossing onto shore properties in South Kingstown and ended up arrested on a complaint from an over-litigious property owner.  

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