Most famous for its extravagant homes; Newport and nearby Narragansett, RI offer a wealth of mostly moderate surf breaks. Second beach in Middletown, RI is the most popular surf sport in the Newport area. The sand bottomed break is most consistent with a south swell and can hold waves slightly overhead before closing out. The break seems to excel with waist to chest high conditions. When things get bigger, Ruggles is the place to be. Ruggles, is a deep water break that is the first point of contact for waves moving in from the southern atlantic. The break is ledgy in medium size swell and a missed drop can send you towards sharp rocks. I have witnessed Ruggles breaking 20ft +, and watched someone ride the wave of the day almost all the way to shore (20 seconds and 200 yards estimated). Ruggles is named after the avenue that surfers use to access the break, and spectators can view the action from the Cliff Walk accessed at roads end. Locals at Ruggles are much more territorial than at first of second beach. If you are a strong surfer and know a local (to give you the line ups and know what submerged hazards to avoid), then Ruggles is a great place to be during a south swell. If your looking to learn to surf then first or second beach are great, particularly first beach because of the lack of crowds. If you’re looking to chat with locals, catch some longboard waves or snap a few turns on a thruster, second beach is the place.

Second beach insider info: If your visiting Newport, make a day of it, pack a lunch and walk along the cliff to the far right of Second beach. From the cliff vantage you can watch surfers jockey for position and ride waves all the way to shore. It’s a must for a post surf session.

Ruggles on a Med / Large day: