Welcome to the ExploreRI Mapper
This mapper will help you locate boat launches and other points of interest to for small boat recreation throughout the state of Rhode Island. To get started, click anywhere on the map to zoom in on that area. To zoom out use the zoom control to the left of the map. Once you have zoomed in, boat launches and other points of interest will show up on the map as clickable red icons (see the key below the map). Click on an icon to get more information about that location. If you prefer to search by criteria or simply look up a site by name, try the boat launch search page. If you have a high-speed Internet connection (e.g., DSL or Cable), you may want to try our Google-based mapping system which also includes sites in the Narragansett Bay Watershed in Massachusetts.
KEY
Hand Carry Boat Launch
Boat Ramp
Portage
Other Type of Site
The location you clicked on is a site for launching boats from trailers. Boat ramps can normally be used to launch canoes and kayaks but please do your best to keep the boat ramp clear for boat trailers.
Site Name: Jamestown Harbor
Alternate Site Name: East Ferry Ramp
Town: Jamestown
Driving Landmarks: From Route 138 east take the Jamestown exit (shortly before the toll booth) and follow Conanicus Avenue into the center of Jamestown. From Route 138 (i.e., coming from Newport) take the Jamestown exit (just after the toll booth). Turn right at the end of the ramp and go 0.4 miles to the T-junction with Conanicus Avenue. Turn left on Conanicus Avenue and follow it into the center of Jamestown. Look for the public fishing pier and boat ramp on your left.
ADA Accessible Boat Launch? no
Shoreline: Cement boat ramp and adjacent sandy beach
Float/Dock: no
Parking: parking lot, 6 spaces, no overnight parking
ADA Accessible Parking Spaces? no
Water 'Features' At Site: ocean/bay
Note: Because one boat launch can access, say, both a lake and a river or both the upstream and downstream portions of a river, not all paddling trips at a given site will necessarily encounter all of the features listed.
Comments & Overview:This site is in the middle of downtown Jamestown, right on Jamestown Harbor. There is a boat ramp here as well as a town beach. The latter is a better place to launch hand-carried boats. Because of the location, parking can be hard to find, especially in the summer. The parking lot at the site is almost always full and has a short time limit. Once on the water you are in busy Jamestown Harbor, where there are lots of boats and activity to look at but also lots of boats underway to watch out for. Heading north from the harbor takes you under the Newport Bridge and past rocky Taylor Point. Heading south from the harbor takes you to The Dumplings, Fort Weatherill and other scenic spots. Use caution if you head beyond The Dumplings because once around the point the shoreline becomes quite exposed.
On most days the southwest wind fills in strongly in this area in the morning and blows briskly throughout the afternoon, producing strong waves once you are outside of the immediate harbor area, so be prepared for this when planning your trip.
For more details see the full site report
The data on this website comes from many sources, including volunteers and organizations across the state of Rhode Island and nearby parts of Massachusetts. We have done our best to make sure the data are accurate and up to date, but any information critical to the success of your trip should be confirmed before you start. The maps and information on this website should not be substituted for nautical charts, topographic maps, or other more detailed maps and guides. We welcome corrections and additions. To send a correction or provide other feedback, please use our feedback form.
Credits: The data for the base maps was provided by the Rhode Island Geographic Information System (RIGIS) and the Office of Geographic and Environmental Information (MassGIS), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Executive Office of Environmental Affairs. The site data came from numerous sources and organizations. Much of it was collected through the hard work of volunteers for various conservation, watershed and outdoor recreation groups around the state of Rhode Island.