South Shore Beach
Take in uninterrupted ocean views from South Shore Beach, a town beach in Little Compton. Swim, soak in the sun, cast out a fishing line, or take a long walk along the rock-scattered shore at the entrance to Buzzards Bay.
Features
There’s nothing like the bustle of summer at South Shore Beach. This popular town beach is a great place to soak up the sun, play on the sand, and splash in the clear waters. Exposed to the open waters of Rhode Island Sound, this shoreline is one of the few places on the Bay where you may even be able to catch a wave!
Yet this beach isn’t just a destination for the summer months. Year-round, people flock to South Shore Beach for its stunning sunsets and water views, as well as great fishing in the spring and fall as fish migrate in and out of Buzzards Bay. If you’re up for a longer walk or in search of rare shorebirds, continue to the eastern half of the beach and enter Goosewing Beach Preserve. This Nature Conservancy reserve offers striking views of a salt pond ecosystem and hosts important bird habitat.
Habitats & Wildlife
South Shore Beach is stationed at the outer edge of Buzzards Bay, where its shores are swept by waves coming in from the Atlantic. These waters also see fish like striped bass passing by on their migrations in and out of Buzzards Bay, making this shoreline a great fishing spot.
South Shore Beach’s proximity to Quicksand Pond and the protected dunes of Goosewing Beach Preserve mean that you may see rare shorebirds, like terns and piping plovers, soaring overhead or skittering along the water’s edge. In the winter, when the crowds depart, you may also spot seals hauled out on the rocky sands.