Come explore what lives in Narrow River!
Photos by John McNamara
Join us Saturday, June 7, 2025
9-11am at Middlebridge Preserve, 95 Middlebridge Road, Narragansett, RI
This popular family science and exploration event is held annually on a Saturday morning in June and a Saturday morning in September at 95 Middlebridge Road, Narragansett.
All ages are invited to join Narrow River Preservation Association for this hands-on exploration of fish, shellfish, crabs and other inhabitants of Narrow (Pettaquamscutt) River. We will use nets large and small to catch river creatures and examine them in touch tanks and under microscopes. Experts and guide books will be on hand.
FREE and open to the public – FUN for all ages! Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. All young children and youth should be supervised closely at all times.
Participants are welcome to get into the water, please dress appropriately. Because this is a natural environment, there are sharp objects in the water. Boots, sandals or shoes that can get wet are recommended. The gathering area is a field with grass and dirt surfaces. Wheelchairs are welcome.
Clinging jellies have been found in Narrow River. Click here to learn more about clinging jellyfish.
We will also host What Lives in the River on a Saturday in September 2025 from 9-11 at the same location (check back for details).
Annually in late June, Narrow River Preservation Association hosts a one mile open water swim in one of Rhode Island’s most scenic waterways.
NEW THIS YEAR: No parking allowed at or near the course. Swimmers and spectators are asked to park at 1240 Boston Neck Road, Narragansett and take shuttle to the swim. PLEASE ARRIVE AT THE PARKING AREA BETWEEN 7-8am. Swimmers not wishing to take the shuttle may be dropped off at the course, but there is NO PARKING at or near the course.
2025 Details:
*Please note we have made changes from past years.*
When: Saturday, June 21, 2025, 9:00am (rain or shine)
Where: URI Boathouse – Flagg Rowing Center, 166 Walmsley Lane, North Kingstown, R.I. **For SAFETY reasons there will be NO participant parking on Walmsley Lane or River Road. All participants are asked to park at 1240 Boston Neck Road, Narragansett and take our shuttle to the swim.** Spectators are also welcome to park and take the shuttle to the event.
Shuttles will start running at 7:15am for registrations starting at 7:30 and will run continuously between the parking lot and the swim until 8:00am. The last shuttle will leave the parking area before 8:15. All swimmers MUST be checked in by 8:45am.
Swimmers not wishing to take the shuttle may be dropped off at the course, but there is NO PARKING at or near the course.
After the swim, the shuttle will run bring swimmers and spectators back to the parking lot between 10:30 and 11:30am.
Registration: Online registration. Registration closes at 5pm Thursday, June 19. (Sorry – no day-of registration this year.)
Registration and checkin (green star): URI Boathouse Start, Course, and Finish (black dashed lines): In water start at beach adjacent to the URI Boathouse dock. Swim with orange buoys on your left, round the farthest buoy counterclockwise, swim back with buoys on your left. Finish by crossing the timing mat on shore.
Entry Fee: $45 if registered before June 1, $55 after June 1. Includes 2025 Turnaround Swim T-shirt. Entry fees are non-refundable.
Swim Sponsor:Swim Sponsor: $95 ($45 entry fee, $25 reduced membership, and $30 donation). Includes one year NRPA membership and name listed in 2025 Turnaround Swim publicity.
Distance: One Mile (1/2 mile out and 1/2 mile back). Common start for wetsuit and non-wetsuit divisions.
Check In: 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. No one will be admitted to the Turnaround Swim unless they have checked in and received a numbered swim cap by 8:45 a.m.
Maximum Time: Swimmers are given one hour to complete the swim.
Mandatory Safety Briefing: 8:55 a.m.
Safety: Because of the uncertainty of weather conditions such as fog or lightning, the lifeguards and event committee reserve the right to cancel the event to ensure the safety of the participants.
A WORD OF CAUTION! The Narrow River is home to Rhode island’s only substantial population of native oysters, but the edges of these wonderful oysters can be SHARP! We recommend protective footwear for the Turnaround Swim. Participation is at your own risk.
Curious about swimming in Narrow River? Check out this essay by swimmer and Narrow River enthusiast Veronica Berounsky!
9-11am at Middlebridge Preserve, 95 Middlebridge Road, Narragansett, RI 02882
All are welcome to this free event.
On Saturday morning, August 9, 2025, Narrow River Preservation Association welcomes artists of all ages and skill levels welcome to create art along Narrow River.
“Plein air” (open air) painters will demonstrate their techniques and others will give instruction in drawing and painting scenes of the Middlebridge area.
Bring your own easel or sketch pad. Sketch your version of an expansive landscape view or crouch down and capture a still life view of oysters on the fringe of the salt marsh.
NRPA will provide other guided activities including paper and supplies needed to make seaweed art and fish prints. We encourage you to bring blank T-shirts and/or pillowcases so you can make a fish print onto those, too!
FREE and open to all ages! The gathering area is a field with grass and dirt surfaces. Wheelchairs are welcome.
If you would like to volunteer to support this event, then please VISIT THIS LINK to share your areas of interest with us.
Click here to read an article in The Independent about Art on the River 2023 featuring photos by Michael Derr.
Thanks to everyone who joined us on Saturday, August 6, 2022 for Art on the River
We had a wonderful time creating seaweed art, making fish prints, learning to play hubbub from Silvermoon LaRose of the Tomaquag Museum and then each decorating our own hubbub game to keep!
Hannah (left) and Silvermoon look on as Veronica shows them how to make seaweed prints.Silvermoon (right) taught guests how to play hubbub, an Indigenous bowl game, then invited each attendee to decorate their own game pieces to keep. Plein air painting along the riverFish printsMaking art with seaweedSeaweed ArtFish printsExperienced artist and NRPA Board President Richard Grant shows others how to draw perspective.
9-11am at Middlebridge Preserve, 95 Middlebridge Road, Narragansett, RI
This popular family science and exploration event is held annually on a Saturday morning in June and a Saturday morning in September at 95 Middlebridge Road, Narragansett.
About What Lives in the River:
All ages are invited to join Narrow River Preservation Association for this hands-on exploration of fish, shellfish, crabs and other inhabitants of Narrow (Pettaquamscutt) River. We will use nets large and small to catch river creatures and examine them in touch tanks and under microscopes. Experts and guide books will be on hand.
FREE and open to the public- FUN for all ages! Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. All young children and youth should be supervised closely at all times.
Come explore what lives in Narrow River! Photos by John McNamara
Participants are welcome to get into the water, please dress appropriately. Because this is a natural environment, there are sharp objects in the water. Boots, sandals or shoes that can get wet are recommended. The gathering area is a field with grass and dirt surfaces. Wheelchairs are welcome.
Please come to the event even if you didn’t preregister! Walk-ins are also welcome.
Clinging jellies have been found in Narrow River. Click here to learn more about clinging jellyfish.
Thanks to all who joined us in June 2023 for What Lives in the River.
Here is a list of what was discovered living in the Narrow (Pettaquamscutt) River at our event!
