What are some reasons for tourists to visit Plum Island in MA?”
Plum Island for all Seasons Plum Island is an 11-mile long barrier Island off the shore of Newburyport and Newbury. Once largely a summer getaway, Plum Island is increasingly a year-round community. The island has many residences, a national wildlife refuge, restaurants, an inn on the beach, and of course miles of beautiful sandy beaches. Beaches Plum Island offers miles of public sandy beaches and the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, home to over 800 species of birds, plants and animals on 4,662 acres. Sandy Point on the southern tip of Plum Island is a State Park and a wonderful place to swim, sun yourself or go tidepooling. Parking is available at the Refuge, the Point or in private parking lots. Fee Charged. Refuge information (978) 465-5753. Visit the Friends of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge or the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Fishing There are plenty of fish to be caught in the Merrimack River and off shore. If you enjoy fishing, you can cast your lines off the
Plum Island Beach is a gently sloping shelf extending some distance out to sea. As result of the slope tidal flow does not reach very far horizontally, while breakers are small and close to shore. Boats can easily be launched from or landed on the beach. The shelf causes strong undertow currents that can pluck the thoughtless bather out of the shallows and draw the unsuspecting swimmer out to sea. During severe storms the beach is inundated and the breakers strike the dune line. Over the centuries a number of ships have been wrecked in the shallow waters off Plum Island Beach. The Labrador current flows from north to south along the shore, migrating sand in that direction and chilling the coastal waters. Several breakwaters have been constructed along the north coast of the island to protect the beach and impede the process.
