East Rodney French Boulevard Boat Ramp
Just south of the New Bedford Harbor hurricane barrier, the East Rodney French Boulevard boat ramp provides boaters and paddlers with access to outer New Bedford Harbor. Enjoy a sea breeze as you fish, cruise, and explore the waters of Buzzards Bay from this city-owned public boat ramp.
Features
The concrete boat ramp on East Rodney French Boulevard in New Bedford has convenient car and boat trailer parking nearby.
The boat ramp and pier at East Rodney French Boulevard is easily accessible for powerboats and sailboats on trailers. The channel in New Bedford Harbor has heavy traffic, so travel carefully as you cruise past Butler Flats Lighthouse to Buzzards Bay’s open waters. The T-shaped pier is also a popular place for local anglers.
But it’s not just boaters and fishermen who enjoy this spot. The New Bedford Harbor Walk begins next to the boat ramp, offering sweeping views of New Bedford Harbor. The Saulnier Memorial Bike Trail also begins near here, which leads cyclists for several miles along Clark’s Point past East Beach to Fort Taber Park and West Beach.
Habitats & Wildlife
The skies above outer New Bedford Harbor are alive with seabirds like gulls, terns, and osprey. Many species of fish, including stripers and scup, live below the waters. But because of toxic PCB pollution in the harbor, fishing here is strictly catch-and-release.
