Deep Hole and its surrounding surf breaks in the Matunuck area are the hidden gems (or rocks) of surfing here in Rhode Island. If there was a surfing heaven somewhere, it would resemble Matunuck pretty closely. The waves break nice and far our from shore, giving the surfer a longer ride than usual if using a longboard. These normal conditions make Deep Hole a great place to learn to surf. Shortboards are only ideal for this break if the surf is at least 6' in height. Longboards with their increased volume and length will help the rider paddle less to catch waves, and keep the rider in the wave longer, hence making a surf session much more enjoyable. Deep Hole is located in the village of Matunuck in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, right next to the famous Ocean Mist Grille. After a long day out in the waves, surfers can grab a burger at the Ocean Mist Grille, a brick oven pizza at the Matunuck Pizza Company, or even an ice cream cone at the Vanilla Bean. During a hurricane or storm swell, Matunuck is certainly the place to be. In the video below, Andrew is surfing at Matunuck during the Hurricane Florence swell of September, 2018. This spot is great for all levels of surfers because the waves do not get as large here and do not dangerously "close out" like some other breaks in Rhode Island. Many surfers first learn to surf here.
Deep Hole has a small area of beach where the high tide does not reach, so it is safe to keep your belongings on the beach rather than keeping them in the car. Just make sure nothing gets stolen (unlikely, but just be careful). Once you enter the water, you will notice that there are rocks everywhere. There is no sand in sight. Besides bringing a backpack for water, towels, snacks, and other items, wearing surf boots year round at this place is your best bet if you do not want your feet to get cut up. If the tide goes up to the sand, you might be safe from stepping on the rocks, but bring boots just in case.
As mentioned earlier, Matunuck is covered with rocks. This is definitely the most significant hazard at this break. During low tide, there are exposed rocks from the beach to around 100 feet offshore. This will force the surfer to walk out on the rocks before entering the water. Falling on these rocks could lead to minor or serious injury, so please use caution when walking out during low tide. During high tide, there are not as many rocks, therefore making it a slightly easier paddleout from shore. Also, there are some clam shells and small rocks in the sand, so make sure to wear shoes on this beach when walking around.
Fortunately, this spot has very ample free parking and even portable restroom facilities on site. The distance from the parking lot to the beach itself is only about 30 feet, which is convenient if carrying heavy surfboards and bags from your car. The portable restrooms are located right near the entrance of the beach. There is only one entrance to the beach, so you cannot miss it.