What type of tree is this?
Although it can't be said definitively because of the picture quality, these are actually very likely maple trees. It's possible that they are either Red Maple (Acer rubrum) or sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) trees in spring leafout.



Source 

Evidence:


The branches have an opposite arrangement. Very few tree are opposite (see MADHORSE)
The Rhode Island Wild Plant Society claims that red maple is abundant on the northern part of the island.
The Virginia Cooperative Extension provides an incomplete but detailed list of trees that can tolerate salt spray. 


Two maples, Acer psudoplatanus and Acer campestre, (which are tolerant of salt spray) are both present as an exotic plant in that region of the country (see BONAP range map 1 and 2)
The Prudence Island flora mentions that A. pseudoplatanus is a common escaped cultivar on the island. 

I'm leaning toward Red maple because of the red leaves appearing -- this is more typical of A. rubrum compared to the often more yellowish spring leaves of A. pseudoplatanus.


Note: The salt spray and windy environment will cause these trees (and most vegetation along a coastline) to develop "strange" (often gnarly) tree shapes.