Hot day, cool paddle – Stump Pond – July 17, 2013

Heading toward the bridge

It’s been a crazy summer at work, but things are starting to settle down, so I was able to make it to my first Blackstone Valley Paddle Club trip at Stump Pond.

At 300 acres and 2.3 miles long, Stump Pond in Smithfield (also know as the Woonasquatucket Reservoir) is the largest pond in the Woonasquatucket River watershed. The wooded shores, islands, and scenic hills make it a great place for a paddle. Like any large pond, you do need to be careful of the waves when the wind picks up.

Cooling off - wet exit and recovery

Woonasquatucket Reservoir was built in 1910 to provide a reliable water supply through the summer for the mills down river. It was never a drinking water reservoir. The local name “Stump Pond” came from the many tree trunks that remained standing in the water after the dam was built.

We put in at the Stump Pond Fishing Area and paddled across to the Pleasant Avenue Bridge.  It’s always fun to do limbo under the pipes at the bridge. This southern arm beyond the bridge is a bit more suburban with houses lining the eastern shore.

We then headed north to the dam.  From here, the Woonasquatucket River heads east to Stillwater Pond.  If you continue north, you will come to the place where the Woonasquatucket River enters the pond. We didn’t make it that far, but we did enjoy a beautiful sunset.  I also took the opportunity to cool off with a wet exit and recovery.  Nice night.

Paddling into the sunset

Links:

My Pictures

Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council

Woonasquatucket Reservoir and Stillwater Pond from Rhode Island Blueways