Harbor of Refuge – July 21, 2017

Harbor of Refuge from Camp Cronin

After several aborted attempts due to fog, I finally got to paddle around the Harbor of Refuge from Camp Cronin. Its not a long trip – about 3 miles, a mile each leg – but its great for paddling in waves.

Construction of the Harbor of Refuge, which protects the Breachway and the Port of Galilee, began in 1890 with the construction of the east and west jetties. The breakwater was not completed until 1910 with the completion of the center jetty.

Fisherman on the east jetty

During World War II, much of the land on Point Judith was part of Fort Greene, a major coastal defense battery that included what is now Camp Cronin. Named for Revolutionary war hero Nathanael Greene, Fort Greene was part of a network of forts protecting Narragansett Bay including Fort Adams in Newport, Fort Greble on Dutch Island, Fort Weatherill in Jamestown, and Fort Hamilton on Rose Island.

There were a couple of fishermen on the rocks when I put in at around 6:30. The tide had just peaked and was going out. I was paddling into 1-foot rolling waves along the east side of the jetty. When I reached the east passage the wave increased to 2-feet - it's easier and less stressful at low tide.

Waves breaking on the center jetty

I hurried across the east passage, and was amazed how much of the center jetty was missing or underwater. Birds were everywhere, and waves were breaking on the rocks and flowing through the openings. By the time I got to the bend at the center, the east side seawall was almost gone.

As I paddled down the west jetty the waves were coming from behind. When I reached the west passage, I stayed out of the main channel and headed toward Salty Brine Beach and the Breachway. The Block Island Ferry pulled in just as I reached the Breachway. From there, I paddled perpendicular to the waves along the beach past Sand Hill Cove, and back to Camp Cronin.

Block Island Ferry in the Breakaway at Salty Brine Beach

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