Dutch Island – July 29, 2021

Dutch Harbor from the put-in

After my aborted attempt yesterday, I went back to Dutch Harbor today to paddle out to Dutch Island and the Dutch Island Light. The bay was calm, winds were light and conditions were perfect.

Dutch Island is located in the West Passage of Narragansett Bay and took its name from the Dutch East India Company that established a trading post here around 1636. After the Revolutionary War the island was fortified to protect the West Passage from invasion by sea. In the 1890’s the Army established Fort Greble here. Like Fort Weatherill on the East Passage, Fort Greble was active through World War II and was part of a series of heavily fortified artillery placements that protected Narragansett Bay.

Dutch Island Light

The first lighthouse was completed on the southern tip of Dutch Island in 1826. The original tower was replaced with the current tower in 1857. The lighthouse remained in service until 1979 when it was replaced with a flashing buoy. It then fell into disrepair until 2007 when it was restored by the Dutch Island Lighthouse Society.

I put in at Dutch Harbor and paddled out toward the Dutch Island Light. After snapping a few pictures, I continued around the west side of island before retuning to the take out.

Newport Bridge

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