Introduction to Sea Kayaking - July 19, 2026

Celebrating a successful assisted rescue

We had a great session for RICKA’s Introduction to Sea Kayaking – 8 participants, just about the right size.

The session was held at Wickford Harbor, which gave us a lot of options to find different conditions. We reviewed the gear you need for sea kayaking, worked on strokes (efficient forward and backward strokes, sweep strokes for turning the boat, draw and pry strokes to move the boat sideways, bow and stern rudders to hold the boat on a line or turn into the wind, edging, bracing and stopping), and rescue techniques (towing, assisted rescues and self-rescues). Everyone did great.

The crew

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A Week on Point Judith Pond

Our annual summer vacation at the beach ended today, so packing up to go home trumped paddling this morning. We had a shorter vacation this year, so I did all my paddling on Point Judith Pond. Fortunately there are lots of places to explore. I’ll be back next week to lead a trip for RICKA.

Snug Harbor – July 17, 2026

Point Judith Marina

I didn’t paddle this morning, but I got out this afternoon for a trip down to Snug Harbor.

Snug Harbor is a small village located on the western shore of Point Judith Pond just across from Galilee. In the early 1900's, Snug Harbor was known for its fishing and lobstering fleet with boats working the waters of Point Judith Pond, Narraganset Bay and the open Atlantic. Today, Snug Harbor remains an active harbor for commercial and recreational vessels.

Snug Harbor Light

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Port of Galilee – July 16, 2026

Fishing boat returning to the harbor

I didn’t paddle in the morning, but I was able to get out in the afternoon for a trip down to Galilee. The wind was blowing from the south and the tide was going out creating choppy waves and a strong current going through the Breachway.

The Port of Galilee was created in 1935 when a harbor was dredged and a dock constructed at the mouth of Point Judith Pond. Connected to the ocean by the Breakaway and the Harbor of Refuge, both completed in 1910, Galilee eventually became the home port for much of Rhode Island's fishing industry. I paddled past the fishing trawlers, lobster boats and charter before heading back to the cottage. There was lots of wildfire smoke from Canada that made the sky look grey.

Back at the cottage

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Bluff Hill Cove – July 15, 2026

Barrier beach at Sand Hill Cove

The wind was blowing again, so I stayed close to the cottage and paddle around Bluff Hill Cove.

Point Judith Pond, or the Great Salt Pond, is the second largest of Rhode Island’s South County salt ponds. Its southern end at Bluff Hill Cove is protected from the ocean by the huge barrier beach at Sand Hill Cove. I paddled out around the cove, getting bounced around by the wind and waves before heading back to the cottage.

View of the cottage form Frank's Neck

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Point Judith Pond Islands - July 14, 2026

Osprey at Plato Island

It was windy when I woke up, so I decided to paddle around the islands in the middle of Point Judith Pond. 

Point Judith Pond has three large islands – Great Island, Harbor Island and Ram Island, and four smaller islands - Jonathan Island, Beach Island, Gardner Island and Plato Island. Ram Island is conservation land. Great Island, Harbor Island, Jonathan Island and Plato Island have houses on them. Gardner Island and Beach Island are empty, and nice places to stop for lunch. I crossed over at Plato Island, and did a big loop around Gardner island, Beach Island and Ram Island to return to the cottage.

Oyster farm at Jonathan Island

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Upper Point Judith Pond - July 13, 2026

Boat ramp at Marina Park

I decided to stay close to the cottage today and paddle around Upper Point Judith Pond. I will be leading a RICKA trip here next week, so I wanted to check out the put-in at Marina Park.

Unlike Rhode Island’s other large salt ponds (Ninigret, Green Hill, Quonochontaug and Winnapaug) that are coastal lagoons, Point Judith Pond is an estuary where the Saugatucket River empties to the sea. I paddled up past Jonathan Island and Harbor Island, through the Narrows into the Upper Pond, and through the mooring field to Marina Park. Then I paddled back past Harbor Island and Ram Island to return the cottage.

View past Jonathan island to Beach Island

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Around Great Island - July 12, 2026

Our new cottage

This is our 15th year taking a summer vacation on Great Island on Point Judith Pond. We had rented the same cottage on Horseshoe Point for the last 14 years, but the owner wasn’t renting it this year. Fortunately, we were able to find another cottage just down the beach.

Point Judith Pond, or the Great Salt Pond, is the second largest of Rhode Island’s South County salt ponds. Separated in the south behind sand dunes and barrier beaches, Point Judith Pond is connected to the ocean through the Breachway at Galilee.

Fishing boats in the harbor

I always start off my paddling adventures with a trip around Great Island. Great Island is the largest island on Point Judith Pond. It is about 2-miles long and 1/2-mile wide, and full of summer cottages. I paddled down to Frank’s Neck before heading into Bluff Hill Cove and paddling under the bridge into Galilee.

The fishing village of Galilee was developed in 1935 when the State of Rhode Island dredged out a harbor suitable for commercial fishing vessels. I paddled down into the harbor to snap a few pictures of boats going through the Breachway before paddling back to the cottage.

Back at the cottage

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Lincoln Woods – July 9, 2026

It was another warm day, so I decided to take my sea kayak down to Lincoln Woods. I did a loop around Olney Pond, and then took a quick swim at the beach. The beach wasn't crowded, and the water felt good.

Beach at Lincoln Woods

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Back to Diamond Hill - July 8, 2026

It was just me and Bill hiking yesterday at Diamond Hill. We are getting better at navigating. The loop Bill mapped out was supposed to be 3.5-miles - we ended up doing around 4-miles. Breakfast after at Modern Bistro.

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Providence - July 3, 2026

Providence skyline

I have led a RICKA Flatwater trip on the Providence River on the July 4th weekend for the past few years. It seems appropriate since one of the first insurrections of the Revolutionary War – the Gaspee Affair – was carried out on the Providence River in 1772. Providence was also the first colony to declare independence on May 4, 1776, and Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution in 1790 after additional protections were added by the Bill of Rights.

The Providence River is formed at the convergence of the Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck Rivers in downtown Providence. It flows south through Providence for a mile to its convergence with the Seekonk River at Bold Point/India Point. It then opens up into Providence Harbor before continuing south for 8-miles to the narrows between Conimicut Point in Warwick and Nayatt Point in Barrington where it becomes Narraganset Bay.

Leaving the Cove

We had a group of four boats – all kayaks. We put-in at Bold Point and headed out across Providence Harbor towards the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier. The tide was high and the wind was light. Rounding Fox Point we passed the tugboats and paddled under the I-way Bridge and through the hurricane barrier into downtown Providence.

Providence was established in 1636 by Puritan theologian Roger Williams who was fleeing religious persecution in Boston. It became a trading center in the 18th century, a manufacturing center in the 19th century, and a financial center in the 20th century. This history can be seen today in the warehouses, mills and office buildings that line the river.

Tug boats at Fox Point

In the heart of Providence the river passes through Waterplace Park. Completed in 1994, Waterplace Park includes pedestrian bridges over the river that connect over a mile of cobblestone-paved walkways known as the Riverwalk. The park is home to the popular summertime Waterfire events.

We continued up the Woonasquatucket River into the Cove, under the Providence Place Mall, and past the Foundry mill complex before turning around. Trip was around 5-miles.

Providence skyline from the Point Street Bridge

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Mercy Woods - July 1, 2026

Checking the map

I met up with Bill and Nancy for another hike very close to my house – Mercy Woods.

The Mercy Woods is a Cumberland Land Trust property that has 5.7-miles of trails including the Mercy Loop (2.3-miles), the Ridge Trail (2.1-miles) and the Stone Wall, Fisher, Fern, Fiske, Deer and Grape connecting trails. A short section of the Ridge Trail north of the Fern connecting trail is also part of the Warner Trail connecting Sharon, MA to Diamond Hill.

Trail through the ferns

We met at 8:00 at the trailhead on Sumner Brown Road and headed to the south on the Mercy Trail. At the southern end, we cut down to the Diamond Hill Reservoir along a section of the Warner Trail before heading back up one of the connecting trails to the Mercy Trail. Overall we did a little over 4-miles.

After the hike we went out for breakfast at Ollie's Dinner. Nice way to start the day.

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Cumberland Land Trust
Mercy Woods Trail Map

Trip Description from Explore Rhode Island

Warner Trail
Warner Trail Guidebook