Around Great Island – July 16, 2017

Horseshoe Point

For the past five years, we have spent our summer vacation at a small cottage on Horseshoe Point at the tip of Great Island in Point Judith Pond.  As I usually do, I decided to start off my vacation with a trip around Great Island. 

Point Judith Pond is the largest of Rhode Island’s salt ponds - 4 miles long, 1 mile wide, and about 20 miles in circumference. 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 Galilee

Great Island is one of two large islands on the pond - the other is Harbor Island.  Great Island is 2 miles long and 1/2 mile wide, and full of summer cottages.  I put-in at our cottage and headed south past Franks Neck, into Bluff Hill Cove, and under the new Great Island 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.  Unlike other fishing villages that developed into tourist centers, Galilee retains the feel of a commercial fishing village. I checked out the lobster boats and large trawlers that call Galilee home

Snug Harbor Light

I stayed outside the main channel and paddled down to the Breachway that connects Galilee to the Harbor of Refuge.  I crossed over to Jerusalem and paddled up to the large marina at Snug Harbor.  A steady stream of boats was coming down the channel from marinas in upper Point Judith Pond.

From there, I crossed back over to Great Island, and paddled past Thomas Point before returning to the cottage.

Last Buoy before the Breachway

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Blueways Paddling Map