Potter Pond - July 22, 2025

Lighthouse at Snug Harbor

It was a bright sunny morning so I decided to stay local and paddle over to Potter Pond.

Potter Pond is connected to Point Judith Pond by a tidal inlet that flows through Snug Harbor and the 182-acre Succotash Marsh. The barrier beach that forms East Matunuck State Beach creates the southern shore of the pond. The northern end is a wooded kettle pond. With the exception of the houses along Succotash Road to the east and Matunuck to the west, much of the land around Potter Pond is undeveloped.

Beach in Matunuck

I paddled down the west side of Great Island before crossing over to Snug Harbor and entering the inlet into Succotash Marsh. The morning was clear and I got a great view over to East Matunuck State Beach. After paddling under the bridge at Succotash Road, I played in the current in the channel where the inlet enters the pond.

Once in Potter Pond I headed west to the Ocean Avenue Waterfront Access in Matunuck. The paths were overgrown, but I made it up to the beach. When I returned to the inlet was able to paddle up with no difficulty – the current was gone. I paddled up the east side of Great Island through Bluff Hill Cove and Welcome Cove on the way back to the cottage.

Egret in Potter Pond

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Potter Pond - July 26, 2022

Above the Breachway in Galilee

It was a bright sunny morning - no fog or wind – so I decided to stay local and paddle over to Potter Pond.

Potter Pond is connected to Point Judith Pond by a tidal inlet that flows through Snug Harbor and the 182-acre Succotash Marsh. The barrier beach that forms East Matunuck State Beach creates the southern shore of the pond. The northern end is a wooded kettle pond. With the exception of the villages of Snug Harbor to the east and Matunuck to the west, most of the land around Potter Pond is undeveloped.

Matunuck on the west shore

I paddled down the west side of Great Island into Galilee, and sat at the top of the Breachway to watch the boats come and go before crossing over to Snug Harbor. I then paddled along the inlet into Succotash Marsh. The tide was up and there were birds foraging in the shallows. After paddling under the bridge at Succotash Road, I played in the current in the channel where the inlet enters the pond. 

Once in Potter Pond I headed west past the Matunuck Oyster Farm to the Ocean Avenue Waterfront Access in Matunuck to check out the beach before heading back. It was about an hour-and-a-half after high tide at Point Judith when I returned to the inlet, and I was able to paddle up with no difficulty – the current was gone. The wind was blowing from the north, so I paddled up the east side of Great Island through Bluff Hill Cove and Welcome Cove on the way back to the cottage.

On the rocks at Matunuck Point

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Potter Pond - July 22, 2021

Snug Harbor Light

It was a bright sunny morning, so I decided to stay close to home and paddle over to Potter Pond.

Poter Pond is connected to Point Judith Pond by a tidal inlet that flows through Snug Harbor and the 182-acre Succotash Marsh. The barrier beach that forms East Matunuck State Beach creates the southern shore of the pond. The northern end is a wooded kettle pond. With the exception of the villages of Snug Harbor to the east and Matunuck to the west, most of the land around Potter Pond is undeveloped.

Succotash Marsh

I paddled down the west side of Great Island into Galilee, and sat at the top of the Breachway to watch the boats come and go before crossing over to Snug Harbor. I then paddled along the inlet into Succotash Marsh. The tide was up, so the sand flats in the marsh were covered with water and you could see the beach house at East Matunuck State Beach. After paddling under the bridge at Succotash Road I entered into Potter Pond. I headed west past the Matunuck Oyster Farm to the Ocean Avenue Waterfront Access in Matunuck to check out the beach before heading back.

I ran this trip last year with RICKA, and as we approached the inlet leading back to Point Judith Pond we found the incoming tide rushing through the narrow channel – even motor boats were having difficulty getting through. We had to get out and wade our boats through the channel. This time I timed it better (just about high tide) and was able to paddle up the channel with no problem.

Ocean Avenue Waterfront Access

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Lower Point Judith Pond and Potter Pond with RICKA – July 26, 2020

Heading out from Knowlesway Ext.

For the past couple of years I have been leading RICKA trips on Point Judith Pond while I am on vacation. This year with COVID-19 I wasn’t sure if I should, but in the end I decided I would, and I am glad that I did.  

Point Judith Pond, or the Great Salt Pond, is located along the border of Narragansett and South Kingstown, and is the second largest of the Rhode Island’s South County salt ponds. It is a shallow, four-mile long pond located behind the barrier beaches and sand dunes that form Point Judith Harbor. The pond is 20 miles around with many pretty islands and coves to explore.

Fishing Boats in Galilee

Our usual put-in for this trip is at the marina on the Upper Pond. Unfortunately, that starts us on the northern end of the pond, and I really prefer the southern end. For this trip I decided to launch at the Knowlesway Ext Waterfront Public Access Point instead - more on that later. 

We would be paddling across lower Point Judith Pond just above Galilee, though the coastal inlet at Snug Harbor, and over to Potter Pond – a 6-mile trip that doesn’t get paddled very often. We headed out into a slight breeze from the south and an incoming tide. We crossed under the Great Island Bridge did our best to stay out of the boat channels around Galilee.

After the crossing at Snug Harbor

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 protected by the Harbor of Refuge, both completed in 1910, Galilee is the homeport to much of Rhode Island's fishing fleet. Generations of fishermen have sailed from Galilee to work the waters of Narragansett Bay, Block Island Sound and beyond.

We crossed the main boat channel at Snug Harbor and paddled through the coastal inlet that connects Point Judith Pond to Potter Pond. At the southern end of Potter Pond are sand flats and the barrier beaches created by East Matunuck State Beach. The northern end is more wooded with a deep “kettle hole” left by retreating glaciers. 

Pat checks out her sail on the return trip

We explored the northern end of the pond until the jet skis and motorboats scared us away. We then headed south and west to the Ocean Avenue Waterfront Access in Matunuck for lunch and a swim at East Matunuck State Beach. The beach was packed, but we wore our masks and stayed socially distanced. From there we headed back to Point Judith Pond.  

As we approached the inlet leading back to Point Judith Pond we found the incoming tide rushing through the narrow channel – even motor boats were having difficulty getting through. Peter and Gary were able to follow the eddies and paddle up through the fast moving water. The rest of us walked our boats up the left side of the channel. The current was also fast under the Succotash Road Bridge, but we were able to paddle up through there, and provide some entertainment for the customers at the Matunuck Oyster Bar.

Waiting for the boat traffic crossing back

By the time we got back to Snug Harbor the boat traffic had increased significantly, and it was a mad dash across the main boat channel. From there it is an easy paddle back to the put-in.  

When we got back to put-in we found an unwelcome surprise – tickets on all the cars. The street isn’t posted "No Parking" so we called the police station to complain. They said that the tickets were issued in error, and that we should drop them off at the police station so they can be rescinded. I dropped them off and got a confirmation the next day - thank goodness. Other than the tickets, it was a fun day with a great group of paddlers.

Danny checking out the view down to the Breachway

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Potter Pond – July 23, 2020

I’m leading a RICKA trip on Sunday, and I was looking for a way to offer something different. Rather then putting in at Marina Park in the Upper Pond, I decided to put in at the Knowlesway Ext Waterfront Public Access Point. This starts us off in the lower part of the pond, which I find a lot more interesting. The the trip I am planning will take us around Great Island, and then head west to Snug Harbor and into Potter Pond.  

From Potter Pond we would stop at the Ocean Ave Waterfront Public Access Point and cross over the barrier beach to have lunch at Matunuck Beach. I did that trip today and it took me about 3 hours.

Potter Pond, once known as Fish Pond because of its unusually productive fishery resources, is connected by a tidal inlet to Point Judith Pond.  The southern end of the pond is characterized by sand flats created by wash-over from the barrier beach (East Matunuck State Beach) during hurricanes.  The northern basin is a deep “kettle hole” left by retreating glaciers. No rivers flow into Potter Pond, but freshwater it provided by underground springs seeping in around the northern edges of the pond. With the exception of the villages of Snug Harbor to the east and Matunuck to the west, most of the land around Potter Pond is sparsely developed and maintains a sense of open space.

Oyster farm on Potter Pond looking west to Matunuck

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Poter Pond - July 24, 2019

Fishing boat leaving Galilee

It was another cloudy morning, so I decided to stay close to home and paddle down to Potter Pond. Potter Pond is connected by a tidal inlet to Point Judith Pond at Snug Harbor. To the south are the sand flats and barrier beaches along the East Matunuck State Beach and Matunuck Beach. To the north are woodlands surrounding a deep kettle pond left by a retreating glacier.  

I paddled down the west side of Great Island into the Port of Galilee and sat at the top of the Breachway to watch the boats come and go before crossing over to Snug Harbor at the Snug Harbor Light. It was low tide, so I couldn’t paddle into the sand flats along the inlet, but I could see the beach house at East Matunuck.

Oyster farm near Matunuck

With an outgoing tide, there was good current under the bridge at the Matunuck Oyster Bar on Succotash Road. Once in Potter Pond I stayed in the southern end and paddled down to Segar and Seaweed Coves. An oyster farm takes up a large part of the southern end of the pond, and residents are now fighting the issuance of additional leases - I can see why.  

The wind picked up on Point Judith Pond as I paddled back to the cottage – it was a bit of a slog.

Sand flats on the Inlet

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Potter Pond - July 25, 2016

Boat at Snug Harbor

Yesterday, we went to Newport in the morning, and took my canoe out for a trip aound Potter Pond in the afternoon.  Potter Pond is located off the southwest corner of Point Judith Pond behind the behind the Matunuck barrier beach.  A short tidal inlet at Snug Harbor connects Point Judith Pond with Potter Pond. If you have eaten at the Matunuck Oyster Bar on Succotash Road, you were sitting along the inlet.

I paddled down the west side of Great Island into the Port of Galilee.  I sat at the top of the Breachway to watch the boats come and go before crossing over to Snug Harbor at the Snug Harbor Light. It was

Matunuck Oyster Bar

high tide so the sand flats along the short inlet into Potter Pond were covered with water, and you can see the beachhouse at East Matunuck.  After paddling under the bridge at Succotash Road I entered into Potter Pond. 

The southern end of Potter Pond looks like a typical coastal salt pond with Jerusalem and Matunuck visible in the distance.  The Matunuck Oyster Farm operates in the shallows along the southern edge.  The northern end is a wooded kettle pond. 

East Matunick Beachhouse from the inlet

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Potter Pond - July 21, 2015

After paddling Lower Point Judith Pond yesterday, I decided to paddle over to Potters Pond today.  It is connected to Point Judith Pond by a tidal inlet at Snug Harbor.  Like Point Judith Pond, Potters Pond is separated from the ocean by barriers beaches to the south.  There are great views of the beaches at Matunuck to the south, and wooded shores to the north.

Matunuck

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