Upper Point Judith Pond - July 21, 2025

Marina Park Boat Ramp

I slept late this morning, so I stayed close to the cottage and paddled around Upper Point Judith Pond. I will be leading a RICKA trip on Point Judith Pond on Saturday, 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 Ram Island and Harbor Island, through the Narrows into the Upper Pond, and into the Saugatucket River at Silver Spring Cove. Then I paddled back round the top of Point Judith Pond before crossing at Gardner, Beach and Jonathan Islands.

Selfie near Ram Island

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Upper Point Judith Pond July 15, 2024

View of Horseshoe Point

I was up early and decided to stay close to the cottage and paddle to Upper Point Judith Pond. I'll be leading a RICKA trip from there next week.

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 Ram Island and Harbor Island, through the Narrows into the Upper Pond, and into the Saugatucket River at Silver Spring Cove. 

Boat ramp on the Upper Pond

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Paddle Map - Upper Point Judith Pond

Saugatucket River – July 20, 2017

Saugatucket River

The sky was clear and the birds were singing, and since we were going to RiverFire, I decided to paddle to the upper Point Judith Pond and then up the Saugatucket River.

The Saugatucket River arises in North Kingstown and flows south through South Kingstown before flowing into the Point Judith Pond at Silver Spring Cove.

Main Street Dam

The lower section of the Saugatucket flows through a pretty saltwater swamp.  I passed Mews Tavern and squeezed under two blow-downs before I reached the Main Street Dam – the end of the tidal river.

I thought about portaging around the dam, but it looked like a lot of work for a river choked with weeds.  I was proved right when I saw it from the top at RiverFire that night.

RiverFire in Wakefield

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Saugatucket River - July 30, 2014

I paddled up the Point Judith Pond today to check out the Saugatucket River.  

The Saugatucket flows 8 miles from its origin in North Kingstown until it flows into Upper Point Judith Pond in at Silver Spring Cove in South Kingstown.  Like Pettaquamscutt Cove on the Narrow River, Point Judith Pond is a classic estuary where the Saugatucket River empties to the sea. Rhode Island’s other major salt ponds (Ninigret Pond, Green Hill Pond, Quonochontaug Pond, Maschaug Pond) are coastal lagoons. 

I was able to make it up the Saugatucket about a mile to the Mews Tavern before low water and trees blocked my path.

Cormorant at the mouth of the Saugatuckett River

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