Pier 5 - August 2, 2013

Putting in at Pier 5

It was poring rain when I woke up, but there was one more place that I wanted to paddle - Pier 5 or South Pier in Narragansett.

In the late 19th century, this section of Narragansett became a thriving resort community with 10 hotels and many Victorian and Shingle style cottages.  The Towers is all that remains of the old hotels, but many summer cottages - old and new - can still be seen along the shore.

By the time I got down to the pier the rain had stopped, but there was still a strong wind blowing.  I paddled out into the 1 to 2 foot rollers.  It was easy paddling, but I knew that the trip back against the waves and into the wind would be a slog, so I stopped at the Towers and bobbed in the waves for a while to enjoy the view before heading back.

The Towers

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Sunrise at Black Point - August 1, 2013

Pink sunrise

This morning, I traded my water shoes for my hiking shoes and went to catch the sunrise at Black Point.

I arrived just before sunrise and began my trek north along the shore.  Most of the southern coast of Narragansett is lined with a pretty pink granite known locally as Narragansett Pier granite.  Boulders of various sizes line the shore.  

I met a couple of fishermen along the way, but otherwise the morning was quiet.  About a 1/2 mile up the coast, I got a great view of the formal gardens and gatehouse at the Dunmere.  Dunmere was built in 1883 for Robert Dun of Dun & Bradstreet, and was one of several large estates that lined the coast along Ocean Road.  I hiked along the rocks for about a mile to Newton Avenue before walking back down Ocean Road to my car.

A little later it was a yellow sunrise

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Narrow River - July 31, 2013

Pettaquamscutt Cove

The sun rose bright and clear as I headed out to paddle the Narrow River and Pettaquamscutt Cove.

It was low tide as I put in at the Sprague Bridge and headed up the Narrow River into the Pettaquamscutt Cove.  The osprey were in their nest at the bridge, and other birds were everywhere - egrets, herons, cormorants, terns, and of course seagulls.  Like Point Judith Pond, this section of the Narrow River is a tidal estuary, and Pettaquamscutt Cove is also a National Wildlife Refuge.  At low tide, all the birds were looking for breakfast.

I then paddled down the Narrow River to the Narrows - the rocky outcropping where the Narrow River meets the sea.  It looked like it would be easy to break through the 1 to 2 foot waves breaking at the shore, but instead I decided to check out the view from the rocks.  The day was clear, and you could see all the way down the coast to the Point Judith Light.

The Narrows

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Lower Pettaquamscutt River and Cove from the Narrow River Preservation Association
Upper Pettaquamscutt River and Cove from the Narrow River Preservation Association

Harbor of Refuge - July 30, 2013

East jetty of the Harbor of Refuge

The day was bright and sunny, so I decided to go paddle the Harbor of Refuge just outside the Breechway at the mouth of Point Judith Pond.

Construction of the Harbor of Refuge, which protects the Breachway and the Port of Galilee, began in 1890 with the construction of the east and west jetties.  The breakwater was not completed until 1910 with the completion of the center jetty.

When I arrived at Camp Cronin, I was surprised how much damage had been done by Superstorm Sandy.  Most of the parking lot had been washed away, and the sand dunes had been replaced by steep cliffs.  I put-in inside the east jetty.  Even there, with the strong wind and 1 to 2 foot waves, it was tough to make progress.  I paddled as far as Sand Hill Cove, and then headed back.

Point Judith Light and Coast Guard Station

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Lower Point Judith Pond - July 29, 2013

Snug Harbor

After a quick cup of coffee, I put my boat in the water at the dock near the cottage and decided to paddle south along Great Island to the Port of Galilee.  The sun came out briefly as I was heading out, and then dark clouds rolled back in.

Great Island is about 2 miles long and 1/2 mile wide, and full of summer cottages.  I headed south and stopped along Snug Harbor to watch the the boats heading down to the Breachway in Galilee.

The Breachway connects the Harbor of Refuge with the Point Judith Pond.  The Breachway was completed in 1910, and the harbor at the mouth of the pond was dredged and a dock constructed in 1935 to create a port for Rhode Island's fishing industry.  After snapping a few pictures and enjoying the scenery, I paddled back to the cottage.

Fishing boats in the Port of Galilee

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Point Judith Pond from ExporeRI.org

Upper Point Judith Pond - July 28, 2013

Our cottage at Horseshoe Point

It was cold and grey for the first morning of our vacation, but the still water of Point Judith Pond drew me out.  

Our cottage is located at Horseshoe Point at the northern tip of Great Island in Point Judith Pond, or the Great Salt Pond as it is also known. Point Judith Pond is 4 miles long, 1 mile wide, and about 20 miles in circumference.  Across the water we looked out at Ram Island.

I decided to head north along Ram Island and into the Upper Pond.  The water was perfectly still except for the occasional motorboat.  Birds were plentiful - comerants, herons, egrets, seagulls and even a pair of osprey.  Other than a couple of fishing boats pulling out of the marina, I was the only one around. 

Sea gulls in the Upper Point Judith Pond

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