Narrow River at Pollock Avenue

41° 28.027' N    71° 26.984' W   See this location in: Google Maps   Map Server   Acme Maps

This is a site for launching boats from trailers. Boat ramps can normally be used to launch canoes and kayaks but please do your best to keep the boat ramp clear for boat trailers.

Description & Overview:

The cement plank boat ramp at this site provides good access to the middle section of the Pettaquamscutt or Narrow River. The Narrow River has several bridges along its length which could pose an obstacle to boats with high superstructures, towers, or masts, but it is very popular with paddlers as well as smaller motorboats and jetskis. In fact paddlers may be happier in the upper reaches (and very shallow areas) where motorboats are less common. The wetlands along the sides of the river are also very popular with birds, which makes this a good area for bird watching.

Heading north from this access site, the Narrow River alternates between narrows and more open areas for 3.75 miles, past the Bridgetown Road Bridge and on up to Gilbert Stuart Road where the river abruptly becomes a small brook. You can take out here or turn around and paddle back to where you started. Heading south, the Middlebridge Road Bridge is 0.6 miles away and the Sprague Bridge, where Route 1A crosses the outlet to the ocean is 1.25 miles away. From the Sprague Bridge the ocean is another 0.75 miles downstream.

The wide parts of the Narrow River and open enough for wind and waves to be a potentially serious issue for paddlers. Watch the forecast and watch the weather once you are on the water.

Where the Narrow River flows into the ocean heavy surf often develops. Very experienced kayakers sometimes play in this surf, but all less experienced paddlers should avoid this area.

South of this access site the tides start to have more and more of an influence and the tidal currents can be hard to paddle against, so pay attention to what the tide is doing. At the mouth, the high and low tides are at about the same time as in Newport, but as you head up river the times are delayed more and more, up to a couple of hours.

In the many areas where low tide uncovers broad mud flats be careful not to ground out on a falling tide. Even in a canoe or kayak you can find yourself stuck in mud too sticky to paddle off of and too soft to stand on.

For more details on the Narrow River below Indian Lake Shores, see the description for the put-in on the Narrow River at 1A (Sprague Bridge).

This site provides access to the following water bodies: Pettaquamscutt (Narrow) River.

Location:

Alternate Site Name: Narrow River Fishing Access

Town: Narragansett

Nearest Town Center: Narragansett

Driving Landmarks: From Route 1 head east on Bridgetown Road (Route 138) at Tower Hill. In 0.6 miles turn right on Middlebridge Road. Go 1.4 miles and turn left on Mitchell Avenue or Pollack Avenue. Both are small residential streets and both lead to the parking area and boat ramp, a few hundred feet ahead at the end of both avenues.

Access & Waters:

Water 'Features' At Site: estuary

Note: Because one boat launch can access, say, both a lake and a river or both the upstream and downstream portions of a river, not all paddling trips at a given site will necessarily encounter all of the features listed.

Type of Access: Boat ramp

ADA Accessible Boat Launch? no

Shoreline: Gravel beach and concrete plank boat ramp

Float/Dock: no

Parking:

Parking: yes: 20 spaces

ADA Accessible Parking Spaces? no

Nearby Amenities:

Public Restrooms: No

Sources for More Information:

AMC River Guide: 4th Edition, pages 143-144

Other Guidebooks: Site 43 in Ed Mullen's book "Kayaking Narragansett Bay"

Website: Mike Krabach's kayak access website

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