Save the Bay

41° 47.145' N    71° 22.985' W   See this location in: Google Maps   Map Server   Acme Maps

This is a site for launching hand-carried boats such as canoes or kayaks.

Description & Overview:

This public pier, built, owned and maintened by Save the Bay, provides access to the Providence River and Narragansett Bay south of the Port of Providence. It's a bit of a long carry to get your boat down along the gravel paths and out onto the dock but it's not too bad. The ramp to the dock has some bends but you can slide your boat over the railing and onto the dock. Once on the dock there is a very nice wood launching ramp running down into the water.

The major benefit of this launching site is that it gets you south of the port area, where small boats are not very welcome and are at risk from larger boats and industrial activity. Even so, you should be aware that the shipping channel is just east of Fields Point so use great caution if you are crossing to the east shore of the river. While the water you are launching into here is technically the Providence River, it is for practical purposes it is an arm of Narragansett Bay that opens up to mile wide just south of Fields Point. Narragansett Bay proper begins about five miles south of Fields Point, at Conimicut Point. In-between there are various coves to explore by kayak. Pawtuxet Cove and the mouth of the Pawtuxet River are about 1 3/4 miles south of Fields Point.

While the waters here are relatively sheltered the wind can certainly still generate waves large enough to be problematic for kayaks, and the tidal currents can be strong in places, so pay attention the weather, the forecast and the tides.

This site provides access to the following water bodies: Providence River.

Location:

Alternate Site Name: Fields Point

Town: Providence

Nearest Town Center: Providence, RI

Driving Landmarks: From Allens Avenue/Narragansett Blvd in Providence take Harbourside Blvd towards Johnson & Wales. Drive 1/2 mile through the Johnson & Wales campus. Turn right at the sign for Save the Bay. In 1/4 mile you will see a gravel lot on the right. Go past this lot and in another 200 feet, just past a small building and "The Abrams Boathouse," you'll see a public pier on the right, just before road bends left towards the Save the Boat headquarters. You can unload next to The Abrams Boathouse but then you should park in the designated spaces in the Save the Bay parking lot. The spaces are labelled "Public Pier."

Access & Waters:

Water 'Features' At Site: estuary, ocean/bay

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 launch for hand carried boats

ADA Accessible Boat Launch? yes

Shoreline: The water access here is from a low dock. There is not good shoreline access around the dock. But the dock has a very nice wood ramp running down into the water so it is a much better place to launch kayaks than the usual dock. Larger boats are only allowed to "touch and go" dock at the pier.

Float/Dock: low float or dock

Approximate Length of Carry between Car Access and Water: 500 feet

Hours of Operation: Sunrise to Sunset (Closed from Nov. 15 to April 15)

Parking:

Parking: yes: 4 spaces, no overnight parking

ADA Accessible Parking Spaces? yes

Ecological, Cultural & Recreational Attractions:

The gravel parking lot just before you reach Save the Bay provides access to a 0.3 mile trail along the shore, near the Johnson & Wales playing fields. This is a nice walk but not the shoreline access is prohibited along this trail so it is not a place to launch boats.

Photographs:

The Public Pier

Photography by: Bruce Hooke

Date of Photograph: June 6, 2019

The Abrams Boathouse

Photography by: Bruce Hooke

Date of Photograph: June 6, 2019

The public pier is around to the left in this image.

The Float with Lauching Ramps

Photography by: Bruce Hooke

Date of Photograph: June 6, 2019

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