On July
11, 2023, the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club made its annual trip
to Waterpark Place, one of our few urban paddles.
Thirteen members showed up at Bold Point Park in East
Providence for the 6:00 pm launch into the head of Narragansett
Bay.
The weather
was clear and sunny, with a perfect 80 degree air temperature.
We paddled across the top of the bay toward the India
Point Park Community Boathouse and past the Providence-Newport
ferry landing.
The
slight ocean choppiness and the occasional recreational boat
wake made for a sense of adventure.
We turned
right at the mouth of the Providence River and went under the
Providence River Bridge (the Iway I-195 relocation bridge).
We paddled briefly against the outgoing tide as we passed
through the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier and then under the aging
Point Street Bridge.
As we passed
under the new Michael S. Van Leesten Memorial Providence
Pedestrian Bridge
built on the pillars of the former section of I-195, a lively
Kiz on the Bridge social dancing party was in progress.
Further up the river, we passed local landmarks,
Hememway’s Restaurant and Café Nuovo.
At the fork of the Moshassuck River, we paddled left onto
the Woonasquatucket River toward Waterplace Park.
Continuing north we went through the tunnels under
Providence Place Mall and then under the I-95 new viaduct
construction.
The
setting sun brightly lit the waterway ahead.
Some in our group elected to paddle upstream as far as
the Rhode Island Blood Bank.
Others ventured no further than the Dean Street Bridge.
The paddle back to bold Point Park was slightly easier with the
outgoing tide. We
arrived at the Bold Point Park put-in just as the sun was
setting. Click on the
link below to see and
navigate a detailed image of the paddle route.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8162884,-71.4014217,508m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu