South of the bridge

Safe Boating

Posted

It’s a frosty gray day. Nothing ahead but chilly winds and soon, snow. How can you raise your spirits? Think of summer. Get out your chart and plot a course in the lower bay. Going under Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge is always a great photo op. Ahead is Dutch Island, so named because in the 1600’s it was a Dutch trading post where furs, venison, fish, tools, and rum changed hands. This little island has quite a history. In the 1800’s it was networked with tunnels, and heavy artillery was located here. It housed soldiers in the Spanish American War and was fortified for the Civil War. In the 1900’s Fort Greble was established on the island, which served the military in World War I and II. There were 12-inch guns, a hospital, barracks, classrooms etc. Some of the foundations still remain. Today Dutch Island is part of the Narragansett Bay Island Parks system. On a calm day you can anchor near the island and row in to picnic on the beach and explore. Across Dutch Harbor on Jamestown there is a boatyard with moorings available and a dinghy dock. You could walk in to town for supplies.

Heading south from Dutch Island you pass Bonnet Shores. Nearer to the ocean now, you might begin to feel the effects of swells if there are ocean waves when you go. Just south of this you can see the ruins of a structure on a low rock formation. This is Whale Rock, well-marked on your chart. This was the site of shipwrecks for many years. In 1877 the Schooner Pearl hit the reef and sank in 60 ft. of water, losing its crew of 5. Instead of the traditional “going down with the ship,” the captain climbed up to the top of the main mast which was just above water, and was rescued. Three years later the 325 ft. steamer Rhode Island was wrecked on the rocks in dense fog. To prevent further wrecks, Whale Rock Lighthouse, a four-story structure, was built and finished in 1882. Being a keeper at this location was not a desirable posting. In the next 16 years they went through 16 lighthouse keepers. Finally, in 1937, an ex-navy man, Walter Eberle, who spent 20 years on battleships and even a submarine, became assistant lighthouse keeper. This father of 6 was on duty on Sept. 21, 1938. The keeper, Dan Sullivan had gone ashore for supplies but couldn’t make it back due to rough seas. The 1938 hurricane bore down on Narragansett Bay and Eberle stayed at his post, climbing up as high as possible as the storm surge hit. The Plum Beach lighthouse survivors reported looking south and seeing that Whale Rock Lighthouse was gone. As you go by, note the foundation of the lighthouse still firmly on the rocks. Whale Rock is now marked by a green buoy with a light flashing every 3 seconds and a wave activated gong. It certainly would not be advisable to go to the west side of Whale Rock, particularly at night, since that is usually heavily populated with lobster pots. Also, in this area of ocean swells, you can’t be complacent about the depths. If the chart says the depth is 5 ft. and your boat draws only 4 ft. remember, the charted depth is for calm water. If there is a 6 ft swell, it can be about three feet higher at the crest and 3 ft. lower at the trough, so you could have less water depth than you thought. A little situational awareness results in safe boating as you tour our bay.

Trivia Question: How large is Narragansett Bay? For the answer and more information, go to www.northstarflotilla.

com.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here