Anchorages
Vessels anchor as directed by the harbormaster on the edge of the channel between Fields Point and Fox Point. Eastward of Fox Point, a few vessels may anchor in the area where a portion of Green Jacket Shoal was removed. Preferred small-craft anchorages are in Bullock Cove and Pawtuxet Cove.
Navigation
The Providence River, which empties into the head of Narragansett Bay between Nayatt Point and Conimicut Point, is the approach to the city of Providence.
Providence is at the head of navigation on the Providence River, about 7 miles above the entrance, at the junction of the Providence and Seekonk Rivers. The port area includes both sides of the upper navigable channel of the river. The port’s chief waterborne commerce is in petroleum products, cement, lumber, steel scrap metal, general cargo, and automobiles.
Occupessatuxet Cove, on the west side of the river north of Conimicut Point, is a shallow bight south of Gaspee Point. The cove is frequented only by small craft with local knowledge.
Pawtuxet Cove, used by pleasure and fishing craft, on the west side of Providence River, is entered about 1 mile northward of Gaspee Point through a dredged channel. The entrance channel leads westward to the cove, thence the channel turns northward and leads to a turning basin at the head of the cove. An anchorage basin extends southward from the entrance channel. The entrance channel is marked by lighted and unlighted buoys.
The controlling depths are 6 feet in the entrance channel and at midchannel) to the turning basin at the head of the cove with 4.7 to 6 feet in the basin; 3.6 to 6 feet is available in the anchorage basin southward of the entrance channel.
In 1976, a rock awash was in about 41°45’25″N., 71°23’10″W., on the west edge of the anchorage basin. A 12-foot-high protective dike along the east side of the anchorage basin extends southward from Marsh Island, on the south side of the entrance channel, to Rock Island.
Pawtuxet is a village on the west side of the cove. The harbormaster in the cove controls anchoring and berthing; he can be contacted through the Warwick City Hall. Berths, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, marine supplies, and a 15-ton mobile hoist are available.
A yacht club is on the west side of Providence River about 1 mile northward of the entrance to Pawtuxet Cove. Gasoline and guest berths are available. A privately dredged channel leads from the main channel in Providence River, eastward of Pawtuxet, to a small-craft facility about 0.45 mile southwestward of Fields Point (41°47.2’N., 71°22.9’W.). The channel is marked by buoys and has a controlling depth of 8 feet. The ruins of the piers of a former Naval Reserve facility are on the south side of Fields Point immediately eastward of the yacht club; this area should be avoided.
Bullock Cove, on the east side of Providence River 2 miles north of Conimicut Point, is the scene of considerable pleasure boat activity. A dredged channel leads from the Providence River to a mooring basin on the east side of Bullock Point, thence northward 0.5 mile to a mooring and turning basin. The controlling depths are 0.2 feet in the east half and 6.1 feet in west half of the entrance channel to the mooring basin east of Bullock Point, thence 3.3 to 6 feet in the basin, thence 3.8 feet to the upper basin and 1.3 to 3.9 feet in the basin. The entrance channel is marked by buoys and daybeacons.
There are numerous small-craft facilities in Bullock Cove. Cove Haven Marina, on Bullock Neck about 300 yards northward of Bullock Point, can handle craft up to 60 feet; berths, electricity, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, storage, launching ramps, marine supplies, a pump-out facility, a 45-ton mobile crane, a 99-ton mobile hoist, and hull, engine and electronic repairs are available. Sail repairs can be arranged nearby.
The Seekonk River, which branches off northeasterly from Providence River at Providence, is the approach to Phillipsdale and Pawtucket. The head of navigation is at Pawtucket, 5 miles above the mouth. Pawtuxet Cove Marina can provide berths, electricity, water, gasoline,storage facilities, marine supplies, and hull and engine repairs.
Channels
The Federal project for Providence River provides for a channel 40 feet deep from just below Prudence Island Light to Fox Point near the junction of Providence and Seekonk Rivers. The channel is well marked with navigational aids. A hurricane barrier crosses the Providence River about 200 yards above Fox Point. The barrier includes three gates, which normally will be kept in the opened position until the approach of hurricane weather. The clearances at each of the three river gates are: horizontal, 20 feet; vertical (gate fully opened), 21 feet at mean high water; and depth over the gate sill, 12.9 feet at mean low water. Red lights mark the channel ends of each gate.
The Seekonk River empties into the easterly side of Providence River at Fox Point. A marked dredged channel leads from Cold Spring Point, about 1.3 miles above Fox Point, to a point about 150 yards southward of Division Street Bridge at Pawtucket, about 2.9 miles above Cold Spring Point. The lower section of the river, from Fox Point to Cold Spring Point, is crooked and winding and marked by buoys. Local knowledge and use of the chart are required to carry the best water. Three areas of submerged boulders with angle iron protrusions, the remains of the approaches and pivot pier of a former swing bridge, are in the river channel at Cold Spring Point in about 41°49’36″N., 71°22’49″W., 41°49’36.5″N., 71°22’50″W., and 41°49’37″N., 71°22’51″W. The shoreward areas have a least depth of 3½ feet, and the area at about midchannel has a least depth of 12 feet.
Hazards
Numerous rocks and ledges border Providence River Channel on either side. Navigational aids mark the shoal areas off Bullock Point, about 1.5 miles above the mouth; off Sabin Point, about 3 miles above the Mouth; off Pomham Rocks, about 3.5 miles above the mouth; off Fuller Rock, about 5 miles above the mouth and Green Jacket Shoal, east of Fox Point about 7.4 miles above the mouth.
