Gull cove

This site provides access to "The Cove" at the north end of Aquidneck Island. There is a cement plank boat ramp here as well as a large gravel parking lot and plenty of shoreline adjacent to the boat ramp suitable for launching hand carried boats. The Cove is a large tidal estuary with many coves and channels suitable for small boat exploration. The waters of the cove are shallow, under 4 feet in many places at low tide, but because of the sometimes narrow channels connecting different parts of The Cove there are areas where the tidal currents are strong and where there are sudden drop-offs into deep water due to current scouring out channels and holes. There is a fixed bridge at the mouth of the cove with a vertical clearance of 25 feet at high tide, so larger sailboats cannot enter or exit The Cove, but the generally shallow water depths makes this area unsuitable for most sailboats anyway. The mouth of The Cove opens onto the busy waters of the narrows on the Sakonnet River. You can expect strong tidal currents here, and once out on the Sakonnet River or Mount Hope Bay the usual southwest wind that develops on most mornings and blows through the afternoon can produce significant waves!

CLEAN - DRAIN -DRY - SAVE OUR PONDS AND RIVERS FROM INVASIVES
Requirements to attend this paddle
· arrive 1/2 hour prior to posted launch time
· light
· whistle
· 14 foot kayak or longer recommended
· Coast Guard approved PFD (inflatable PFDs are not allowed)
· spray skirt
· bilge pump
· appropriate clothing for the water temperature
· Event start time is in your boat, in the water, and ready to paddle! You will need to transport your boat a few hundred feet, from the parking lot to the beach to launch.
Suggested
We strongly recommend that you bring along the following:

• drinking water
• food
• sunscreen
• a change of dry clothes in a dry bag
• familiarize yourself with the area prior to paddling
• check weather conditions for wind speed direction and tides

Any paddle sport is an assumed risk sport. Some aspects of canoeing and kayaking involve the risk of serious injury or death. Southern New England Paddlers (SNEP) although safety conscious, cannot gu