Stump Pond Exploration Smithfield, Rhode Island
After going over paddle and safety instructions the group launch from the second parking area along Log Road. Following the southern shoreline a small flock of mallards take flight and I tell the paddlers about using your fingers to determine the amount of sunlight left for the day. Paddling out to what I call Camera Island, Dave and Evan wade out and dive for the camera lost during a kayak instruction class. The island maybe extremely small, but it has a lot to offer. The tree lined island has a fire ring in its center and during our floating exploration of the land mass, we find blueberry plants, cow parsnip, pine and white birch packed in. Continuing along the southern shoreline and rounding a peninsular a family of mute swans are found. From here we paddle over to the north side of Stump Pond to a rock out crop and go over plant identification with poison ivy and red cedar as the main items of conversation. Heading west now along the northern shoreline. Taking a break from paddling in a small cove filled with water lilies, the paddlers watch the dragonflies hover along the water plants and small fish come to the surface looking for a meal. The quiet of the evening is broken by the sound of bullfrogs and a kingfisher. By using the finger method I taught earlier one of the kayakers determines we have about 45 minutes before the sun drops below the tree line. Following the north shore back I spot a strange object near the rock out crop we stopped at earlier. Thinking it could be a floating log; I paddle over to it and find instead a very large snapping turtle catching the last raise of the evening sun. Stretching its head up high, it looks at me before disappearing into the watery depths. Passing close to the dam a pair of mallards take flight again and we watch as fishermen start to pack up, some with some very nice largemouth bass. From the spillway our little flotilla turns south for a return to the vehicles. Near the center of the pond I stop the group and we float there for a few minutes to watch the sun descend below the tree line. Continuing on, a flock of geese silhouette the darkened orange sky passes overhead on their way for a landing. Live the Experience!
|
This would be our first pond exploration
trip in a long time and we started with Stump Pond in
Smithfield, Rhode Island. Built along the Woonasquatucket
River in 1918 as Stillwater Reservoir,
this 240 acre body of water got its nick-name from all
the stumps that used to protrude from the waters surface.
During times of extended drought the remains of the trees
that once inhabited the area can be seen. Today the
reservoir is best known for its fishing, with largemouth
bass and northern pike as two of the most fished after
species.