Little Narragansett Bay
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Little Narragansett Bay is an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean and an estuary of the Pawcatuck River on the Rhode Island-Connecticut state line. It is sheltered by a curving peninsula, known as Napatree Point.
At the base of Napatree Point is the site of the resort village of Watch Hill, Rhode Island. The bay also contains the islands of Sandy Point, Elihu Island, and Barn Island. Sandy Point was once part of Napatree Point until the two were separated by the Hurricane of 1938. Since that time it has migrated north and west, and changed orientation. It now begins about 1/4 mile east of Stonington Borough, and runs approximately 1 1/2 miles east-southeast.
History
In 1662, Connecticut's royal charter delineated the easternmost border of the state as Narragansett Bay. However, the western border of Rhode Island was defined as the Pawcutuck River by 1663, which lies west of Narragansett Bay. In order to resolve the conflicting definitions, King Charles renamed the Pawcutuck River to "Little Narragansett Bay".[1]
Environmental issues
The bay has a large infestation of Cladophora algae, which gives off a sulfurous odor in certain conditions. The algae is also ruinous to native sea plants and therefore to the fish and shellfish such as the native quahog. [2]
Sport
The bay is a renowned spot for sea kayaking.[3]
Shellfishing has been banned in various parts of the bay since 1991 due to contamination issues [4] and for the entire bay in 2016 and 2017.[5]
References
- ^ Heppner, Frank H. (2012). "Chapter 2: The Railroad Geography of Rhode Island". Railroads of Rhode Island: Shaping the Ocean State's Railways. Charleston, SC: History Press. ISBN 1609493338.
- ^ http://www.providencejournal.com/article/20150716/NEWS/150719399
- ^ https://paddling.com/paddle/trips/little-narragansett-bay-connecticut/?lat=41.3364&lng=-71.8927&zoom=14
- ^ https://www.ecori.org/narragansett-bay/2015/7/20/little-bay-faces-big-threats
- ^ http://www.thewesterlysun.com/news/westerly/10454615-154/little-narragansett-bay-is-still-off-limits-to-shellfishing-because-of.html
41°19′12″N 71°51′57″W / 41.32000°N 71.86583°W
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