On the Pond

January/February 2025

THE COMMITTEE FOR THE GREAT SALT POND’S WATER TESTING PROGRAM
Part 1 of 3: Early History of Water Quality Monitoring in the Great Salt Pond
The Committee for the Great Salt Pond Was founded in 1986 in response to the purchase of Dead Eye Dick’s Restaurant by Interstate Navigation (The Block Island Ferry), and their application to the RI Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) for the construction of a major marine development project consisting of a full-scale passenger car ferry terminal behind Dead Eye’s.
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November/December 2024

GREAT SALT POND STUDY
Part 6 of 6: Bivalves Around the Pond
Often referred to as shellfish, bivalves are among the sea’s most iconic species. Clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops inhabit virtually the entire world ocean, and they support a variety of functions benefiting both the environment and people alike.
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September/October 2024

GREAT SALT POND STUDY
Part 5 of 6: Vegetation Around the Pond
Plants are known to be the basis of all life in ecosystems like the Great Salt Pond. From phytoplankton to seaweeds, seagrasses and coastal marsh plants, these silent species work hard to provide food, oxygen, and habitat for many species such as birds, fish, and marine invertebrates. Essentially, the function of the ecosystem relies on plants.
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July/August 2024

GREAT SALT POND STUDY
Part 4 of 6: Birds Around the Pond
Estuaries like the Great Salt Pond are a stage for a wide array of bird species. The Pond’s tidal flats, salt marshes, and coastal shrub-scrub habitats provide excellent habitat for waterfowl, sea birds, and shore birds. Depending on habitat type, time of year, or environmental event, the types of species will change. Of the 300+ bird species inhabiting Rhode Island, roughly 85+ of these species rely on habitats like the Great Salt Pond for breeding grounds and migratory refuge.
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May/June 2024

GREAT SALT POND STUDY
Part 3 of 6: Varieties of invertebrates in the Pond
Making up over 90 percent of all life in oceans, marine invertebrates are truly nature’s hidden gems. This large and diverse group of organisms play a key role in maintaining healthy environments and are used as indicators to assess overall habitat quality and ecosystem function. Water filtration, habitat creation, organic matter processing, carbon transfer through food webs and nutrient cycling are some of the most important contributions invertebrates do for nature.
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March/April 2024

GREAT SALT POND STUDY
Part 2 of 6: Varieties of Fish in the Pond
Often referred to as “nurseries of the seas,” estuaries like the Great Salt Pond are known to play a vital role in the lives of many fishes. For the last ten years, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Marine Fisheries (RI DEM, DMF) have been evaluating fish populations in the Pond to gain a fuller understanding of how the ecosystem functions as critical nursery habitat.
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January/February 2024

GREAT SALT POND STUDY
Part 1 of 6: Overall description of the work and testing methods
To date, The Nature Conservancy is committed to the following surveys: beach seine survey, fish pot survey, bay scallop survey, habitat characterization survey, salt marsh monitoring, and water quality monitoring. Each project has a discrete set of goals, objectives, and protocols, and are scheduled accordingly throughout the field season. The different types of data collected during each survey were designed to complement each other so that we can gain a fuller understanding of what is happening in Great Salt Pond over time.
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December 2023

WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT BUFFERS?
According to Webster.com, one definition of a buffer is something that serves as a protective barrier, meaning that a buffer acts as a shield reducing the amount of damage possible. Also known as a riparian area, a buffer is vegetated land adjacent to a stream, pond, lake or wetland protecting the land surrounding a body of water. Buffers are important for keeping water clean because they work above and below ground.
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November 2023

GREAT SALT POND SWIM–8
On Saturday, July 29th, our eighth annual Great Salt Pond swim took place at Andy’s Way, and was a great success. 145 swimmers signed up for the event, (our largest group ever) ranging in ages from 10–83! There were families from as far away as the UK and Ireland swimming in the event. This has truly become a community event with an audience of friends and relatives sitting in beach chairs, cheering for the swimmers, a Block Island tradition and yearly event!
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October 2023

Committee for the Great Salt Pond receives the 2023 Save the Bay Award for Environmental Achievement
Topher Hamblett, interim director of Save The Bay presented the award to CGSP at their annual meeting in June. A short part of what he had to say is shown below, which sums up much of the Committee’s efforts over the years. The remainder
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September 2023

HISTORY OF THE GREAT POND SERIES
Block Island is Unique, but not Special
Community history can wear many hats. It can explore questions surrounding issues of race, technological transformations, or commerce, just to name a few. However, one warning label should be placed on all public history products connected to local history, whether an exhibition, educational program, or oral history initiative. “Warning:” should read, “The consumption of community history invites a myopic fascination.”
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August 2023

HISTORY OF THE GREAT POND SERIES
The Long Tradition of the New England Town Meeting Protects the GSP
The New England town-meeting is a centuries long tradition in the American experiment with democracy. Before the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the ratification of the U.S. Constitution (1789) residents of the New England colonies (mostly white males of course) retained a public forum to discuss a range of public topics such as school and bridge construction.
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July 2023

HISTORY OF THE GREAT POND SERIES
Amelia Earhart’s Block Island Adventure
A July afternoon in 1929 appeared like any other summer day on Block Island’s Great Salt Pond. The first indication of the uniqueness of this day came from the drone of an aircraft engine. As this was an amphibian plane, meaning it landed on water, several passes were made to position for the best water landing into the wind on the surface of the Great Salt Pond.
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June 2023

HISTORY OF THE GREAT POND SERIES
After 200 Years of Dreaming: The Birth of New Harbor
The Industrial Revolution did nothing short of remake human society. Of the many longstanding impacts still echoing out from transforming fossil fuels into power, (which include the realms of economics, politics, and the environment) the Industrial Revolution shrank both space and time. Before this event, everything moved slowly.
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May 2023

HISTORY OF THE GREAT POND SERIES
A Question of Access: A Harbor-less Block Island
A key feature of the geography of the island, which differed greatly from Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, was the absence of a natural harbor. The European settlers envisioned a growing community centered around a manmade harbor.
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April 2023

HISTORY OF THE GREAT POND SERIES
A Unique Design for a Unique Seascape: Block Island’s Double-Ender
The deforestation of the island in the decades after European settlement resulted in the creation of a town ordinance in 1714 curtailing the cutting of the remaining. As a result, islanders would adapt and turn to peat for home heating and cooking.
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March 2023

HISTORY OF THE GREAT POND SERIES
A Settler Lands on Block Island in 1661– Dermot Ross becomes Tormut Rose
The transition from indigenous control of Block Island to that of the European settlers/invaders in 1661 presents several challenges to historians. It is easy to get boxed into thinking of the world composed of the oversimplified classifications of people as simply indigenous and Europeans.
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February 2023

HISTORY OF THE GREAT POND SERIES
First European Settlers/Invaders on Block Island
Our modern world is one of specialization. This is clearly seen in considering the alphabetical list of medical specialists which starts with allergist and concludes with vascular surgeon.
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January 2023

HISTORY OF THE GREAT POND SERIES
Early Pond Settlements
Humanity’s oldest tool is fire. The first indigenous residents of Block Island purposely set ground fires. Cleared areas around the shoreline eased transporting protein from the ocean, in the form of fish and shellfish, into the villages.
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December 2022

HISTORY OF THE GREAT POND SERIES
A Treasure of Sediment – Formation of the Great Salt Pond
One must guard against the nostalgic notion that land and seascapes are all perfect and stable. The tale of land on Block Island is one of a finite resource disappearing.
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November 2022

HISTORY OF THE GREAT POND SERIES
Bringing Historical Perspectives on What Makes the Great Salt Pond so Great
Over the past six months I have worked as the Collections Administrator of the Block Island Historical Society, which has been funded by a grant from the Annenberg Foundation. Thus far we have scanned and entered over 3,000 historic photographs taken of Block Island.
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October 2022

GREAT SALT POND PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT – 3
The third annual Great Salt Pond Photo Scavenger Hunt sponsored by the Committee for the Great Salt Pond was a huge success.
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September 2022

GREAT SALT POND SWIM – 7
On Saturday, July 30th, our seventh annual Great Salt Pond Swim took place at Andy’s Way, and was a great success!
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August 2022

OUR PARTNERS ON THE POND SERIES
The Nature Conservancy – Block Island
On Monday, August 15th, the shoreline of the Great Salt Pond was bustling with individuals picking up trash. This event was organized by The Nature Conservancy – Block Island to remove marine debris and trash around New Harbor and the Great Salt Pond shoreline.
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July 2022

OUR PARTNERS ON THE POND SERIES
Town of New Shoreham’s Sea Level Rise Committee
The Sea Level Rise (SLR) Committee was established by the Town of New Shoreham to understand the potential local impacts posed by sea level rise, assess the community’s vulnerabilities, engage citizens, and assist the town to assess, recommend, and implement mitigation projects or other priority actions that will improve Block Island’s coastal resiliency.
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June 2022

OUR PARTNERS ON THE POND SERIES
Town of New Shoreham’s Harbors Department
Block Island maintains two harbors and is well-known as one of New England's premier boating destinations.
New Harbor on the West Side of the Island, in the beautiful Great Salt Pond.
Old Harbor on the East Side of the Island is a Harbor of Refuge protected by a breakwater.
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May 2022

OUR PARTNERS ON THE POND SERIES
Town of New Shoreham’s Shellfish Commission
History of Governance – The Town of New Shoreham’s Shellfish Commission consists of seven members appointed by the Town Council. The commission acts in an advisory capacity to the council with member terms of three years. Many commissioners are motivated to serve on the commission for multiple terms over many years.
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April 2022

OUR PARTNERS ON THE POND SERIES
The Block Island Club (part 2 of 2)
History of the Clubhouse at the Block Island Club – In 1871, Congress enacted legislation to establish a formal life-saving service under the management of a general superintendent who was an officer of the Treasury Department.
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March 2022

OUR PARTNERS ON THE POND SERIES
The Block Island Club (part 1 of 2)
It was one of those not-so-great Block Island days in late August or early September of 1963 when two men came together to look at a piece of land for sale by Dorothy Sullivan.
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February 2022

OUR PARTNERS ON THE POND SERIES
The Block Island Conservancy (BIC)
A nonprofit organization, The Block Island Conservancy, was formed 50 years ago to preserve and protect Block Island’s heritage, natural resources and rural character.
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January 2022

OUR PARTNERS ON THE POND SERIES
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends.
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December 2021

OUR PARTNERS ON THE POND SERIES
Block Island Land Trust (BILT)
The Block Island Land Trust (BILT) is responsible for the protection of several parcels of land along the shores of the Great Salt Pond, and is proud to work together with the Committee for the Great Salt Pond (CGSP) in protecting and preserving the Pond.
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November 2021

OUR PARTNERS ON THE POND SERIES
Block Island Maritime Institute (BIMI)
Located at 216 Ocean Avenue, the land now occupied by the Block Island Maritime Institute (BIMI) has had a long and varied history. The original structure, erected in 1917, was built for the benefit of United States Navy personnel and put into use on Christmas that year.
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October 2021

GREAT SALT POND PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT – 2
(July 6–August 7, 2021)
The 2nd annual Great Salt Pond Photo Scavenger Hunt sponsored by the Committee for the Great Salt Pond was a huge success. Back by popular demand, this event is not a fund raiser, rather a great way to get people down to the pristine waters of the Great Salt Pond.
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Photo Gallery

September 2021

GREAT SALT POND SWIM – 6
On Saturday, July 31st, our sixth annual Great Salt Pond Swim took place at Andy’s Way, and was a great success!
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August 2021

BLOCK ISLAND RACE WEEK
(June 21–25) – Part Two of Two: The Races
DAY 1
“Somehow mother nature knows that a regatta is starting. So the great weather you have been having is probably going to change,” said the meteorologist for race week, Chris Bedford.
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July 2021

BLOCK ISLAND RACE WEEK
(June 21–25) – Part One of Two: Preparations for Racing (Our August issue will feature the races themselves.)
The Bi-Annual Event held on odd years in June has been hosted by the Storm Trysail Club on Block Island since 1965.
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June 2021

SHELLFISH AND AQUACULTURE SERIES
Scallops and Mussels: More Incredible Edibles from the Great Salt Pond!
THE BAY SCALLOP
The Bay scallop (Argopecten irradians) is a highly prized GSP bivalve, and the opening day of its – two month season is eagerly anticipated.
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May 2021

SHELLFISH AND AQUACULTURE SERIES
Great Salt Pond Aquaculture: Good for You and the Pond!
Block Island has two primary aquaculture crops, the Eastern Oyster (Crassotrea virginia) and Sugar Kelp (Saccharina latissima). We have four oyster farmers, one of whom also farms kelp and quahogs.
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April 2021

SHELLFISH AND AQUACULTURE SERIES
Gone, but not forgotten…shellfish you remember
Thankfully the title of this newsletter is “not entirely correct.” Some shellfish are less abundant in the Great Salt Pond now than they were decades ago, but they are not gone–and they certainly occupy a disproportionately large part of our childhood memories.
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March 2021

SHELLFISH AND AQUACULTURE SERIES
The Mighty Quahog
There is nothing more quintessential Rhode Island than the quahog, designated our state shell in 1987. Generations of Rhode Islanders have dug quahogs, and its influence on Rhode Island life was successfully parodied by Providence Journal cartoonist and author Don Bousquet.
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February 2021

SHELLFISH AND AQUACULTURE SERIES
The good, the bad and the ugly: Crabs of the Great Salt Pond
As lovers of the Great Salt Pond, many of us are familiar with the joy of harvesting and eating its quahogs, mussels, bay scallops and oysters. Fewer of us are familiar with harvesting our plentiful crabs for food and other uses. Here is a classification of some of the Pond’s most common crab species, with apologies to a well-known western.
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January 2021

THE (QUIET) GREAT SALT POND
If you have never seen the Great Salt Pond during the winter months, here is a small snapshot of what you might see, not the bustling activity seen during the summer months. It’s January and our island’s Great Salt Pond is quiet now. There are no boats at anchor. Both private and rental moorings are winterized, out of service. Marinas have pulled their floats. On-shore facilities, restaurants and stores, are shuttered. If a hardy transient boater were to cruise into New Harbor in mid-winter he would find no guest services, not even a dinghy dock. This is not a New Normal, though, emptiness traceable to the Coronavirus pandemic. It is the Old Normal. This is the way the Pond usually looks in winter: empty.
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