Block Island, Rhode Island · Block Island · 41°10.9′N 71°34.9′W · VHF Ch 12
Great Salt Pond is the anchorage that made Block Island a rite of passage — a near-landlocked pond a mile across, ringed by dunes, with room for hundreds of boats and mud that holds like glue.
Come in on the marked channel from the northwest; once inside, the whole pond opens up. Anchor anywhere off the mooring field in 10–14 ft over soft mud — set well and you'll sit through almost anything, which is why it fills as a hurricane hole. The town moorings and Champlin's / Payne's docks are on the east and south shores; hail the harbormaster on Ch 12 for a mooring on a busy weekend.
Protection is close to all-round thanks to the surrounding land — only a hard southwesterly builds any chop across the fetch of the pond itself. Run the dinghy to the town dock and walk or bike the 15 minutes into Old Harbor town for dinner, or up to the North Light and the bluffs.
Hazards & cautions. The dredged entrance channel off the west shore is well marked but shoals to the sides — stay between the buoys. Holiday weekends see 1,000+ boats; set your hook clear of the mooring field and the seaplane lane.
NOAA Coast Pilot notes the Great Salt Pond as a harbor of refuge with a dredged entrance and extensive anchorage; local mud is soft and holding is very good once set.
No cruiser reports yet. If you've anchored here, be the first — your note helps the next boat in.
Augusto ratings and editorial are our own synthesis of public-domain sources and cruiser reports. Always verify against current charts and local knowledge before you rely on them.