The Packet Boat Journal

The Packet Boat Journal is a place to share observations from Wellfleet Harbor — shaped by tide, weather, wildlife, and the simple act of moving slowly across the water.

Rather than travel tips or itineraries, this journal focuses on the details that define a crossing: how sandbars emerge and disappear, how birds use the harbor through the seasons, and why no two passages are ever quite the same.

Each entry reflects what we see day to day while operating in the harbor, grounded in local conditions rather than general advice.

What You’ll Find Here

Harbor & Tides

How water movement shapes routes, timing, and what becomes visible as conditions change throughout the day.

Wildlife

Notes on birds, seals, and other harbor life, especially in areas like Jeremy Point, where tides and habitat intersect.

Seasonal Changes

What shifts between spring, summer, fall, and quieter shoulder seasons — light, wind, and the pace of the harbor itself.

Crossings & Observations

Short reflections on moments from the water that don’t fit neatly into schedules or categories.

A Working Harbor, Not a Postcard

Wellfleet Harbor is dynamic. Sand moves. Channels shift. Wildlife adapts. This journal exists to document that living system as it actually behaves, not as a static destination.

Some entries are practical. Others are observational. All are rooted in time spent on the water.

Why We Share This

Running a small boat in a tidal harbor requires attention — not just to charts, but to patterns that repeat quietly over time. Writing about those patterns helps preserve local knowledge and gives context to the crossings we offer.

If you’re interested in how the harbor works — not just where it goes — this journal is a good place to start.