Pamet Harbor
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Pamet Harbor: A tiny yet picturesque haven on Cape Cod Bay, Pamet Harbor offers boaters a safe and scenic retreat. While it lacks the amenities of larger harbors—no marinas, stores, restaurants, or even an ice cream stand—it’s an ideal spot for those seeking tranquility, a place to weather a storm, or an overnight stop on a longer journey. For trailer-boaters, it boasts an excellent launch ramp and ample parking, providing easy access to popular destinations like Provincetown, Stellwagen Bank, Wellfleet, and the Brewster Flats.
A Harbor Transformed
Like many Cape Cod waterways, Pamet Harbor has undergone significant changes over the centuries due to human intervention. The Pamet River’s original inlet was actually half a mile north, at the base of Corn Hill, famously where the Pilgrims found a stash of corn belonging to the Nauset tribe.
From the late 1700s until the Civil War, Pamet Harbor thrived as a center for shipbuilding, fishing, and even a saltworks, despite its notoriously shallow inlet. The arrival of rail service to the lower Cape in 1873 brought a trestle and a depot (where the parking lot now stands) and a high berm that divided the marsh. For a century after the Civil War, Pamet was almost deserted, largely due to the silting of the river mouth and the decline of shipbuilding on Cape Cod (though a small boatyard operated here through the 1950s).
In 1918, the current inlet was carved through the dunes in an attempt to straighten the river’s course, increase current flow, and prevent silting. However, within five years, the inlet had silted in again, becoming unnavigable to all but shallow-draft boats. In the early 1950s, a pair of stone jetties were constructed, which helped mitigate the silting problem, at least for a time. Major dredging efforts occurred in the 1960s, 1996, and most recently in 2008.
Modern Navigation
Currently, the harbor channel has a reported mean low water depth of 3 feet from the launch ramp to the bay. Boats up to 26 feet can typically launch here on most tides. However, be aware that the channel can get quite tricky in spots due to continuous shoaling. If your boat draws more than 2 feet, it’s safest to plan your trips around the upper stages of the tide. The recently rebuilt ramp and ample parking lot (38 trailer spaces) make Pamet particularly popular among local trailer-boat fishermen, offering quick access to Cape Cod Bay, Stellwagen Bank, and beyond.
Exploring the Pamet River
As mentioned, kayakers and nature-lovers will have a blast exploring the Pamet River, which originates just behind Ballston Beach on the Atlantic side of the Cape. Paddlers can access the lower half of the river up to Route 6. The best strategy is to launch on the incoming tide and paddle upstream on the rising water, then return on the ebb.
Getting There
Chart: NOAA 13246
By Car or Truck: From Route 6, take a left at Truro Center Road, then another left onto Depot Road. Follow Depot Road to the harbor.
By Boat: Pamet is a “small-boat harbor” located 5.5 nautical miles southwest of Provincetown Harbor and 12 nautical miles northeast of the G “1” bell off the tip of Wellfleet’s Billingsgate Shoal. The channel is narrow and surrounded by sand shoals, so use caution when entering. Follow the well-marked channel through the jetties and into Pamet Harbor, being careful to avoid the shoal to port. Follow the channel markers to the town float and check in at the small, shingled harbormaster’s office. The mean low water depth in the channel is 3 feet.
Dockage, Moorings & Service
There are no marinas or marine services in Pamet Harbor. The harbormaster’s office maintains three transient moorings inside the harbor, along with a complementary dinghy with oars. The moorings rent for $20 per day and can be reserved by contacting the harbormaster’s office at (508) 349-2555.
Anchorage
There is no room for anchoring inside the harbor, and the open waters of Cape Cod Bay offer little shelter in most winds. Your best bet for a protected anchorage is to head for Provincetown or Wellfleet.
Launch Ramp
The Pamet launch ramp is a double concrete ramp that can accommodate boats up to 26 feet on most stages of the tide. The fee for ramp use is $10 per day. If you’re launching a small boat or kayak at the beach adjacent to the harbormaster’s office, the fee is $5 per day. There are 38 spaces for trailers and an additional 28 for cars. Ice is available at the harbormaster’s office, which is open from April 17 to October 15, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you launch before the office opens, be sure to pay the ramp fee before leaving.
- Jack’s Boat Rentals, Wellfleet (508-349-9808): Rents kayaks and equipment from early June to Labor Day.
- Flyers, Provincetown (508-487-0518): Rents kayaks and small boats from its marina on Provincetown Harbor.
- The nearest grocery stores are located along Rte. 6.
- Cape Cab (508-487-2222)
- There are no restaurants on Pamet Harbor, but there are plenty to choose from along busy Route 6.
- There are numerous bed-and-breakfasts, motels, hotels and rental houses available in Truro and the surrounding Cape Cod towns of Wellfleet and Provincetown.
- Cape Cod Travel is a good source for information about accommodations in and around Truro.