One decade of Cape Cod Canal traffic in the air

Cape Cod Canal maritime calendars built from years of watching the waterway.

Cruise ships, tankers, tall ships, storms, sunsets and rare aurora nights moving through a single stretch of water that never really repeats itself.

These calendars are built from my long term drone work on the canal. Each one pulls from different transits and conditions so you are not just getting pretty sky shots, but specific ships, specific nights and specific moments people here still talk about.

Thank you to everyone who has followed, commented and nudged me for years to finally make calendars. This is for you.

Calendar options

Each calendar is a separate set of images. If you have followed my work online you will recognize a lot of these ships and nights, but the layout is built for print so the detail holds up on your wall.

Canal Traffic · Volume One

A mix of cargo, tankers and everyday traffic that defines the channel.

Focused on classic canal movements from a range of angles and heights over the years.

Good choice if you want a general overview of what regularly moves through here, with a balance of day and evening shots.

Multiple ship types Day and blue hour Canal staples

Tall Ships · Volume One

Rigging, sails and rare visits when the tall ships transit the canal.

Built around tall ship appearances with clear views of rigging and profile.

This one leans into the classic look of sail power against the canal, with framing that shows both ship and shoreline context.

Tall ships Event transits Detail heavy frames

Cruise Ships at Night · Volume One

Big cruise liners sliding through the canal after dark.

Focus on night transits with ship lighting, reflections and shoreline glow.

Built from late evening and night flights, including some of the better known cruise ship passes that people still ask me about.

Night flights Cruise liners Reflections and wake

Aurora and Night Skies · Volume One

Rare aurora nights and darker canal scenes that do not happen often.

Built around rare conditions like aurora over the canal, heavy cloud structures and late night light.

If you followed those big nights when the sky went green or purple over the canal, this is where those flights show up.

Aurora events Night skies Unusual conditions

How to order

Calendars are printed to order. Please read this part carefully so I know exactly what to send you.

Payment via Venmo: @YourVenmoHandleHere

Unless stated otherwise, calendars are 50 dollars per copy including shipping within the United States.

1 Decide which calendar or calendars you want from the list above. For example: Canal Traffic Volume One, Cruise Ships at Night Volume One and so on.
2 Send payment on Venmo. In the note, please include:
• The calendar title or titles • How many of each • Your full name and mailing address • An email address in case I need to confirm anything
3 Once payment and details are in, I will confirm your order and put it into the next print batch. Calendars ship after that batch is complete.

If you do not use Venmo or you have a special request, please reach out directly and we can sort out another way to handle it.

Thank you again to everyone who has asked for calendars and supported this work over the years.

About the work and the person behind it

My name is Ryan Smith. For years I have been the guy out with a drone watching ships move through the Cape Cod Canal when most people are asleep, inside or not looking up.

The canal work

For more than a decade I have documented the maritime traffic of the Cape Cod Canal, capturing everything from cruise ships and tankers to tall ships, storms, sunsets and rare moments like the aurora. Most of my flying has been focused on this one stretch of water, from a handful of angles that let you see the shape of a ship in the canal and how it fits against the shore, bridges and current.

Over that time I have built up a large archive of stills and video around the canal. A lot of you have seen these flights posted online over the years and have pointed out specific ships, dates or conditions you remember in person. That connection is a big part of why I keep doing this when I am able to get out there.

Health, time and why calendars now

In recent years I have been dealing with serious medical issues, including cancer and starting to lose vision in one eye. I have not held a regular job for a while, and I am not out flying as often as I used to, but when I do get out there I still approach it with the same level of focus and care.

I want to thank everyone for the support and the kind words over the years. I am genuinely happy to finally offer calendars, something many of you have been asking about for a long time.

Thank you

If you picked up a calendar, shared a post or just stopped to say something positive about the work, thank you. It all adds up.

To the people who have followed since the early drone flights, thank you.
To the locals who recognize specific ships and nights, thank you.
To anyone new who found this through the calendars, welcome.