The Ship Report

The Ship Report, Monday, August 3, 2026 The Buoy 10 fishing season is in full swing here on the lower Columbia, and I thought I would share my happy observations on our local docks yesterday afternoon. Also a few things to think about if you are going out here in a small boat to fish on the Columbia.

The Ship Report, Thursday, July 30, 2026 On Saturday, August 1, we'll see a big influx of small fishing boats on the Columbia River off Astoria, Warrenton and Hammond. The beginning of August marks the start of an annual ritual, when the Buoy 10 fishery opens. The fishery area extends from Buoy 10 at the mouth of the river to Tongue Point on the east end of Astoria. Hundreds of boats will gath...

The Ship Report, Wednesday, July 29, 2026 We haven't looked at ship schedules lately, so let's see who's coming and going on the river today.

The Ship Report: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 Today we'll take a look at a ship that was recently in the Columbia River at the Portland shipyard: the USCGC Healy, a Coast Guard icebreaker. She ran into serious mechanical issues during sea trials in the Strait of Juan De Fuca, and was towed to Seattle for repairs. The ship had just finished a shipyard repair period. Today we'll talk about what it...

The Ship Report, Monday, July 27, 2026 Glad to be back from last week off, with the answer to a listener question, and a little about "how I spent my summer vacation" with a bit about my beloved boat.

The Ship Report, Thursday, July 23, 2026 This week I'm taking a little much needed time off, so we'll be hearing a bit from the Ship Report archives, a really interesting interview i did with Columbia River Bar Pilot Captain Robert Johnson, sometime in the early 2000s, all about the often-seen bulk carrier, the most common type of ship we see on the Columbia. There's a great deal to kn...

The Ship Report, Wednesday, July 22, 2026 This week I'm taking a little much needed time off, so we'll be hearing a bit from the Ship Report archives, a really interesting interview i did with Columbia River Bar Pilot Captain Robert Johnson, sometime in the early 2000s, all about the often-seen bulk carrier, the most common type of ship we see on the Columbia. There's a great deal to k...

The Ship Report: Monday, July 21, 2026 This week I'm taking a little much needed time off, so we'll be hearing a bit from the Ship Report archives, a really interesting interview i did with Columbia River Bar Pilot Captain Robert Johnson, sometime in the early 2000s, all about the often-seen bulk carrier, the most common type of ship we see on the Columbia. There's a great deal to know...

The Ship Report, Monday, July 20, 2026 This week I'm taking a little much needed time off, so we'll be hearing a bit from the Ship Report archives, a really interesting interview i did with Columbia River Bar Pilot Captain Robert Johnson, sometime in the early 2000s, all about the often-seen bulk carrier, the most common type of ship we see on the Columbia. There's a great deal to know...

The Ship Report, Thursday, July 16, 2026 in our region's maritime history, the Columbia River Bar has long been known as the Graveyard of the Pacific, because of all the vessels lost there, at the mouth of the river. Nowadays, even with all our high tech modern gear and resources, it's still considered one of the most dangerous river entrances in the world. Today we'll talk about some...

The Ship Report, July 15, 2026 The historic fireboat David Campbell found a permanent place in history yesterday, after being placed on land at Astoria's Columbia River Maritime Museum. A big crowd turned out to watch the proceedings, which involved lifting the 244,00 lb. boat off a barge and carefully placing her on land as an outdoor exhibit, soon to be open to the public.  The boat has a lo...

The Ship Report, Tuesday, July 14, 2026 Today we'll talk about economies of scale in the maritime industry, which means that the more you can ship at once in a single vessel, the more money you save in transportation costs. Sounds pretty dull, right? Well, when you start looking at the numbers, it's really kind of mind boggling. The amount of cargo a single barge can carry compared to say,...

The Ship Report, Monday, July 7, 2026 Today we'll look at some of the ordinary things that add up to an interesting day in the region, in terms of maritime things. Winds should die down later this week, and a look at some details about ships on today's schedule.

The Ship Report, Thursday, July 9, 2026 For some folks, seeing a list of ships coming in and out of the river is just that - a list. When I look at them, I see all kinds of details that I've learned from many conversations I've had over the years with career mariners in our region and beyond. I've soaked up what they told me, because I found it fascinating. It's rewarding for me to...

The Ship Report, Wednesday, July 8, 2026 Today we’ll talk about how we can look for clues in the marine environment right in front of us, or use readily available information, to keep us safe and enjoying life as we use the river and ocean beaches. We’ll talk about some things locals know that allow them to work with, instead of against, the immense power of the Columbia River and the ocean.

The Ship Report, Tuesday, July 7, 2026 It's another unseen piece of the maritime industry puzzle: how do ships get cargoes on and off. We'll take a look at some of the most common practices.

The Ship Report, Monday, July 7, 2026 Today we have a small ship schedule, and that presents two opportunities for me here: to reassure you that a day here and there with fewer ships is not a trend. It’s just what happens. And also, I have a chance to use this time to look at the ships that are here in more depth. There’s a lot of interesting detail to talk about. Let’s take a look…

The Ship Report, Thursday, July 2, 2026 This week we're celebrating the birthday of legendary ship captain and maritime pilot Captain Deborah Dempsey. She was a Columbia River Bar Pilot for decades here in Astoria. She sailed around the world as the master of big ships. And from her admission into the Maine Maritime Academy in the 1970s to her hiring as a bar pilot, her life as been filled wit...

The Ship Report, Wednesday, July 1, 2026 Today I'll answer a couple of listener questions about what it means when ship traffic numbers are low (hint: not much on a given day), and a question about car ships and why they never seem to look different whether they have loaded or unloaded cargo (the secret decoder phrase is: ballast water).

The Ship Report, Tuesday, June 30, 2026 Today, an "unusual ship alert" for a unique US Coast Guard ship that we hardly ever see on the Columbia. The USCG Cutter Healy, the Guard's largest ship and an icebreaker, has been at the Portland Vigor shipyard since January for maintenance and repairs. She heads downriver and out to sea today. We'll talk about her unusual mission and capa...

The Ship Report, June 29, 2026 It was in the “ordinary things we take for granted that are quite important” department: the National Weather Service on Sunday suddenly did not have weather forecasts available to the public on their website, thanks to an IT issue. As they worked to fix it, we went a few hours without updated weather info. Maybe not the end of the world in most cases, but for folks...

The Ship Report, Thursday, June 25, 2026 Continuing the theme of ships in the anchorage this week, I thought I would share another listener question about anchored ships. It has to do with a frequent choice ships make, which is to deploy the anchor on the port side instead of the starboard side when anchoring off Astoria. It's an interesting question with an equally interesting answer, that sh...

The Ship Report, Wednesday, June 24, 2026 Today I'll answer a listener question about why anchored ships can look so disorganized. It happens when the tide is changing on the river. It's a good question that involves water flow, natural systems, and reflects the complex and amazing place we live in.

The Ship Report, Tuesday, June 23, 2026 The amazing anchor chain Ships sitting calmly in the anchorage are actually far from still: they're doing a slow dance around an ingenious anchor and chain system that works in strong currents, acting like a spring, to protect the ship and keep it stable.

The Ship Report, Monday, June 22, 2026 Today, an update on the ocean sensors story from last week, and a look at how wind and tide greatly affect river conditions - something to pay attention to if you're going out in a boat.