The Ship Report

Who's on the river today? A look at today's ship schedule, with details about various about ships, protocols and cargo.

New pilot boat on the river We've got a new pilot boat operating on the Astoria waterfront these days. She's called the "Swift" and she's a new addition to the local fleet. Today we'll talk about her and also about pilot boats in general: a very unusual breed of vessel.

Meteorological fall, happening now in a hemisphere near you Yesterday, September 1, marked the beginning of meteorological fall in the Northern Hemisphere. It's a great time of year to discuss the difference between the two falls: meteorological and astronomical.

From the Ship Report Archives: Running Lights A look back at an interview about ship running lights, the lights that we see at night on ships as they pass by or are anchored in the river.

From the Ship Report Archives: a look at car ships, Part 4 This week I'm taking a break from the show and sharing a great interview with now retired Columbia River Bar Pilot Capt. Robert Johnson. He shares fascinating details about a type of ship that we often see on the Columbia.

From the Ship Report Archives: a look at car ships, Part 3 This week I'm taking a break from the show and sharing a great interview with now retired Columbia River Bar Pilot Capt. Robert Johnson. He shares fascinating details about a type of ship that we often see on the Columbia.

From the Ship Report Archives: a look at car ships, Part 2 This week I'm taking a break from the show and sharing a great interview with now retired Columbia River Bar Pilot Capt. Robert Johnson. He shares fascinating details about a type of ship that we often see on the Columbia.

From the Ship Report Archives: a look at car ships This week I'm taking a break from the show and sharing a great interview with now retired Columbia River Bar Pilot Capt. Robert Johnson. He shares fascinating details about a type of ship that we often see on the Columbia.

The Beaufort Wind Scale Around this time of year, as fall winds make their presence known with the change of the seasons, it's a good time to talk about one of my favorite subjects: the Beaufort Wind Scale. It dates back to the 1800s but is still used today. You can use it to tell how hard the wind is blowing by looking at the effects on the environment around you, on land or sea.

Fall is in the air A look at marine weather today, and about how the distinct feeling of fall is in the air - a sign that some of our loveliest days of the year are still to come.

More about cargo Today we have a whole new set of ships with different cargoes on board, so another chance to talk in more depth about what they are carrying.

Who's on the river today and what cargoes are they carrying? Today we'll look at today's ship schedule with a twist: a look at the cargoes these ships are handling here. What they are, where they come from and how they fit into the chain of commerce on the mighty Columbia River.

Who's on the river today? A look at what ships are traveling on the river today, and a bit about ballast water, an important factor in ship transits.

A gem from the Ship Report archives: Interview with a rescue swimmer There are heroes among us - and we usually don't see them. USCG rescue swimmers go out in terrible conditions at sea to save lives, as part of highly trained rescue helicopter crews. Today, from the Ship Report Archives, we'll hear an excerpt from a 2009 interview with a rescue swimmer at Air Station Astoria.

Lots of ships today anchored off Astoria Today we'll see quite a few ships anchored off Astoria in the river, if they all arrive today. That will bring good shipwatching opportunities. We'll talk today about why ships anchor here.

What are those red patches in the river? I received a listener question about a seasonal phenomenon people are noticing in the lower river right now: patches of dull red in the water. What is it? Turns out it's not what many people think: it's NOT a dreaded toxic algae bloom. Instead it's a good thing: a bloom of beneficial phytoplankton that is helping restore oxygen to the water and...

Low water on the Columbia The National Weather Service issued a low water warning for the Columbia this past weekend and today, as minus tides and seasonal low water levels make navigating the river more challenging. We'll talk today about why water levels can be lower at this time of year, and when they will improve.

Pat Dixon: maritime author interview about his new book of poetry, "Mending Holes," Part 5 Today’s episode concludes this week’s interview series, where I’ve been sharing excerpts from my interview with Pat Dixon, fisher poet and author of the new book of poetry, Mending Holes. Many thanks to Brad Wartman of the FisherPoetry Archive Project for his help engineering and recording this int...

A chat with fisher poet Patrick Dixon, about writing, life and his new book of poems, Part 4 We’re continuing my interview with Pat Dixon, fisher poet and author of the new book of poetry, Mending Holes. Today, Pat and I will talk more about his creative process as an author, and about how the book got its name.

Interview with author and poet Patrick Dixon about his new book, "Mending Holes," Part 3 Today we’re continuing to hear parts of my interview with Fisher Poet and author Pat Dixon, who just published a book of poetry called Mending Holes, about his memories of life as a commercial fisherman.  One of the topics I love to explore with people who make their way in the creative arts, is to a...

Interview with Pat Dixon, author of the new book of poetry: "Mending Holes," Part 2 Today we continue my interview with fisher poet and author Pat Dixon about his new book, "Mending Holes," a collection of his poetry, all about his life as a commercial fisherman in the waters of Alaska. Today, Pat shares some poems from the book.

Author interview: Fisher Poet Patrick Dixon and his new book, "Mending Holes" This week I'll be talking with Fisher Poet Pat Dixon about his life as a commercial fisherman, author, photographer and educator, and about his new book of poetry, "Mending Holes."  

An interview with Columbia River Bar Pilot Captain Dan Jordan, as the Buoy 10 fishery begins Today begins one of the most anticipated annual fishing events in the region: the Buoy 10 recreational fishery on the Columbia River. Hundreds of boats will dot the river this month, filled with eager folks hoping to catch salmon, and that can spell trouble when small boats get too close to giant ships. To...

Listener questions about tsunamis A few listener questions today regarding this week’s tsunami, caused by an earthquake in the ocean to the north of us. And a few key takeaways: Consider this a dry run Don’t get complacent If you feel an earthquake here, don’t wait for someone to tell you it’s an emergency – head for high ground as fast as you can. You may only have 20 minutes before a damaging ts...

A ship horn signal that could be heard more often on the river in August Yesterday I heard a ship do its five-blast warning signal on the river, letting a sailboat know of its presence and cautioning it to stay out of the ship's path. This is a standard horn signal that ships and boats use when they see a potential issue developing and want to head off any possible problems with a nearby vesse...