The Ship Report

A look at today's schedule, including a ship whose name means "hydrangea" in Japanese Today a look at the daily ship schedule and a few interesting details about ships, including one whose name means "hydrangea" in Japanese, and the charming cultural meaning of the flower in Japanese culture.

A look at the weather, our waning daylight, and a bit about "tramp" bulk carriers Today, a look at our changing weather and how much daylight we are losing per day. Also, look at a common type of bulk carrier referred to in the industry as a "tramp" ship, because it changes cargoes frequently.

Kokanee Salmon, a fresh water lake fish native to the PNW Today we'll talk more about a fish I mentioned on Wednesday's show: The Kokanee salmon, a freshwater lake fish that is also in parts of the Columbia River.

Where does the river end, and the ocean begin? Today, a listener question about salt water intrusion on the Columbia River: Where does the salt water ocean end and the freshwater river begin? As with most things on the Columbia, it's complicated. We'll also talk about fish that call both river and ocean their home.

Interesting goings-on in the Astoria Anchorage show experts handling ship issues This weekend a ship experienced some engine issues heading downriver. Observant folks near the Astoria Anchorage noticed some unusual activity - the actions of marine pilots and a tugboat crew at work keeping the ship safe until it could fix its problems and head out to sea, which it eventually did.

The autumnal equinox, and a look at fall near the Arctic Circle Today, a bit about the autumnal equinox, which happened yesterday in the Northern Hemisphere. And if you're feeling sad about the shorter days, consider the people of Barrow, Alaska (now called Utquiagvik), who endure 67 days of complete darkness between mid-November and late January.

The USNS Henry J Kaiser heads downriver Posting this podcast the night before so folks can see her heading downriver Friday morning from Vancouver. We'll talk about the USNS Henry J Kaiser heading downriver from Vancouver and out to sea. She's a Military Sealift Command ship, a replenishment oiler. A tyoe of ship that's like a sea-going fuel station. She's got equipment on board th...

Ship hull colors and why they look that way Today I'll talk about a really pretty ship in the Astoria Anchorage that has a beautiful turquoise hull. We'll talk about ship hull colors, why they look the way they do, and why some paints have a special purpose that includes their color.

White caps and white horses Today we'll talk about a specific sea state that you might see often off the downtown Astoria waterfront this time of year, and that's: white caps. Also called "white horses" in the UK. They're the result of a specific set of circumstances involving wind and tide, and they signal choppy conditions that mariners need to know about.

Anchor buoys, and why (and how) ships use them Today we hear from a river expert: Columbia River Pilot Captain Wes Balensifer answers a question from a listener about anchor buoys at Rainier on the Columbia River. We'll also talk about other anchorages on the river and why they don't have buoys.

Names, countries and other words painted on ships - and what they mean Today we'll talk about the words you see painted on the sides and sterns of ships. They can represent vessel names, flags of registry and the names of companies that operate ships. Today we'll talk about what that all means.

Ship speed: some factors that determine how fast ships go Today, a look at ship speed, how fast they can go, why they choose to slow down sometimes, and how long it takes to get from one place to another at sea.

The Sand Plan: guidelines that address a fact of life on the Columbia, and that's dredging Each year, the US Army Corps of Engineers dredges tons and tons (and tons) of sand out of the river to keep the ship channel open and navigable. We all rely on it to receive the goods we need to live our lives. It's also a huge economic driver for the region. But the dilemma remains: where to put all...

Boatlift: Recalling the maritime evacuation during 9/11 in Manhattan, which showed us the best we can be Today, on the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on NYC and Washington, DC, we remember "Operation Boatlift": a stunning display of people helping people - as hundreds of private boat owners joined the US Coast Guard to evacuate stranded victims from Manhattan Island after...

Is summer gone for good with the arrival of this week's rain? And a look at who's on the river today. A look at our evolving weather - is summer over? And a peek at local ship traffic, with an overview of the kinds of ships we see here on the Columbia.

Wheat R Us: our river system is the the nation’s single largest wheat export gateway If you hear me talk a lot about wheat on the Ship Report, there's a good reason: most ships are carrying it. That's beause the Columbia-Snake River System is the nation's single largest wheat export gateway. That's a lot of wheat, and valuable commerce to drive the region's economy.

Interesting vessel on the river today: the USNS Eagleview This morning around 7 am, the USNS Eagleview leaves the shipyard at Swan Island heading downriver and out to sea, probably passing Astoria around 1 pm. She's a USNS vessel - that means Military Sealift Command, but she's smaller in size than most of the MSC ships we see here, but she fills big shoes in her support role as an "a...

Who's on the river today? And a bit about weather and sea state A look at today's ship schedule - who's coming and going on the river? And a look at our marine weather and how wind affects sea state.

A new hometown USCG cutter for Astoria: the USCGC Florence Finch is in town Down at the 17th St dock by the Columbia River Maritime Museum is a brand new Coast Guard vessel, and she's here to stay. The USCGC Florence Finch is the second new cutter to be assigned to Astoria this year. The David Durien was our first. They replace the two departing cutters, the Alert and Steadfast, who were reass...

With the advent of September, a look at the "two autumns" Some folks say it's already fall, while others day it won't happen till Sept 22nd. We'll take a look at who's right - and it turns out they both are. As with many things, it depends on how you look at it. Today we'll talk about the difference between meterological and astronomical autumn. Show transcript: http:...

A look at today's ships, our shorter days, and an update on that burning tanker in the Red Sea Today's show features a look at who's on the river, a reminder that days are getting shorter as fall approaches, and an update on what's to become of that burning oil tanker in the Red Sea.

A story of survival on the Columbia River Bar On this day, 52 years ago, a commercial fishing boat sank on the Columbia River Bar. KMUN comentator Michael McCusker was aboard. He and his crewmates survived, thanks to the quick intervention of fellow mariners. I've shared his story before on the show, but not on the anniversary of its occurrence. Today we take a closer look. We commemorate the...

Washington ports get electrification grants to provide dockside power for vessels In the industry it's called "cold ironing" - the capacity of a port to provide electric hookups for arriving ships and other vessels. Ports that are so equipped, and ships that are configured to plug in, can reduce air pollution significantly while in port. Soon, 11 Washington ports, including, locally,...

Mililtary Sealift Command proposes sidelining vessels The Military Sealift Command, which has ships stationed on the Columbia, has proposed sidelining 17 of its ships to address a dwindling workforce of mariners. The situation reflects a wider trend worldwide, especially since the pandemic, where sailors simply don't want to be away from home for months, with often mediocre compensation, and n...

Red Sea tanker attack highlights international risks Right now, a crude oil tanker is ablaze in the Red Sea after an attack by Houthi forces. If the ship sinks, it could create a massive environmental disaster. The ripple effects from this incident show how what happens in one part of the world can affect people elsewhere, and how any ship presents a risk that marine professionals are careful to p...