The Ship Report

Today, a bit about the longstanding tradition of calling ships "she." It's a nautical tradition that goes back to at least the 1300s, and seems primarily popular in English speaking cultures. We'll talk about some of the reasons why people hold their vessels in fond regard, and why (in many cultures) sailors think of them as female.

We've gotten a whole lot of rain the past few days, thanks to atmospheric rivers that have blown through our area. The result has been incredible flooding and in some cases, stranded motorists marooned by water. We'll talk about one USCG rescue, one of several yesterday in the area, where a USCG crew in a helicopter deftly plucked a person from the top of their vehicle amidst a rushing tor...

Today we'll look at today's arriving ships on the Columbia River. Among them is the USNS Curtiss, a member of the Military Sealift Command fleet that often comes into the Columbia River. She's headed for a layberth, and we'll talk about her specialized role in supporting active duty military vessels, equipment, and personnel.

We're in for a windy day on the coast today with lots of rain, potential for flooding, and elevated sneaker wave risk yet again, as swells from other storm systems join with our own local wind waves to make beach going dangerous. Rain totals will be registered in inches today...be aware of flood prone areas near you and exercise caution... leave extra time if you need to go somewhere. Watch ou...

The saga of Carnival Panorama, the cruise ship with mechanical problems and lots of uneasy customers with holiday cruises planned, is slated to return to the Columbia River early tomorrow morning. We'll talk about her trip down the coast, why she is arriving so early and how the weather plays into her voyage. The ship should cross the Columbia River Bar into the river at about 4 am Saturday if...

It's the holidays, and so we're seeing some of our beloved coastal traditions coming around again. One unique local maritime tradition here on the Columbia happens in the port town of Ilwaco, Washington. It's the lighting of the "World's Tallest Crabpot Christmas Tree." This festive event features pictures with Santa and the tree, a reading of a local Christmas story abou...

Today, in the second part of this week's look at the challenges of the Columbia, we'll talk about the upriver leg of the river from Astoria to Portland. A look at the unique issues river pilots face on ships transiting to and from ports like Longview, Kalama, Vancouver and Portland.

Why the Columbia River is so challenging I talk about this topic from time to time on the show, because there are so many facets to it. Today we’ll take a look at the challenges the river poses for arriving ships, from the unusual underwater geology offshore, to the daunting currents along the winding river corridor. It’s a matter for experienced marine pilots who make critical navigational decisi...

What we know about the Carnival Panorama cruise ship's return to Astoria.