The Ship Report is All Things Maritime!

Ship Report podcasts take you to a special corner of the world: the Mighty Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. Nautical lore, news and info, mariner interviews, daily international ship traffic, and the inside scoop on our formidable marine weather. Join maritime journalist Joanne Rideout on the Ship Report, as we explore the fascinating nautical world, on the Upper Left Edge of Oregon and beyond.  The Ship Report is proud to celebrate 20 years on the air!

A look at crazy rainfall totals from our atmospheric river, and what’s next…

Today we'll take a look at some really crazy rainfall totals from this week's storm, and a look at what's next as next week unfolds. The short answer: more rain.
More

A break in the weather, but experts say there’s more to come in this rainy December

We haven't seen the last of atmospheric river activity this month, according to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center. We'll take a look at the long range forecast for what could shape up to be a very wet rest of December, and January.
More

A look at the effects of our atmospheric river

Yesterday we got pounded with heavy rain and wind as an atmospheric river lumbered its way across our region. We'll take a look at the effects of all that rain so far, as rains continue today.
More

Winter Boater Safety Inspection Event Dec. 27th in Astoria

If you have a trailerable recreational boat registered in Oregon, consider bringing your boat down to the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol Winter Boater Safety Inspection Station event later this month. It's happening Saturday, December 27 from 10 to 2,...
More

Atmospheric rivers on the way

A somewhat "geeky" look at our upcoming weather, which includes one, possibly two atmospheric rivers over the next week. I'll toss around (and explain) jargony terms like IVT and QPF, specific weather metrics that PNW meteorologists use to track weather intensity in...
More

Columbia River Ship Traffic

GO
Approximate Vessel Travel Times
  • Portland/Vancouver -Astoria: 6-8 hours
  • Kalama -Astoria: 5 hours
  • Longview -Astoria: 3.5 hours
  • Columbia River Bar – Astoria: 1.5 hours
Times vary according to tidal conditions, current, weather, and individual vessel horsepower.
Water Speed & Currents

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Tides

When’s High Tide where you are?  Find Tidal info at www.saltwatertides.com

Tide times are often listed in 24 hour time.  For times after noon, subtract 1200 from the time to get regular clock time. Ex: 1300 hrs – 1200 = 1:00 pm)

MLLW:  Also, tides are referenced to Mean Lower Low Water, a reference point for depth on many nautical charts. MLLW is the average of the lower of the two low tides in a day, over a 19-year cycle. Minus tides are lower than MLLW.

Adjustments: If you’re right on the coast, subtract an hour from these times. Upriver, highs and lows happen later. For instance, in Knappa, add an hour. In Clatskanie, add 2 hours and 15 minutes.

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Ship Report Podcasts

A look at crazy rainfall totals from our atmospheric river, and what’s next…

Today we'll take a look at some really crazy rainfall totals from this week's storm, and a look at what's next as next week unfolds. The short answer: more rain.
Listen

A break in the weather, but experts say there’s more to come in this rainy December

We haven't seen the last of atmospheric river activity this month, according to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center. We'll take a look at the long range forecast for what could shape up to be a very wet rest of December, and January.
Listen

A look at the effects of our atmospheric river

Yesterday we got pounded with heavy rain and wind as an atmospheric river lumbered its way across our region. We'll take a look at the effects of all that rain so far, as rains continue today.
Listen

Winter Boater Safety Inspection Event Dec. 27th in Astoria

If you have a trailerable recreational boat registered in Oregon, consider bringing your boat down to the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol Winter Boater Safety Inspection Station event later this month. It's happening Saturday, December 27 from 10 to 2,...
Listen

Atmospheric rivers on the way

A somewhat "geeky" look at our upcoming weather, which includes one, possibly two atmospheric rivers over the next week. I'll toss around (and explain) jargony terms like IVT and QPF, specific weather metrics that PNW meteorologists use to track weather intensity in...
Listen

The Ship Report, the show about All Things Maritime, features maritime news and information, local and international, based in the Pacific Northwest in Astoria, Oregon. shipreport.net. Podcasts available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts

The Ship Report is also broadcast  Weekdays at 8:49 am on  KMUN Radio Astoria, Oregon

Columbia River Bar
Pacific NW Coast Bar Closure Info from NOAA.

Also on Facebook and Twitter (US Coast Guard).

“Pilot transfer” is when a pilot disembarks or boards a ship. Ships generally must by law have a river or bar pilot on board when they are on the Columbia or Willamette Rivers. The bar and river pilots have separate pilotage grounds defined by the Oregon Legislature.

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Meet Joanne Rideout
Producer Joanne Rideout is a journalist and photographer who created The Ship Report in 2003. Since then Joanne and has been interviewing, writing and photographing the maritime world and its interesting people as much as she possibly can.
Ship Horn Signals

Commonly Heard off Astoria

One prolonged blast every two minutes or less: vessel operating in fog.

Five consecutive horn blasts: warning signal that means literally “I do not know your intention.” This generally means another vessel is in the way of a ship in the channel, and is being asked to move before they collide.

Three short blasts: Vessel going in reverse

One long blast followed by three short: signal for the change of pilots.