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 16 years on the air!

USCG to the rescue in Tillamook

We usually think of our beloved Coasties rescuing people on the water, but sometimes they also help people on land. Sometimes, as in this case of some folks in an RV park stranded by rising flood waters, water is also involved.
More

Operation Deep Freeze

This weekend, a USCG icebreaker departs from Seattle on a three-month mission: to clear a channel through thick ice in Antarctica to McMurdo station, opeing a path for supply vessels to reach a research facility at the bottom of the world.
More

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Each year, I commemorate the loss of this beloved ship on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. She was beloved to people around the region, who called her "The Mighty Fitz." She and her crew hauled iron ore between Canada and the US for 17 years. Then one night, in a...
More

US cargo ports in line to get federal help with slowdowns

A look at a statement yesterday from the Biden administration on ways to speed up deliveries of bogged down cargo containers, as the president speaks with big box executives about solutions.
More

West Coast terminals impose fees for bogged down cargo

A look at an emerging trend in the bogged down cargo mess: West Coast terminals assessing fees on containers that just sit there for long periods without moving through the supply chain. In an increasingly expensive shipping environment, this isn't very good news, but...
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

Curated Links

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Maritime
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Tsunami
Video

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

USCG to the rescue in Tillamook

We usually think of our beloved Coasties rescuing people on the water, but sometimes they also help people on land. Sometimes, as in this case of some folks in an RV park stranded by rising flood waters, water is also involved.
Listen

Operation Deep Freeze

This weekend, a USCG icebreaker departs from Seattle on a three-month mission: to clear a channel through thick ice in Antarctica to McMurdo station, opeing a path for supply vessels to reach a research facility at the bottom of the world.
Listen

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Each year, I commemorate the loss of this beloved ship on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. She was beloved to people around the region, who called her "The Mighty Fitz." She and her crew hauled iron ore between Canada and the US for 17 years. Then one night, in a...
Listen

US cargo ports in line to get federal help with slowdowns

A look at a statement yesterday from the Biden administration on ways to speed up deliveries of bogged down cargo containers, as the president speaks with big box executives about solutions.
Listen

West Coast terminals impose fees for bogged down cargo

A look at an emerging trend in the bogged down cargo mess: West Coast terminals assessing fees on containers that just sit there for long periods without moving through the supply chain. In an increasingly expensive shipping environment, this isn't very good news, but...
Listen
10-Minute Ship Reports: Monday through Thursday, featuring  Daily Ship Traffic, Marine Weather, News and Interviews

Ship Report Minutes:  On Fridays, where we answer listener questions. Short and sweet!

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

coastradio.org

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. Soon after this signal, you’ll see the pilot launch Arrow II head out to a passing ship, to facilitate the transfer of bar and river pilots.