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!

Another look at river current – outboard motors, friction, horsepower and physics

While I've talked about the need to understand and work with current on the river, it seems that some vessels go out there any old time and do well. Let's talk today about why that's the case. It has to do with vessel design, physics, friction and horsepower.
More

As our first storm of the season arrives, we enter the season for possible river bar restrictions

We're having our first fall storm of the season today, and that brings the potential for interruptions to ship traffic as sea height increase. Even if that's not what happens today, most assuredly sometime soon it will.
More

Today is the first day of meteorological fall

It's September 1st and that means the end of meteorological summer and the beginning of meteorological fall. A slightly different designation than standard fall later in the month, it's used by weather scientists to keep track of weather patterns. And right on time,...
More

A look at research vessels

Another kind of ship we see fairly often here on the river is the research vessel. Its cargo is live people: scientists whose mission is the study the oceanographic environment. As it turns out, the Columbia River is an ideal option for ships who are in our region of...
More

Cooling trend in our weather as fall approaches

We'll talk about a recent blog post from UW meteorologist Cliff Mass, talking about the cooling trend we are entering in our weather, as fall makes its presence known. It will be cool on the coast and cooler inland.  
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

Another look at river current – outboard motors, friction, horsepower and physics

While I've talked about the need to understand and work with current on the river, it seems that some vessels go out there any old time and do well. Let's talk today about why that's the case. It has to do with vessel design, physics, friction and horsepower.
Listen

As our first storm of the season arrives, we enter the season for possible river bar restrictions

We're having our first fall storm of the season today, and that brings the potential for interruptions to ship traffic as sea height increase. Even if that's not what happens today, most assuredly sometime soon it will.
Listen

Today is the first day of meteorological fall

It's September 1st and that means the end of meteorological summer and the beginning of meteorological fall. A slightly different designation than standard fall later in the month, it's used by weather scientists to keep track of weather patterns. And right on time,...
Listen

A look at research vessels

Another kind of ship we see fairly often here on the river is the research vessel. Its cargo is live people: scientists whose mission is the study the oceanographic environment. As it turns out, the Columbia River is an ideal option for ships who are in our region of...
Listen

Cooling trend in our weather as fall approaches

We'll talk about a recent blog post from UW meteorologist Cliff Mass, talking about the cooling trend we are entering in our weather, as fall makes its presence known. It will be cool on the coast and cooler inland.  
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.