
A look at who’s on the river today
A look at ship traffic, with some diversions into the “whats” and “whys” of particular ships traveling on the river today.
Podcast: Play in new window
A look at ship traffic, with some diversions into the “whats” and “whys” of particular ships traveling on the river today.
Podcast: Play in new window
I got a listener question from someone this weekend who asked me why there were ships anchored in the river off Astoria. It’s a telling question, in this season of public anxiety about tariffs. We’ll talk about why those ships are a normal part of life here, and how to learn more about what may happen next.
Podcast: Play in new window
Today we’ll talk about marine weather and ship schedules, but also about why there were so many cruise ships in Astoria this week. The answer lies in a cruise industry protocol that happens around this time of year: repositioning cruises, to take ships from their winter grounds to their summer grounds. Astoria is along the way for these West Coast maneuvers, and people like out city. So they stop here along the way to somewhere else.
Podcast: Play in new window
Astoria welcomes its second cruise ship of the week, and this one will not need to anchor in the river to wait for high tide at the dock.
Podcast: Play in new window
Lots of folks saw that big cruise ship sitting at anchor near Warrenton, instead of at the Port of Astoria where we all thought she should be.
Turns out Mother Nature had other plans for her… there was a extra-low low tide this morning, and that meant that the ship had to wait in deeper water for the tide to rise, so there would be enough deep water at the dock so she could tie up there.
It was a planned maneuver executed by the bar pilots. Once the tide rose enough, the ship was able by midday to head to the dock.
Part of the unseen expertise that keeps ships of all kinds safe on the river.
Podcast: Play in new window
Today, a perennial question that comes up now and again: where actually is the Columbia River Bar? It opens the door to an interesting and complex answer about how the river works and influences all our lives here.
Podcast: Play in new window