More on the weather!

Dec 19, 2019

Our weather continues to be a topic of conversation this week, as PNW winter makes its presence known.

More on the weather!

More on the weather!

Our weather continues to be a topic of conversation this week, as PNW winter makes its presence known.

Atmospheric River coming our way!

Dec 18, 2019

According to current forecasts, we’re slated to get smacked with a Pineapple Express sort of atmospheric river event over the next day or so. What’s an Atmospheric River, anyway? Not to mention a Pineapple Express, which sounds like a dessert you might order in Hawaii… We’ll talk about all that today on the Ship Report. Spoiler alert: it means lots, and lots, of water up in the air, ready to rain down upon us. Some areas could see seven inches of rain before this storm is over!

Atmospheric River coming our way!

Atmospheric River coming our way!

According to current forecasts, we’re slated to get smacked with a Pineapple Express sort of atmospheric river event over the next day or so. What’s an Atmospheric River, anyway? Not to mention a Pineapple Express, which sounds like a dessert you might order in Hawaii… We’ll talk about all that today on the Ship Report. Spoiler alert: it means lots, and lots, of water up in the air, ready to rain down upon us. Some areas could see seven inches of rain before this storm is over!

Pilot boats on the Astoria waterfront: who’s on board?

Dec 17, 2019

We’ve been talking lately about pilot boat crews and how they support and make possible the work of marine pilots on the river and ocean. Today we take a look at the pilot boat Connor Foss, frequently seen on the waterfront in Astoria. What’s her role in the piloting network and what challenges does her crew face? She also carries both kinds of local pilots: Bar and river pilots, who tackle separate hazards on the channel between the river’s mouth, Portland, and beyond.

Pilot boats on the Astoria waterfront: who’s on board?

Pilot boats on the Astoria waterfront: who’s on board?

We’ve been talking lately about pilot boat crews and how they support and make possible the work of marine pilots on the river and ocean. Today we take a look at the pilot boat Connor Foss, frequently seen on the waterfront in Astoria. What’s her role in the piloting network and what challenges does her crew face? She also carries both kinds of local pilots: Bar and river pilots, who tackle separate hazards on the channel between the river’s mouth, Portland, and beyond.

Lightship Columbia

Dec 16, 2019

Once there were lightships on waterway entrances around the U.S. Now there are none. There’s a famous one here in Astoria, at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria. She was one of a number of lighthips – floating lighthouses – that marked the entrance to the river, dating back to the 1800s.

Lightship Columbia

Lightship Columbia

Once there were lightships on waterway entrances around the U.S. Now there are none. There’s a famous one here in Astoria, at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria. She was one of a number of lighthips – floating lighthouses – that marked the entrance to the river, dating back to the 1800s.

Bad weather on the bar

Dec 13, 2019

It happens every year: sooner or later the weather gets messy enough that ship traffic is affected. Today the Columbia River Bar is in yellow status, and some ships will have to wait. We’ll talk about what yellow status is, and how it affects vessels entering and leaving the river.

Bad weather on the bar

Bad weather on the bar

It happens every year: sooner or later the weather gets messy enough that ship traffic is affected. Today the Columbia River Bar is in yellow status, and some ships will have to wait. We’ll talk about what yellow status is, and how it affects vessels entering and leaving the river.

Winter weather is back again

Dec 12, 2019

It’s that time of year again, where the weather goes to hell in a handbasket on the coast. Not as bad as it can be, but winter weather is here. Just another fall and winter day in the Pacific Northwest. We’ll talk about what that means for mariners.

More on the weather!

Winter weather is back again

It’s that time of year again, where the weather goes to hell in a handbasket on the coast. Not as bad as it can be, but winter weather is here. Just another fall and winter day in the Pacific Northwest. We’ll talk about what that means for mariners.