Farewell, Fisher Poet Clem Starck

Mar 25, 2024

Today we honor Clemens Starck, award-winning Oregon poet and author who was a regular performer at the annual Fisher Poet’s Gathering in Astoria.

Clem passed away last week at the age of 86, but his evocative work lives on.

Today we’ll learn a bit about his varied life, and hear him readi a poem he wrote from his days as a merchant mariner, about the sinking of a ship in the north Pacific.

Farewell, Fisher Poet Clem Starck

Farewell, Fisher Poet Clem Starck

Today we honor Clemens Starck, award-winning Oregon poet and author who was a regular performer at the annual Fisher Poet’s Gathering in Astoria.

Clem passed away last week at the age of 86, but his evocative work lives on.

Today we’ll learn a bit about his varied life, and hear him readi a poem he wrote from his days as a merchant mariner, about the sinking of a ship in the north Pacific.

The USNS Mercy heads to Portland

Mar 22, 2024

The US Navy hospital ship the USNS Mercy is slated to enter the Columbia River Friday morning. If she arrives according to the schedule, she could pass Astoria around 7:30am Friday.  She’s headed to the shipyard in Portland at Swan Island. We’ll talk about this iconic ship and her important role in the US military and the world.

The USNS Mercy heads to Portland

The USNS Mercy heads to Portland

The US Navy hospital ship the USNS Mercy is slated to enter the Columbia River Friday morning. If she arrives according to the schedule, she could pass Astoria around 7:30am Friday.  She’s headed to the shipyard in Portland at Swan Island. We’ll talk about this iconic ship and her important role in the US military and the world.

Beautiful, mysterious river fog: we’ll look at what makes that happen

Mar 21, 2024

The other morning in Astoria, residents and visitors were treated to a lovely natural event: the river and surrounding areas were shrouded in thick, velvety fog.

Ships sounded their fog horns while they made their way through it, while the hillside above the river enjoyed bright sunshine and blue skies.

Today we’ll talk about river fog and what causes it.

Farewell, Fisher Poet Clem Starck

Beautiful, mysterious river fog: we’ll look at what makes that happen

The other morning in Astoria, residents and visitors were treated to a lovely natural event: the river and surrounding areas were shrouded in thick, velvety fog.

Ships sounded their fog horns while they made their way through it, while the hillside above the river enjoyed bright sunshine and blue skies.

Today we’ll talk about river fog and what causes it.

More on dredging

Mar 20, 2024

There’s so much to talk about when it comes to dredging the river… so here’s more nuts and bolts of dredging as a follow up to Monday’s program. We’ll talk about how deep the channels are, other channels on the Columbia besides the main ship channel, and why the Columbia will never be able to accommodate some ships that are just too big.

More on dredging

More on dredging

There’s so much to talk about when it comes to dredging the river… so here’s more nuts and bolts of dredging as a follow up to Monday’s program. We’ll talk about how deep the channels are, other channels on the Columbia besides the main ship channel, and why the Columbia will never be able to accommodate some ships that are just too big.

The present and future of ship emissions

Mar 19, 2024

Sharp-eyed ship watchers concerned about pollution noticed a ship traveling in the river yesterday, emitting what looked like smoke from its stack. As it turns out, seeing that was good news, since it shows the ship has an emission scrubber on board, and what folks saw was mostly steam.

But that sighting opens the door to talk about recent international regulations that have reduced pollution in shipping, with plans for even more reductions by 2050.

The present and future of ship emissions

The present and future of ship emissions

Sharp-eyed ship watchers concerned about pollution noticed a ship traveling in the river yesterday, emitting what looked like smoke from its stack. As it turns out, seeing that was good news, since it shows the ship has an emission scrubber on board, and what folks saw was mostly steam.

But that sighting opens the door to talk about recent international regulations that have reduced pollution in shipping, with plans for even more reductions by 2050.

Dredging on the Columbia, and a new beneficial use for dredge spoils

Mar 18, 2024

Today the answer to a listener question about dredging on the Columbia River, and a look at new beneficial use for dredge spoils: the many tons of sediment vacuumed off the river bottom annually.

Dredging on the Columbia, and a new beneficial use for dredge spoils

Dredging on the Columbia, and a new beneficial use for dredge spoils

Today the answer to a listener question about dredging on the Columbia River, and a look at new beneficial use for dredge spoils: the many tons of sediment vacuumed off the river bottom annually.