All about pilot boats – Part 1

Today we hear the first segment in a two-part interview I did a few years back with Columbia River Bar Pilot Capt. Mike Tierney, all about pilot boats and what they do.

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King Tides again? Yep, in February too.

This coming weekend marks the last of this winter season’s King Tides. These higher than normal high tides happen four times a year each winter. They bring with them flooding and sneaker wave risk, especially when coupled with inclement winter weather.

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Sailors rescued after floating in a tank for 19 days

Some lucky sailors were rescued at sea by a passing ship that just happened to see them floating in a plastic tank, where they had been for 19 days.

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The corona virus and its effect on bulk shipping

Right now the corona virus is having a big impact in China, with more cases diagnosed daily. Since China is such a big player in world trade, it stands to reason that anything that slows commerce would eventually affect shipping. Today we’ll take a look at the bulk carrier trade and how that shipping sector is being affected by this developing illness.

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The Voyages of the Jane Franklin – through the Canal

The third in our series of accounts of the voyages of the S/V/ Jane Franklin, and her captain, Russ Roberts. The 53 foot ketch and her crew voyaged from Miami to the Pacific through the Panama Canal. Today we hear about the last leg of their voyage through the locks, with huge ships and workhorse tugs.

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The Polar Star and McMurdo Station

Each winter around this time, a hardy Coast Guard icebreaker makes a pilgrimage south of the Equator, where summer is underway and huge ice floes are more accessible than in winter. The Polar Star makes her way to McMurdo Station, a U.S. outpost in Antarctica. She smashes a channel in the ice so supply ships can get in to bring provisions to the people living there and conducting research. She’s an older ship, but among the most hardy in the world. Today we celebrate the Polar Star, her crew, and their unusual mission.

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Anniversary of the Orphan Tsunami

This week marks the anniversary of a long unknown Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake that hit this region in 1700. The resulting tsunami hit the West Coast hard locally, and was immortalized in Native folklore. But documented evidence of this giant temblor was found far away in Japan, a highly earthquake prone region where they kept careful records. When the earthquake hit here, hours later a damaging tsunami hit Japan. But there was no earthquake there. As a result, the Japanese dubbed it, “The Orphan Tsunami.” It was the late 20th century before scientists discovered that there had once been a huge earthquake in the PNW. They’ve been studying it since, and their research informs our emergency preparedness now.

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Millennium Bulk Terminals coal project heads to Supreme Court

Millennium Bulk Terminals is the company that wants to put a coal export terminal on the Columbia River at Longview, Wash. The state of Washington has so far blocked the project for environmental reasons. Now the states of Wyoming and Montana are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their challenge to Washington’s denial, saying that state is blocking their right to interstate commerce.

This lovely photo was taken by Astoria photographer Scott Saulsbury. You’ll find his photos on Facebook and also in his book, Light, Water, and Steel: https://www.blurb.com/b/5184191-light-water-and-steel

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The Marcus G. Langseth seismic research vessel

Today a familiar research vessel comes to the Port of Astoria: the Marcus G. Langseth. She’s owned by Columbia University’s Lamont Dougherty Earth Observatory. She’s spent time in Astoria over the years as she’s pursued different research projects. She is the national seismic research facility for the United States academic research community.

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The voyages of the S/V Jane Franklin

Today I’ll share the second installment of the voyages of the good ship Jane Franklin: a 53 foot sailing yacht, a ketch, owned by Capt. Russ Roberts, a lifelong sailor, and retired airline pilot, whose exploits include sailing through the Northwest Passage.

Capt. Roberts has an extensive sea voyage planned and has kindly agreed to allow The Ship Report to chronicle his journey, with a changing crew of adventurers who want to sail with him on the high seas. Last week we heard about their tumultuous trip from Miami to the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. This week we’ll hear what it’s like to transit the Panama Canal in a small boat, nestled amongst other much larger vessels like giant ships and tugs.

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