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Deep sea rescues
May 31, 2019Right now in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, thousands of miles from land, two severely damaged sailboats are getting the timely rescue assistance they need, thanks to a lifesaving system called AMVER, in which commercial vessels agree to come to the aid of other vessels in trouble.
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Kelaerin: happiest of endings to a harrowing tale
May 29, 2019Yesterday I talked with you about the harrowing rescue of the owners of the sailboat Kelaerin, which was swamped by a rogue wave off the coast of Washington and rescued by the Coast Guard. Their initially tragic story took a turn for the rare and wonderful – now they’re enjoying the happiest of endings.
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Kelaerin: incredible rescue at sea in our backyard
May 28, 2019The incredible story of a couple who have spent decades sailing together and were coming home to Bellingham from a circumnavigation, when their boat was swamped by a rogue wave off the coast of Washington. An amazing tale with an unexpected ending.
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A day on the river
May 24, 2019Today we look at who’s coming and going on the river in more depth – each each vessel has a story.
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Blue & brown water?
May 23, 2019In the maritime industry, vessels in coastal areas can be grouped into blue and brown water craft. Blue water refers to open ocean and brown water tends to mean coastal or domestic vessels that ply local waters. We have both here on the Columbia, making for a very interesting and interrelated mix of vessels all serving the needs of commerce.
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Earthquake in Ocean Shores
May 22, 2019There was an earthquake in Ocean Shores, Washington, north of Gray’s Harbor. Is it a precursor to the Big One?
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Be careful out there
May 21, 2019The police sergeant on the TV show “Hill Street Blues” made that phrase famous when he said it each morning to patrol officers hitting the streets. I’d like to say the same to people visiting the PNW shore each year. Even though you’re on vacation, be careful out there. Three recent rescues, one with a tragic ending, happened in one weekend here in Oregon. All could have been prevented.
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Tugs and tows – nuances
May 17, 2019I had the opportunity the other day to watch seasoned tug skippers in action on the Columbia, and when I looked closely at the conditions they were facing, I left the riverside feeling great respect for the work they do.
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Safe Boating Week
Anytime we go out on the water, there’s risk. Each year, National Safe Boating Week is an opportunity to think about how to make an inherently dangerous, but fun, activity as safe as we can make it. That doesn’t make us wimps, it makes us people who are more likely to come home alive.
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Piracy
May 16, 2019We hear about pirate attacks on vessels in far off places. But recently a ship that many people saw on the Columbia a few years back was boarded by pirates off the coast of Africa and damaged severely. Modern day pirates have heavy weaponry and demand big ransoms. We’ll hear about what happened to this ship and her crew.
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