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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What’s the weather like “out there”?

When the weather’s bad on shore, we can be pretty sure it’s worse out in the ocean, at least here in the Pacific Northwest. Today we talk about the offshore weather forecast and what working vessels are enduring out there: fishing boats, cargo ships, tugs.

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Tugs: unsung heroes of river commerce

Yesterday’s listener question was about a tugboat helping out a big ship in the Astoria Anchorage. That tug, the PJ Brix, by the way, is owned by Foss Maritime, a big presence in the tugboat world. Since we see fewer tugboats on the lower river compared to upriver vessel traffic, I thought today we would talk about the huge role tugs play in upriver commerce. In many cases, it could not happen without them.

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Mystery ship in Astoria Anchorage

I’ve been getting listener questions about a ship that seemed to be having difficulties in the Astoria Anchorage. Today I have the scoop on that vessel, which was having trouble with a steering pump.

Correction: today’s report referred to Brix tugs as being based in Cathlamet. They are in fact Portland-based. Brusco tugs are in Cathlamet.

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The Voyages of the S/V Jane Franklin

This year on the Ship Report ,we’ll be following the voyages of Capt. Russ Roberts and his sailing yacht Jane Franklin, as Russ and his crew make their way from Miami, Florida, through the Panama Canal, to Hawaii and eventually to the Pacific Northwest. A rare glimpse into life on board a sailboat at sea, where crew members have only one another and their hardy craft to rely on. A true tale of life at sea.

In this first installment, the Jane Franklin leaves Miami and makes her way in difficult seas and high winds around Cuba toward the Panama Canal. A look at sailing in another part of the world.

Photo: the Jane Franklin and her crew safely at the dock on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal, after making their way from Miami. Photo courtesy Russ Roberts.

You can follow the voyages of the good ship Jane Franklin online at https://www.svjanefranklin.org/

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