The Most Recent Ship Report Podcast:

The 50th anniversary of the wreck of the famous Great Lakes ore carrier, the Edmund Fitzgerald

Today marks 50 years since the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in Lake Superior on November 10, 11975 in Lake Superior. The Mighty Fitz, as she was called, was caught in the midst of a fierce storm with hurricane force winds. The ship was 17 miles from port when she was lost. All 29 members of her crew perished. This incident is commemorated in regional ceremonies each year, as residents honor these lost mariners, and all those who have lost their lives over the years in thousands of wrecks...

Archive Podcasts:

Lots of anchored ships today

Mar 12, 2025

Today we have an abundance of anchored ships on the river, so many that a couple are waiting offshore. We’ll talk about how that can happen.

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Who’s on the river today?

Mar 11, 2025

A look at today’s ship traffic on the Columbia.

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The Polar Star and Operation Deep Freeze

Mar 10, 2025

Each year the USCG heavy icebreaker Polar Star heads to Antarctica to spend the Northern Hemisphere winter opening a channel through the ice during the Antarctic summer.

The ship has just completed her mission and is heading home to Seattle. We’ll talk about why this unique ship was there, and why her mission is so important.

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What’s happening in the anchorage?

Mar 7, 2025

The Astoria Anchorage is an interesting place, with lots going on out there on the water.

Today we’ll take a look at some of the common but interesting things you might see if you’re out on the Riverwalk or driving through town.

Whether it be vessels or aircraft, a cargo ship or the US Coast Guard, what you’re seeing are carefully planned maneuvers involving skilled professionals, and often talented young people learning the ropes of maritime work.

Photo: A fuel barge refueling a ship in the Astoria Anchorage, 3/6/25. Photo Credit: Joanne Rideout

Who’s on the river today?

Mar 6, 2025

A look at today’s ship schedule.

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The Columbia River Ship Channel

Mar 5, 2025

Today, a look at another largely unseen but very important aspect of maritime travel on the river: the Columbia River Ship Channel.

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A valuable coastal resource we use every day that you might not realize

Mar 4, 2025

Today, we’ll take a look at a valuable coastal resource we use every day and probably don’t realize it: NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Another one of those unseen but vital facets of life on the coast.

Weather, anyone? That forecast came from NOAA.