The Most Recent Ship Report Podcast:

Interview with author and poet Patrick Dixon about his new book, “Mending Holes,” Part 3

Today we’re continuing to hear parts of my interview with Fisher Poet and author Pat Dixon, who just published a book of poetry called Mending Holes, about his memories of life as a commercial fisherman.  One of the topics I love to explore with people who make their way in the creative arts, is to ask them about their process: how do these magical works come to be, seemingly out of thin air.  Every writer, poet, songwriter, for instance, seems to tap into that muse, that process, that...

Archive Podcasts:

We see them every day, but likely ignore this big influence in our lives: What causes tides?

Today, as part of the answer to a listener question, I thought it would be good to take a look at why tides happen. This influence is huge in our lives here on the coast and on the river, and it’s interesting and helpful to understand what’s driving it.

More on the complex topic of tides

I was thinking more about tides and thought we could talk more about this complex subject. Yesterday we talked about how high tide happens about 5 hours later in Vancouver than Astoria on the Columbia.

Today we’ll look at tidal range, the height difference between high and low tides and how that is also different between different places on the river. And a look at how fast the tide rises – is it uniform, and is there a way to tell how fast it will rise?

Thank you, a bit about music, being brave and, oh – tides

Today’s show is a bit of a mix: I wanted to thank the folks who came down to the Ten Fifteen Theater to hear my Ship Report talk and to hear Jerry and me perform on stage (eek!), and then a bit about tides, and how there is a vast difference in tidal schedules between what we  Astoria and Vancouver/Portland.

A Ship Report talk in Astoria on Saturday, and some music

This Saturday the 19th, at 10:30am, I’ll be appearing at the 1015 Theater in Astoria, as part of their big Performathon fundraising event, which runs all day and into the night. I’ll be sharing memories of a trip I took on a cargo ship when I traveled from the Columbia River up to Puget Sound and south to San Francisco. It was an unforgettable experience.

Then at 10:45, my husband, Jerry Middaugh, and I will perform some folk music tunes that we hope will entertain you, and leave you with a feeling of hope about the world.

Many thanks to the organizers for inviting us to perform! We hope to see you there!

So come on down and support community theater – an important thing – a place where locals can share themselves and what they love with their community.

Oregon Waterway Access Permit takes effect in January

On January 1, 2026, Oregon will require paddlecraft operators to purchase a Waterway Access Permit.

Permits will be available by the week, year and two year intervals. The new law will apply to all paddlecraft 10 feet or longer. That incudes kayaks, standup paddle boards and canoes. Fees for boat registration will also increase slightly.

Fees will help Oregon fight invasive mussels in waterways, and also improve access for paddlecraft at waterway access points that are currently mostly designed for boats.

The Pacific Collector: another interesting military vessel on the river

Today we see the Pacific Collector arriving from Honolulu, after a doing her specialized work of tracking missile defense testing. She’s one of a host of US military ships we see on the river, along with her sister ship, the Pacific Collector.

Photo credit: Daniel Ramirez from Honolulu, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Minding the weather

A look at today’s gusty weather and how to plan accordingly if you’re going out on a boat. One thing to remember: the experience of being on the river is very different when you are out on a boat from the way it is on land, even on the shore. And any precautions you take for the river goes double out in the ocean, where risks can be greater.

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