A bit about our “active” weather today, and still more on the Carnival Panorama cruise ship saga

We’re in for a windy day on the coast today with lots of rain, potential for flooding, and elevated sneaker wave risk yet again, as swells from other storm systems join with our own local wind waves to make beachgoing dangerous.

Rain totals will be registered in inches today…be aware of flood prone areas near you and exercise caution… leave extra time if you need to go somewhere. Watch out for tidal flooding on the northwest Oregon and southwest Washington coasts around 5 am and 6 am, prime commuting times…

And of course, what day on the Ship Report recently would be complete without a little more about the Carnival Panorama cruise ship, which is now tucked away in a giant drydock in Portland, getting her steering and propulsion system fixed. (And I promise to stop talking about this topic for awhile after today, at least until something else happens.)

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The Carnival Panorama’s Columbia River return

The saga of Carnival Panorama, the cruise ship with mechanical problems and lots of uneasy customers with holiday cruises planned, is slated to return to the Columbia River early tomorrow morning.

We’ll talk about her trip down the coast, why she is arriving so early and how the weather plays into her voyage.

The ship should cross the Columbia River Bar into the river at about 4 am Saturday if all goes well. Track her progress on marinetraffic.com

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The December holiday season kicks off Saturday with the lighting of Ilwaco’s crabpot Christmas tree in Ilwaco

It’s the holidays, and so we’re seeing some of our beloved coastal traditions coming around again. One unique local maritime tradition here on the Columbia happens in the port town of Ilwaco, Washington. It’s the lighting of the “World’s Tallest Crabpot Christmas Tree.”

This festive event features pictures with Santa and the tree, a reading of a local Chirstmas story about Santa and the US Coast Guard, and the lighting of the tree, to name a few of the many things you can enjoy there. Show up, and you’ll get to sing along with the Crabpot Tree Carol, a cheerful rewriting of Jingle Bells about fishermen bringing home a bountiful catch of crab to celebrate around the crabpot tree.

The event starts at 4, tree lighting at 5. If you can’t be there, checkout a live broadcast of the event on the “Discover Ilwaco” Facebook page.

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Upriver challenges for ships on the Columbia

Yesterday we talked about the many challenges bar pilots face guiding ships between Astoria and the mouth of the river (the Columbia River Bar). Today we’ll touch on the upriver and even more seldom-scene leg of the river: the 100-mile segment between Astoria and Portland. It’s a winding and dangerous stretch of river, fraught with its own challenges that also require great ship-handling expertise and finesse.

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Why the Columbia River is so challenging

I talk about this topic from time to time on the show, because there are so many facets to it. Today we’ll take a look at the challenges the river poses for arriving ships, from the unsual underwater geology offshore, to the daunting currents along the winding river corridor. It’s a matter for experienced marine pilots who make critical navigational decisions on the fly every day.

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What we know about the Carnival Panorama’s return to Astoria

For some folks, this story is just the quirky odyssey of a cruise ship with mechanical problems. For others, who have holiday cruises planned on the Carnival Panorama, dreams for long-awaited family gatherings are at stake, as technicians work to repair the ship before holiday cruises in December.

Today we’ll talk about what’s next, as least what we know so far, and how to track the Carnival Panorama if you’re waiting on pins and needles to see what happens.

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Geez Louise, sneaker waves and king tides this weekend

We’ll take a look at the double whammy of high sneaker wave risk and king tides this weekend. All of that means if you absolutely must go to the beach, be extra vigilant. If you’re sightseeing, consider high up places that overlook the beach.

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Sneaker wave risk is high this weekend, let’s talk about what to do if you’re at the beach

The National Weather service is warning residents and visitors that sneaker wave risk is elevated this holiday weekend at beaches in NW Oregon and SW Washington. The weather will be great – and folks will want to head to the beach to enjoy it.

So how can you protect yourself from deadly sneaker waves? We’ll talk about that today.

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Why a “slow day” on the river can be deceiving for those on shore

Today we’ll talk about something that seems to worry folks who watch the river: they see a day or so when there are no ships arriving or departing, or waiting in an anchorage nearby, and they tend to assume the worst about the state of commerce on the river.

Today we’ll talk about the comings and goings of ships, what the factors are, and why a slow day on the river is not a cause for alarm. That’s because there’s always a lot happening on the river that we “landlubbers” do not see. In fact, some ports are seeing record cargoes.

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The Carnival Panorama heads to Canada to get her “whale tail” funnel removed

In what I am beginning to call the “Amazing Saga of the Carnival Panorama,” the mechanically-ailing cruise ship that spent a week in Astoria trying to figure out a workaround to get to the shipyard in Portland, has “left the building,” at least for the moment.

She headed out to sea yesterday afternoon from the Port of Astoria, to make her way to British Columbia, to a shipyard that can remove her huge “whale tail” funnel so she can fit under the Columbia River’s fixed bridges.

Once that’s done, she’ll be back to the Columbia to head to drydock in Portland.

And yes, to anwer that quite reasonable question folks have been asking: she has to go to Portland. Other regional shipyards are apparently full. And she’s having steering and proplusion problems, so traveling far from the PNW to another yard is probably not an option.

Photo: Joanne Rideout. The Carnival Panorama at the Port of Astoria at dusk on Sunday, shortly before she departed for British Columbia.

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