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Why do ships release water into the river?
Dec 13, 2023Today, the answer to a listener question about water being released into the river from ships, something they observed in the Astoria anchorage.
Today, we’ll talk about why you might see this happening.
The short answer: it’s part of normal ship operations, and is in compliance with regulations to keep our ecosystems safe. It helps keep the ship safe too, by ensuring cooling, silt removal, and stability.
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Two unusual military ships on the river today
Dec 12, 2023Today we’ll take a closer look at two military ships on the river today: they’re both in service to the Military Sealift Command, and are part of a fleet of vessels that we see regularly here on the Columbia. We’ll talk about what the MSC is, and what these specialized ships do for a living.
Photo: USNS Fisher, RORO carrier for the Military Sealift Command. Image courtesy US Navy.
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The repaired Carnival Panorama heads back to Victoria, as the saga continues
Dec 11, 2023Well, it’s been quite a journey, but the Carnival Panorama cruise ship is now repaired and will head up to Victoria, BC, to have her whale tail funnel restored…and then go back into service, we hope, for the holidays.
If you’re new to this story, listen to the podcast for the back story and more about what’s next. It’s our sincere hope that she will be ready for holiday cruises later this month.
And a sincere “hats off” to all the maritime professionals who worked behind the scenes to handle an emergency and keep to a tight timeline. Their work is largely invisible, but so essential and painstaking.
And cruise passengers, when you’re on board for the holidays – raise a toast to the Pacific Northwest maritime industry experts who pulled this off, here on the Columbia!
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Marine weather forecasts (there’s more than one) and a cross section of typical ships
Dec 08, 2023This weekend is shaping up to be a typical PNW winter weekend: rain, rain, rain, and ships coming and going.
Today we’ll talk about marine forecasts. In fact, there are several different forecasts that together provide a broad picture of what’s going on our there in the huge ocean. Mariners may consult all of them, depending on where they’re going.
Our local forecasts and ship traffic are particular to us here, but there are marine forecasts and ship schedules for every port around the world that welcomes cargo vessels.
It’s a commonality we share with countries around the world that have seaports.
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Why do we call ships “she”?
Dec 07, 2023Today, a bit about the longstanding tradition of calling ships “she.” It’s a nautical tradition that goes back to at least the 1300s, and seems primarily popular in English speaking cultures. We’ll talk about some of the reasons why people hold their vessels in fond regard, and why (in many cultures) sailors think of them as female.
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Whole lotta flooding going on… and a USCG rescue inland
Dec 06, 2023We’ve gotten a whole lot of rain the past few days, thanks to atmopsheric rivers that have blown through our area. The result has been incredible flooding and in some cases, stranded motorists marooned by water. We’ll talk about one USCG rescue, one of several yesterday in the area, where a USCG crew in a helicopter deftly plucked a person from the top of their vehicle amidst a rushing torrent of flood waters.
We’ll talk a little more about who’s in those USCG helos, and how they do the astonishing, heroic work they do.
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A look at an arriving US military vessel: the USNS Curtiss
Dec 05, 2023Today we’ll look at today’s arriving ships on the Columbia River. Among them is the USNS Curtiss, a member of the Military Sealift Command fleet that often comes into the Columbia River. She’s headed for a layberth, and we’ll talk about her specialized role in supporting active duty military vessels, equipment, and personnel.
Image of the USNS Curtiss courtesy of Wikipedia.
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A bit about our “active” weather today, and still more on the Carnival Panorama cruise ship saga
Dec 04, 2023We’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
Dec 01, 2023The 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
Nov 29, 2023It’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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