Buoy 10 Fishery, a fun annual river season that calls for good boating skills

It’s Buoy 10 salmon fishing season on the lower Columbia between the mouth of the river and Tongue Point. It’s a time when lots of private recreational boats and charter boats are on the river, trying to catch those delicious salmon.

We’ll talk about a few things to keep in mind if you go out, and why if you’re inexperienced it’s a great idea to hire a fishing guide: someone who knows how to keep you safe in a demanding environment and also knows where the fish are.

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The Panama Canal: some history, and some disturbing current events

Most of us take the Panama Canal for granted, if we even think of it at all. It has a turbulent history that includes the deaths of 25,000 workers over the more than three decades that it took to construct it. Some thought at the time that it would never be finished.

In the present day, this waterway is a huge deal in the world of shipping, Vessels of all types use it to avoid the long and dangerous voyage around the bottom of South America. But serious, unprecedented drought there now during what is supposed to be the rainy season is causing restrictions on shipping and making shippers consider other options. It’s a game changer for the shipping industry to have this important artery unable to meet demand.

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Special author interview series this week: Tele Aadsen, “What Water Holds” Part 5

The final day of our week long series fearuring an interview with author and fisher poet Tele Aadsen. Aadsen’s memoir, “What Water Holds,” an exploration of her life in commercial fishing, came out this summer.

This interview was made possible by Brad Wartman and The Fisher Poetry Archive. Find video of the complete interview at thefisherpoetryarchive.com, and also in the Ship Report Blog: https://shipreport.net/2023/08/04/interview-with-author-and-fisher-poet-tele-aadsen-what-water-holds/

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Special author interview series this week: Tele Aadsen, “What Water Holds” Part 4

A revealing discussion about commercial fishing with author and Fisher Poet Tele Aadsen, about her first book, just released, called “What Water Holds.” It’s a memoir.

This interview was made possible by Brad Wartman and The Fisher Poetry Archive. Find video of the complete interview at thefisherpoetryarchive.com, and also in the Ship Report Blog: https://shipreport.net/2023/08/04/interview-with-author-and-fisher-poet-tele-aadsen-what-water-holds/

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Special author interview series this week: Tele Aadsen, “What Water Holds” Part 3

Day three of a recent interview with Fisher Poet and author Tale Aadsen. She just publisehd her first book, a memoir entitled “What Water Holds.” It’s a poignant and powerful look at the world of commercial fishing.

This interview was made possible by Brad Wartman and The Fisher Poetry Archive. Find video of the complete interview at thefisherpoetryarchive.com, and also in the Ship Report Blog: https://shipreport.net/2023/08/04/interview-with-author-and-fisher-poet-tele-aadsen-what-water-holds/

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Special author interview series this week: Tele Aadsen, “What Water Holds” Part 2

Day two of our our “meet the author” series with Fisher Poet Tele Aadsen. She’s just published her first book, a memoir of her work in commercial fishing. It’s called “What Water Holds.”

This interview was made possible by Brad Wartman and The Fisher Poetry Archive. Find video of the complete interview at thefisherpoetryarchive.com, and also in the Ship Report Blog: https://shipreport.net/2023/08/04/interview-with-author-and-fisher-poet-tele-aadsen-what-water-holds/

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Special author interview series this week: Tele Aadsen, “What Water Holds” Part 1

This week we’ll hear from Fisher Poet and author Tele Aadsen, from an interview about her new book, “What Water Holds.” It’s a memoir about her life working in the world of commercial fishing.

This interview was made possible by Brad Wartman and The Fisher Poetry Archive. Find video of the complete interview at thefisherpoetryarchive.com, and also in the Ship Report Blog: https://shipreport.net/2023/08/04/interview-with-author-and-fisher-poet-tele-aadsen-what-water-holds/

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A closer look at U.S. flag vessels in the river

Today we have three U.S. flag vessels on the river, all coincidentally owned by the same company, Crowley Maritime. We’ll talk about that company a little, and what it means to run vessels in what’s called the “coastwise” or “cabotage” trade, taking domestic cargo between US ports. This trade is the special province of vessels regulated under the Jones Act, a 1920 law designed to protect the US merchant fleet from being replaced by foreign flag ships.

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Rangaku: a bit of Japanese history in a ship name

Today we learn a bit of Japanese history, inspired by a visiting ship’s name: Rangaku. The term is a Japanese word meaning “Dutch learning,” a reference to a time of isolationism in Japan’s history where their scientists sought to learn about western technology through contacts with the Netherlands and the Dutch language.

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Salvage experts shine behind the scenes in Netherlands car ship fire

Another set of unseen mariners who do amazing work in the maritime realm: salvage experts. Today we talk about marine salvage, in the context of that deadly car ship fire off the Netherlands. Behind the scenes in this incident are highly skilled salvors, who go where others fear to tread, to save valuable property and avoid environmental disaster.

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