The Most Recent Ship Report Podcast:

An Ilwaco tradition comes around again: The 19th annual Crabpot Tree lighting

This Saturday at 5 pm sharp, Ilwaco will hold its 19th annual Crabpot Christmas Tree lighting. It's a chance to come together to sing and honor a community tradition. The event also also honors beloved Ilwaco community member Clint Carter, who passed this year. He wrote the Crabpot Tree Carol, which you'll hear today on the show. This song is sung each year at the lighting of the tree, which is made entirely of Dungeness crabpots.

Archive Podcasts:

As ships embrace new alternative fuels, where do those fuels come from?

Aug 17, 2023

The shipping industry is taking admirable steps to switch to less polluting fuels, even claiming “zero emissions” ships are on the horizon in a few years. It’s a welcome change and much needed change.

Let’s take a look at what it takes to produce some of those currently available and affordable alternatives to petroleum. Turns out it’s a process, not a magic bullet, as we transition to a less polluting way to get around. Ships are already complying with international rules implemented in 2020 that reduced air pollution. But continued progress is welcome as we seek to reduce the burden we place on our planet.

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

Aug 16, 2023

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.

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

Aug 15, 2023

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.

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

Aug 11, 2023

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/

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

Aug 10, 2023

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/

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

Aug 09, 2023

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/

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

Aug 08, 2023

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/

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

Aug 07, 2023

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/

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

Aug 04, 2023

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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