The Most Recent Ship Report Podcast:
Archive Podcasts:
White caps and white horses
Sep 18, 2024Today we’ll talk about a specific sea state that you might see often off the downtown Astoria waterfront this time of year, and that’s: white caps. Also called “white horses” in the UK.
They’re the result of a specific set of circumstances involving wind and tide, and they signal choppy conditions that mariners need to know about.
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Anchor buoys, and why (and how) ships use them
Sep 17, 2024Today we hear from a river expert: Columbia River Pilot Captain Wes Balensifer answers a question from a listener about anchor buoys at Rainier on the Columbia River. We’ll also talk about other anchorages on the river and why they don’t have buoys.
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Names, countries and other words painted on ships – and what they mean
Sep 16, 2024Today we’ll talk about the words you see painted on the sides and sterns of ships. They can represent vessel names, flags of registry and the names of companies that operate ships. Today we’ll talk about what that all means.
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Ship speed: some factors that determine how fast ships go
Sep 13, 2024Today, a look at ship speed, how fast they can go, why they choose to slow down sometimes, and how long it takes to get from one place to another at sea.
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The Sand Plan: guidelines that address a fact of life on the Columbia, and that’s dredging
Sep 12, 2024Each year, the US Army Corps of Engineers dredges tons and tons (and tons) of sand out of the river to keep the ship channel open and navigable. We all rely on it to receive the goods we need to live our lives. It’s also a huge economic driver for the region.
But the dilemma remains: where to put all that sand? The agency, along with river ports, has drafted a docuoment called the Sand Plan, which will spell out where dredge spoils will go for the next 20 years.
The public comment period is open now through early October. Regional meetings and a virtual meeting are happening starting next week. Make your voice heard. Dredging can affect ecosystems, fish spawning grounds, and even enhance riparian conditions if properly handled.
Get involved in an important process – creating a plan that attempts to balance the needs of all stakeholders in the river, both human and those (like wild creatures) who cannot speak for themselves.
See a copy of the draft plan here: Draft DMMP-EIS on the USACE Digital Library
Email comments here: LCR-CMP-DMMP@usace.army.mil (Please add “Draft DMMP-EIS” in the subject line of your email.)
In-person meetings:
September 16 • 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Cowlitz County Event Center
1900 7th Avenue, Longview, Wash.
September 17 • 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Norse Hall
444 WA-409 Cathlamet, Wash.
September 18 • 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
St. John’s Community Center
8427 N Central Street, Portland, Ore.
September 20 • 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Astoria Senior Center
1111 Exchange Street, Astoria, Ore.
USACE and the sponsor ports will host a virtual meeting:
September 24 • 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Meeting login information will be posted on this webpage: www.nwp.usace.army.mil/lcrchannelmaintenance/
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Boatlift: Recalling the maritime evacuation during 9/11 in Manhattan, which showed us the best we can be
Sep 11, 2024Today, on the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on NYC and Washington, DC, we remember “Operation Boatlift”: a stunning display of people helping people – as hundreds of private boat owners joined the US Coast Guard to evacuate stranded victims from Manhattan Island after the World Trade Center collapsed.
It’s an unforgettable look at humans being the best we can be.
Transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript091124.pdf
Link to the film “Boatlift”: https://youtu.be/18lsxFcDrjo?si=q54jead3lglU2zSX
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Is summer gone for good with the arrival of this week’s rain? And a look at who’s on the river today.
Sep 10, 2024A look at our evolving weather – is summer over? And a peek at local ship traffic, with an overview of the kinds of ships we see here on the Columbia.
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Wheat R Us: our river system is the the nation’s single largest wheat export gateway
Sep 09, 2024If you hear me talk a lot about wheat on the Ship Report, there’s a good reason: most ships are carrying it. That’s beause the Columbia-Snake River System is the nation’s single largest wheat export gateway. That’s a lot of wheat, and valuable commerce to drive the region’s economy.
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Who’s on the river today? And a bit about weather and sea state
Sep 05, 2024A look at today’s ship schedule – who’s coming and going on the river? And a look at our marine weather and how wind affects sea state.
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A new hometown USCG cutter for Astoria: the USCGC Florence Finch is in town
Sep 04, 2024Down at the 17th St dock by the Columbia River Maritime Museum is a brand new Coast Guard vessel, and she’s here to stay.
The USCGC Florence Finch is the second new cutter to be assigned to Astoria this year. The David Durien was our first. They replace the two departing cutters, the Alert and Steadfast, who were reassigned earlier this year.
The Florence Finch was named for a courageous woman who served in the Coast Guard during WWII. Today we’ll hear her story.
Transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript090424.pdf
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