The Ship Report

The Beaufort Wind Scale

Around this time of year, as fall winds make their presence known with the change of the seasons, it's a good time to talk about one of my favorite subjects: the Beaufort Wind Scale.

It dates back to the 1800s but is still used today. You can use it to tell how hard the wind is blowing by looking at the effects on the environment around you, on land or sea.

Fall is in the air

A look at marine weather today, and about how the distinct feeling of fall is in the air - a sign that some of our loveliest days of the year are still to come.

More about cargo

Today we have a whole new set of ships with different cargoes on board, so another chance to talk in more depth about what they are carrying.

Who's on the river today and what cargoes are they carrying?

Today we'll look at today's ship schedule with a twist: a look at the cargoes these ships are handling here. What they are, where they come from and how they fit into the chain of commerce on the mighty Columbia River.

Who's on the river today?

A look at what ships are traveling on the river today, and a bit about ballast water, an important factor in ship transits.

A gem from the Ship Report archives: Interview with a rescue swimmer

There are heroes among us - and we usually don't see them. USCG rescue swimmers go out in terrible conditions at sea to save lives, as part of highly trained rescue helicopter crews.

Today, from the Ship Report Archives, we'll hear an excerpt from a 2009 interview with a rescue swimmer at Air Station Astoria.

Lots of ships today anchored off Astoria

Today we'll see quite a few ships anchored off Astoria in the river, if they all arrive today. That will bring good shipwatching opportunities. We'll talk today about why ships anchor here.

What are those red patches in the river?

I received a listener question about a seasonal phenomenon people are noticing in the lower river right now: patches of dull red in the water. What is it?

Turns out it's not what many people think: it's NOT a dreaded toxic algae bloom.

Instead it's a good thing: a bloom of beneficial phytoplankton that is helping restore oxygen to the water and reduce harmful acidity. We're seeing it more in recent years, and it's helping the river become a healthier place for living creatures like salmon.

Low water on the Columbia

The National Weather Service issued a low water warning for the Columbia this past weekend and today, as minus tides and seasonal low water levels make navigating the river more challenging.

We'll talk today about why water levels can be lower at this time of year, and when they will improve.

Pat Dixon: maritime author interview about his new book of poetry, "Mending Holes," Part 5

Today’s episode concludes this week’s interview series, where I’ve been sharing excerpts from my interview with Pat Dixon, fisher poet and author of the new book of poetry, Mending Holes.

Many thanks to Brad Wartman of the FisherPoetry Archive Project for his help engineering and recording this interview on Zoom  You’ll find Brad’s extensive library of Fisher Poet Gathering and other maritime related recordings and podcasts on his website at TheFisherPoetryArchive.com.