A look back at 2023: a chat with Samantha Steerman, vessel coordinator for the Columbia River Bar Pilots

This week we'll be revisiting a great interview series from this past year: we'll talk this week with Samantha Steerman, vessel coordinator and dispatcher for the Columbia River Bar Pilots. He work is unseen and vital on the river. She's one of an invisible army of maritime professionals who keep everything running smoothly with ship traffic  on the Columbia. Today is Part 1.

Cruise ship rescues crew of sinking cargo ship

Today, the story of another Carnival Cruise lines ship (not the Carnival Panorama but the Carnival Vista) that made a dramatic crew rescue off the Dominican Republic when a cargo ship sank.

Bulk carriers - the workhorses of the world's merchant fleet

Today we'll talk in a little more depth about bulk carriers.

They're the workhorses of the world's merchant fleet and the most common type of ship we see here on the Columbia.

We'll talk about what it's like inside the cargo holds - giant open bins where cargo is carried.

Why do ships release water into the river?

Today, 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.

Why do ships release water into the river?

Today, 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.

Military Sealift Command ships in the river today

Today 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.

The Carnival Panorama sails for Victoria

Well, it's been quite a journey, but the Carnival Panorama cruise ship is now repaired and will head up to Victoria, BC, today 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!

This weekend is shaping up to be a typical Pacific Northwest 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.

Today, 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.

We've gotten a whole lot of rain the past few days, thanks to atmospheric 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.