The Ship Report

The Ship Report, Monday, July 7, 2026

Today we'll look at some of the ordinary things that add up to an interesting day in the region, in terms of maritime things.

Winds should die down later this week, and a look at some details about ships on today's schedule.

The Ship Report, Thursday, July 9, 2026

For some folks, seeing a list of ships coming in and out of the river is just that - a list.

When I look at them, I see all kinds of details that I've learned from many conversations I've had over the years with career mariners in our region and beyond.

I've soaked up what they told me, because I found it fascinating. It's rewarding for me to share that with you here on the show.

So we'll talk a bit about marine weather and then take a look at a couple of ships, and a bit of what they're about.

The Ship Report, Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Today we’ll talk about how we can look for clues in the marine environment right in front of us, or use readily available information, to keep us safe and enjoying life as we use the river and ocean beaches.

We’ll talk about some things locals know that allow them to work with, instead of against, the immense power of the Columbia River and the ocean.

The Ship Report, Tuesday, July 7, 2026

It's another unseen piece of the maritime industry puzzle: how do ships get cargoes on and off. We'll take a look at some of the most common practices.

The Ship Report, Monday, July 7, 2026

Today we have a small ship schedule, and that presents two opportunities for me here: to reassure you that a day here and there with fewer ships is not a trend. It’s just what happens.

And also, I have a chance to use this time to look at the ships that are here in more depth. There’s a lot of interesting detail to talk about. Let’s take a look…

The Ship Report, Thursday, July 2, 2026

This week we're celebrating the birthday of legendary ship captain and maritime pilot Captain Deborah Dempsey. She was a Columbia River Bar Pilot for decades here in Astoria. She sailed around the world as the master of big ships. And from her admission into the Maine Maritime Academy in the 1970s to her hiring as a bar pilot, her life as been filled with instances where she has been the first woman to do many of the jobs s he has held in the maritime industry. She's also a heckuva nice person, a good friend and an incredible mariner. Happy Birthday, Deb!

The Ship Report, Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Today I'll answer a couple of listener questions about what it means when ship traffic numbers are low (hint: not much on a given day), and a question about car ships and why they never seem to look different whether they have loaded or unloaded cargo (the secret decoder phrase is: ballast water).

The Ship Report, Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Today, an "unusual ship alert" for a unique US Coast Guard ship that we hardly ever see on the Columbia. The USCG Cutter Healy, the Guard's largest ship and an icebreaker, has been at the Portland Vigor shipyard since January for maintenance and repairs.

She heads downriver and out to sea today. We'll talk about her unusual mission and capabilities, which include breaking through 4.5 feet of solid ice, and hosting scientific crews hoping to study high latitude waters near the North Pole.

The Ship Report, June 29, 2026

It was in the “ordinary things we take for granted that are quite important” department: the National Weather Service on Sunday suddenly did not have weather forecasts available to the public on their website, thanks to an IT issue. As they worked to fix it, we went a few hours without updated weather info. Maybe not the end of the world in most cases, but for folks in parts of the country experiencing severe weather, accurate updated NWS warnings could be lifesaving.

Today we talk about the importance of this taxpayer-funded service, which is free to the public, and relied upon by land dwellers and mariners alike. How its data is the basis for most forecasts across many platforms and apps. And how we take for granted the complex system that makes it possible.

The Ship Report, Thursday, June 25, 2026

Continuing the theme of ships in the anchorage this week, I thought I would share another listener question about anchored ships. It has to do with a frequent choice ships make, which is to deploy the anchor on the port side instead of the starboard side when anchoring off Astoria.

It's an interesting question with an equally interesting answer, that shows the level of complexity of even ordinary things relating to vessels.