The Ship Report

The Ship Report, Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Today I'll answer a listener question about why anchored ships can look so disorganized. It happens when the tide is changing on the river.

It's a good question that involves water flow, natural systems, and reflects the complex and amazing place we live in.

The Ship Report, Tuesday, June 23, 2026

The amazing anchor chain

Ships sitting calmly in the anchorage are actually far from still: they're doing a slow dance around an ingenious anchor and chain system that works in strong currents, acting like a spring, to protect the ship and keep it stable.

The Ship Report, Monday, June 22, 2026

Today, an update on the ocean sensors story from last week, and a look at how wind and tide greatly affect river conditions - something to pay attention to if you're going out in a boat.

The Ship Report, Thursday, June 18, 2026

It might seem like a ship is just moseying by on its way up or downriver, but the truth is a lot of planning and scheduling goes into the movements of every ship on the Columbia.

Today we'll talk about the factors at play, and the strategies our professionals use to keep ships, people and cargo safe on the river.

The Ship Report, Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Today I'll share a story that's a follow-up to Monday's program on ocean sensors. It's about how some US senators are now responding to the news that National Science Foundation ocean sensors are being removed from our waters off Newport and Grays Harbor.

And I'll share the results of an afternoon of research, in my attempt to answer a listener question: is there is fraud in NOAA's ocean monitoring program?

The Ship Report, Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Two local people drowned this weekend, one on the Willamette River, and one on the Columbia. Today we’ll talk about factors in our area waters that can make doing relatively normal recreational activities a life-threatening hazard.

The Ship Report: Monday, June 15, 2026

Today we'll talk about the removal of National Science Foundation Pacific ocean data sensors off the coast of Oregon and Washington this week, a move scientists say will cripple their ability to know what's happening in the ocean, as a record breaking El Nino is expected to hit the region this summer.

The Ship Report, Thursday, June 11, 2026

Today we'll take a look at our glorious weather forecast with a caveat: the water in the ocean and our rivers is about as cold as cold tap water.

Try it. Too cold for swimming really, but more to the point: just right for hypothermia and cold water shock.

The Ship Report, Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Today we'll talk about a wonderful worldwide network, called AMVER(Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue), originally created by the US Coast Guard.

AMVER brings together ships at sea and mariners in trouble way off shore, making far-flung rescues possible that coastal response agencies worldwide would not have the resources to handle.

In this case, a man on a small boat 500 miles off the coast of Oregon was rescued by a cruise ship, a participant in the AMVER system.

The Ship Report, Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Today we'll talk about (and hear) some of the most familiar things we experience here on the river: rain, ships and fog horns.