Episodes
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Tragedy on the Columbia River Bar
This weekend, a recreational boat overturned on the Columbia River Bar. Out of the five people on board, two were rescued safely, one died, and two remained missing when the Coast Guard called off their search Saturday night. Today we'll talk a bit about why the bar has been historically, and remains, one of the most dangerous river entrances in the world.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript071524.pdf
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National Data Buoy Center: a rewarding agency to work for
Today we conclude this week's interview with Craig Kohler, operations branch chieg for the National Data Buoy Center. We've learned a lot about this agency and its network of high tech data buoys in US and international waters. Today, Kohler talks about how rewarding it is to work for an agency that does valuable scientific work at low cost, and provides vital information to scientists and to the public.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript071224.pdf
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Missing episodes?
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National Data Buoy Center: how buoys stand up to brutal ocean weather
Today we'll hear more from my interview with Craig Kohler; he's an official with the National Data Buoy Center. We've been talking this week about the network of data-gathering buoys in US waters and around the world. Today we talk about how this data helps scientsits, and also how these hardy buoys stand up to the punishing conditions at sea where they are stationed.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/.pdf
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National Data Buoy Center tsunami warning buoys
We continue this week's interview with Craig Kohler from the National Data Buoy Center, a US agency under NOAA and the National Weather Service that operates a network of data buoys in US coastal waters and around the world.
Today we'll talk about the NDBC tsunami buoys that are strategically placed in the ocean to warn officials when a tsunami wave is occurring.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript071024.pdf
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National Data Buoy Center - an important local buoy gets repaired and put back in service
Today we'll talk about our local National Data Buoy Center buoy, 46029, which was returned to service in June, 20 miles off the mouth of the Columbia River in the Pacific.
This important data buoy had been out of service since last fall. Today we'll talk with NDBC adminstrator Craig Kohler about the buoy's journey back to being in working order, transmitting data to waiting satellites - all about sea state, weather and other info. Important info for mariners.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript070924.pdf
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National Data Buoy Center - valuable local resource and worldwide agency
Today we'll begin hearing excerpts from my interview with Craig Kohler, operations branch chief for the National Data Buoy Center. NDBC maintains a network of buoys in US coastal waters and in other places in the world, that transmit weather and climate data to satelites. We have NDBC buoys in our coastal waters including one right off the Columbia River Bar in the ocean called 46029.
This week we'll talk about that buoy system and why it is so valuable to mariners and scientists.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript070824.pdf
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A look at ship traffic, and - hot weather is about to arrive
Today we'll take a look at ship traffic on the river, and at the predictions for our upcoming holiday weekend heat wave.
I'll be taking the long holiday weekend to regroup a little from the exhausing but wonderful process of finally launching my boat (see yeastserday's podcast.) So after today, I'll see you all again Monday on the Ship Report.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript070324.pdf
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Passage, afloat again at last
Many of you have asked me about my boat, Passage, a long term restoration project I started 16 years ago with my dad. Friday she was launched and is doing fine. Here's a bit of her (and my) story.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript070224.pdf
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A look at one of Astoria's old hometown ships: where is the USCGC Alert now?
Earlier this year, the USCGC Alert, a Coast Guard ship that had been in Astoria for decades, was reassigned and replaced by a brand new cutter, the USCGC David Duren, which is now in Astoria.
Today we take a look at where the Alert is now... she's got a new home on the East Coast (a region she was first assigned to over 50 years ago as a new ship), working as an active duty cutter in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript070124.pdf
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Rogue Waves
Today, a look back in the Ship Report srchives at an interview about rogue waves with Capt. Deborah Dempsey and Terry Wilson - both dear friends of mine. This interview is especially poignant, since Terry is no longer with us. Today we'll learn about rogue waves from two mariners who have each experienced them at sea.
Show transcript: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript062824.pdf
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Part two of the Sinking of the Meteor: a gem from the archives
Today we'll hear part 2 of the true story of the sinking of the commercial fishing boat Meteor, on the Columbia River Bar in the 1970s, as told by former fisherman Michael McCusker.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript062724
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A gem from the archives: the sinking of the Meteor
I need to take the next few days off, and so we'll hear a few shows from the Ship Report archives.
The two part show that you'll hear today and tomorrow is a listener favorite: the true story of the sinking of the commercial fishing boat Meteor on the Columbia River Bar, told as no one else can by Michael McCusker.
You can hear Michael Thursdays on KMUN radio in Astoria, with his insightful show, "A Story Told." Among the many hats Michael has worn in his life is being a commercial fisherman. Here's his story of how he was the last man standing as the boat he was working on, the Meteor, sank on the bar.
We'll hear the finale tomorrow
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript062624,pdf
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Getting around on the river
Today we'll take a look at what factors affect how long it takes a ship to get from one place to another, on the ocean and on the river.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript062524.pdf
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Who's on the river?
Today we'll take a look at today's ship schedule, including a Canadian tug with an unusual destination.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript062424.pdf
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The Panama Canal
Today we have a ship arriving from France, which means she likely traveled through the Panama Canal. We'll talk about that historic waterway, its problems with drought in recent years. and how a coming La Nina climate trend might help alleviate that.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript062124,pdf
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Buoys in the 'hood
Today I thought we'd talk about some of the most ever-present and often ignored (by people on land) things in our river neighborhood - and that's navigational buoys. Vital for mariners, they sit in the water day and night doing their work, making the watery highway safe for travel.
Each buoy is unique, by color, numbers and sound, and they have lights so they can be seen at night. Mariners would have trouble getting along without them.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript062024.pdf
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Research vessel Atlantis visits Astoria
There's a very special ship at the Port of Astoria right now: the research vessel Atlantis is at the dock, taking a temporary break from her research work in the Pacific Ocean.
Such vessels often stop into Astoria because we are conveniently near the ocean, to get supplies and change crews. The Atlantis is a famous ship, espeically known for the submersible Alvin which can carry scientists below the surface as deep ast 15,000 feet.
Today we'll talk about her and the Alvin, and I'll share my memories of being aboard her for a tour.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript061824.pdf
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Interesting river anomalies
Today we'll take a look at a couple of interesting natural occurences on the river that can pose challenges for boaters: whitecaps and eddies. A glimpse at our profound natural world in action, right at our watery doorstep.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript061724.pdf
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Ship mystery solved: what was all that smoke?
A listener contacted me and sent me a video to ask about huge quantity of smoke spewing from a passing container ship. The situation did indeed look rather dire, with lots of smoke billowing in the air.
Turns out this situation was not an emergency, but was instead white steam from the ship's scrubbers. We'll talk about what that means, why some, but not all, ships have scrubbers - and what they do to improve life for all of us.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript061424.pdf
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Nehalem River canoeing death highlights an overlooked aspect of water safety
The death of a canoist on the Nehalem River last week offers a good reason to talk about water safety in a different way. Most people think the water dangers here are on the coast: the beach with its sneaker waves and rip currents, the Columbia River Bar, and the river's cold water and strong tides.
But equally dangerous hazards await even in smaller waterways with seemingly calm conditions. All bodies of water demand respect and proper gear to stay safe.
The best protection against all of these hazards is life jackets - and it's high time we decided they're "cool" so people will wear them.
Show transcript here: http://shipreport.nfshost.com/audio/SRTranscript061324.pdf
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