We’ll talk about a recent blog post from UW meteorologist Cliff Mass, talking about the cooling trend we are entering in our weather, as fall makes its presence known. It will be cool on the coast and cooler inland. The post Cooling trend in our weather as fall approaches appeared first on The Ship Report.
Today we’ll hear the second of a two-part interview on ship lights from the Ship Report archives, from an interview I did years ago with Columbia River Bar Pilot Captain Robert Johnson. Light colors and placement are not random, and their patterns hold great meaning for other vessels that may see them at night. Today we’ll also learn about the vital role lights play when a helicopter is at sea at night, dropping off or picking up a pilot in the dark. The post The lights you see at night on ships: They hold great meaning, especially for other vessels, and even aircraft, Part 2 appeared first on
Today we’ll hear the first of a two-part interview on ship lights from the Ship Report archives, from an interview I did years ago with Columbia River Bar Pilot Captain Robert Johnson. Light colors and placement are not random, and their patterns hold great meaning for other vessels that may see them at night. There are running lights, which give other vessels important information about a vessel’s location and heading, and work lights, which allow crews to work safely at night on deck and allow the ship to be clearly seen at anchor. The post The lights you see at night on ships: They hold gre
Today we’ll talk about an important term in marine weather: the concept of “significant wave height.” Understanding the meaning of this term can give you a more realistic expectation of what the weather may be like at sea when you go out in a vessel. The post Understanding the marine weather forecast: significant wave height appeared first on The Ship Report.
Today we’ll talk about the approach of autumn, shorter days and the different kinds of twilight we experience as the sun rises and sets. The post Some seasonal and navigational astronomy as the days get shorter appeared first on The Ship Report.
Today we’ll take a look at the Crystal Symphony, a luxury cruise ship that will be in Astoria on Wednesday. She’s just begun a 39 day cruise that started earlier this week in Vancouver, BC, that will take her down the West Coast, to Mexico, through the Panama Canal, visiting various locations in South America and the Caribbean, and eventually to New York City. Image: the Crystal Symphony in Alaska waters. Photo credit: Gillfoto, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons The post Today the first of three remaining cruise ships calls on Astoria for the
Today, a look at who’s coming and going on the river, and since we frequently see ships arriving from Vancouver. BC, going to Vancouver, WA, I thought it would be fun to talk about how these namesake cities got their names. Plus, in our weather, “Fogust” returns with foggy conditions, especially on the river. The post A look at today’s ship schedule, and a bit about our two Vancouvers appeared first on The Ship Report.
Today I’d like to answer this question from another angle, after seeing someone post a photo of a calm Columbia River Bar on a recent day, from the perspective of being out there on the water in that area in a small boat. And essentially posing the question: “It looks pretty calm to me…What’s the big deal?” So today we’ll talk about this a bit. The answer, in a nutshell, is: timing… The post Answering the question: So what’s the big deal about the Columbia River Bar? It looks pretty calm to me… appeared first on The Ship Report.
Today we’ll talk more about how tides change all the time here, and affect us on both the river and ocean beaches. And how this information is practical to know as we go about our daily lives, even if we never go near the water. The post More on tides in our daily lives appeared first on The Ship Report.
Today, we take a look at the strain vessels are under in the work they do. And how weather can push things to the breaking point, causing lines and wires to “part” or break, with sometimes catastrophic results. Photo: Courtesy Sara’s Old Photos. The tanker Keystone Canyon broke loose from the Port of Astoria docks during a storm in 1994. The ship ended up pinned against the Astoria Megler Bridge. No serious damage occurred to the bridge or ship, but the incident showed how storm conditions can overwhelm a ship’s docklines. The post A look at why lines (and shrouds) on ships and boats can “part
