Shows / The Ship Report
The Ship Report
Ship Report podcasts take you to a special corner of the world, the mighty Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. Nautical lore, news and info, mariner interviews, daily international ship traffic, and the inside scoop on the upper left edge of Oregon and beyond. The Ship Report is proud to celebrate 20+ years on the air! More at shipreport.net
Episodes
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report: The USCGC Healy, a Coast Guard icebreaker, leaves Portland today
The Ship Report, Tuesday, June 30, 2026Today, an "unusual ship alert" for a unique US Coast Guard ship that we hardly ever see on the Columbia. The USCG Cutter…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: The National Weather Service website was down on Sunday
The Ship Report, June 29, 2026It was in the “ordinary things we take for granted that are quite important” department: the National Weather Service on Sunday…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report: why do most ships use the port anchor in the river off Astoria?
The Ship Report, Thursday, June 25, 2026Continuing the theme of ships in the anchorage this week, I thought I would share another listener question about…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: Why do anchored ships sometimes look so disorganized?
The Ship Report, Wednesday, June 24, 2026Today I'll answer a listener question about why anchored ships can look so disorganized. It happens when the tide is…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: How an anchor chain acts like a spring
The Ship Report, Tuesday, June 23, 2026The amazing anchor chainShips sitting calmly in the anchorage are actually far from still: they're doing a slow dance…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report: Ocean Sensor update, and a look at wind and tide
The Ship Report, Monday, June 22, 2026Today, an update on the ocean sensors story from last week, and a look at how wind and tide greatly affect river…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: A look at how ships are scheduled and spaced as they transit the river
The Ship Report, Thursday, June 18, 2026It might seem like a ship is just moseying by on its way up or downriver, but the truth is a lot of planning and…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: a follow up about ocean sensors, and a listener question about fraud
The Ship Report, Wednesday, June 17, 2026Today 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…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: Local drowning deaths highlight dangers in ordinary things
The Ship Report, Tuesday, June 16, 2026Two local people drowned this weekend, one on the Willamette River, and one on the Columbia. Today we’ll talk about…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: Ocean sensors slated for removal this week off Newport and Grays Harbor
The Ship Report: Monday, June 15, 2026Today we'll talk about the removal of National Science Foundation Pacific ocean data sensors off the coast of Oregon and…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: Warm weather coming, but cold water remains
The Ship Report, Thursday, June 11, 2026Today we'll take a look at our glorious weather forecast with a caveat: the water in the ocean and our rivers is about…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: Cruise ship aids injured mariner through the AMVER rescue system
The Ship Report, Wednesday, June 10, 2026Today we'll talk about a wonderful worldwide network, called AMVER(Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue)…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report: It's a Pacific Northwest kind of week: rain, ships and fog horns
The Ship Report, Tuesday, June 9, 2026Today we'll talk about (and hear) some of the most familiar things we experience here on the river: rain, ships and fog…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: Rose Festival Finale as ships depart Portland
The Ship Report, Monday, June 8, 2026Today we'll talk about the Rose Festival Fleet ships leaving the seawall in Portland, where they spent the weekend giving…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Fleet Week Thursday
The Ship Report, Thursday, June 4, 2026Fleet Week Thursday: Tours begin on Rose Festival Ships in PortlandOne final wrap up today on the Rose Festival Fleet…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: Fleet Week Wednesday
The Ship Report, Wednesday, June 3, 2026Fleet Week Wednesday – Rose Festival Fleet Week ships arrive in PortlandAll of the ships arriving from offshore heading…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: Rose Festival Fleet Week Tuesday
The Ship Report, Tuesday, June 2, 2026Fleet Week TuesdayShips are starting to arrive in the river for the Portland Rose Festival; they’re the part of the…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report: Rose Festival Fleet week Monday
The Ship Report, Monday, June 1, 2026It’s Rose Festival Fleet week on the ColumbiaThis week we’ll begin seeing ships arriving to head to Portland for the Rose…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report: a look at patterns in our ships and ports
Thursday, May 28, 2026We see a lot of the same kinds of ships here, going to a set series of places. Today we'll talk about the different kinds of ships, and…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report: Astoria honors lost mariners on Memorial Day
Wednesday, May 27, 2026Astoria honors lost mariners in annual waterfront memorial day ceremonyToday we’ll take a look at a memorial day commemoration that…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Wednesday, May 20, 2026
A look at an unusual vessel anchored off Astoria, and strong ebb tides this weekOn Tuesday some observant folks noticed an unusual ship in Astoria's anchorage…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Sailboat racing on the ColumbiaToday we'll take a look at ship traffic and weather, and also at a seasonal tradition that started again this year a few weeks…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Monday, May 18, 2026
A deeper look at a familiar subject: maritime pilotsI talk a lot in general about maritime pilots on the show: they are so central to everything that happens…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Thursday, May 14, 2026
The Pacific NW Offshore race beginsThis morning, 50 boats will set off from the mouth of the Columbia River headed for Victoria, BC, participating in the 50th…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Wednesday, May 13, 2026
PNW Offshore Race starts Thursday, open house in Ilwaco todayToday from 11 to 2, you can stop by the Port of Ilwaco and see some of the 50 sailboats getting…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Ships can be a noisy environment for marinersToday we'll talk about workplace noise on ships and other commercial vessels. Noise and vibration are occupational…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Monday, May 11, 2026
As our spring weather forecast evolves, a look ahead at La Nino and El Nino in the PacificAccording to UW meteorologist Cliff Mass, we have some rain coming…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Thursday, May 7, 2026
June Gloom comes a bit early this yearToday we’ll take a look at a regular but not always welcome Pacific Northwest springtime phenomenon: The pervasive “June…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Wednesday, May 6, 2026
A bit about fog (and fog horns), a signature sight (and sound) of maritime communitiesWe hear fog horns quite often in the waters near Astoria and elsewhere on…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Tuesday, May 5, 2026
Another look at the deceptive conundrum of cold water and safetyWe live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Its beauty rivals any resort on the…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Monday, May 4, 2026
Pilot basics: a look at maritime pilots on the riverFor new folks in town, or listeners new to the show, here's a basic look at what's going on out there on…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Thursday, April 30, 2026
The lives of shipsWhen you see a ship passing on the river, whether inbound or outbound, what you are seeing is a brief snapshot in the long life of that…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Tides: how they're measured and why they happenTides play such a big role in our waters both on the ocean and the river. It's good to revisit some things about…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Cool spring conditions remind us of cold water dangersA reminder that we live in the Pacific Northwest, a beautiful place with cold waters and strong currents…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Monday, April 27, 2026
A look at how ships load and balance cargo, and why it's so importantCargo is loaded onto ships very deliberately and with a lot of calculation and…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Polar Star returns from AntarcticaI always like talking about this ship, because of her unique job and the role she plays in keeping people safe in a…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Monday, April 20, 2026
Weather and some ship talkToday we talk about the weather - always a fascinating topic in our coastal region. And some interesting details about today's…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Thursday, April 16, 2026
Norwegian Jade in town, and a look at tides and shipsA few things today: a closer look at our cruise ship du jour in Astoria, a look at ships coming and going…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Second cruise ship of the season comes to Astoria ThursdayThe second cruise ship of the season comes to Astoria on Thursday, and it's a good opportunity to…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Cold weather on the wayWe have an unusual spring snow storm on the way in the Cascades starting today, and colder than usual weather for the coast too. We'll…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Monday, April 13, 2026
The shipyard at Swan IslandSo many times over the years I have said on this show that a ship is headed for "the shipyard at Swan Island."Today we'll take a…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Thursday, April 9, 2026
First cruise ship for the Astoria seasonToday the Nieuw Amsterdam, a 1000-foot long cruise ship arriving from San Diego, is the first blue water cruise ship to…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Of ebb tides and west windsToday we'll talk about a common occurrence on the river that can affect sea state and make it more turbulent to be out there in a…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Tuesday, April 7, 2026
What does it mean to decommission a ship?Today we'll talk about the fate of decommissioned ships. We have one on the river now, the USNS Watkins, which arrived…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Monday, April 6, 2026
USNS Watkins, a Military Sealift Command ship, enters the river MondayNote: I'm publishing this podcast a day early because this ship will be arriving in the…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Thursday, April 2, 2026
Mariners keep working even in bad weatherYesterday we had some squalls blow through our area, bringing with them heavy rain, wind and fog. While we on land…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Who's on the river today, a bit about arriving weather, and scrap metal on the Columbia and where it goesToday we'll look at a variety of things: weather, ship…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Where exactly is the Columbia River Bar?Most locals, if asked this question, could tell you that the Columbia River Bar is where the river meets the ocean. But…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Monday, March 30, 2026
What does it mean when the weather is "blowing a gale"? A look at the Beaufort Wind ScaleToday in honor of our marine weather forecast, which suggests strongly…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Thursday, March 26, 2026
Marine weather forecasts, explained (a little)I got a listener question about marine weather forecasts and why they specify the number of miles offshore the…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Wednesday, March 25, 2026
History and Hops - a Ship Report talk in Seaside on ThursdayTomorrow I'll be giving a talk at the Seaside Brewing Co. at 851 Broadway in Seaside at 6 pm. I'll…
The Ship Reporthe Ship Report, Tuesday, March 24, 2026
As the days grow longer - a look at the equinox and what it meansLast Friday was the spring equinox, and it's evident that days are indeed getting longer…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Monday , M arch 23, 2026
"Don't Let the Cat Out of the Bag" - a nautical talk about maritime lore and superstitionToday's show is all about an upcoming talk at Astoria's Columbia River…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Thursday, March 19, 2026
The Mercy arrives Thursday morningNote: I’m posting this the night before (Wednesday evening even though it’s Thursday’s podcast), so that early birds can have…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Wednesday, March 18, 2026
A look at the US Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy, arriving in the river Thursday morningA look at the USNS Mercy, the US Navy hospital ship that is arriving on…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Monday, March 16, 2026
How ships make their way in the darkToday I'll answer a listener question about why ships seem to have so few lights on, on the exterior of the ship, when they…
The Ship ReportThe Ship Report, Thursday, March 12, 2026
A look at weather and ships, as we shoulder another atmospheric riverA few basics about what happens at sea and on the river when the weather gets problematic…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Wednesday, March 11, 2026
How do ships choose what speed to travel in the river?This may seem like an obvious question (they slow down), but the answer is actually quite complex. Today…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Cold front could bring low land snow, galesWe're looking at an unusual cold weather event through today, with cold air coming down from Alaska. That could…
- The Ship Report
The Ship Report, Monday, March 9, 2026
Honoring Coast Guard rescue swimmer Tyler JaggersIn a tragic follow up to last Thursday's show, we'll talk about the passing of Tyler Jaggers, the US Coast…