Categories
-
Recent Posts
Author Archives: seamarsh
Mystery of the Oregon Coast’s 1693 “Beeswax” Wreck Finally Solved? No one believed Craig Andes when he said he found pieces of a shipwreck that resisted discovery for centuries in sea caves north of Manzanita on the north Oregon coast. … Continue reading
Posted in Nautical History
Tagged beeswax wreck, nautical archaeology, oregon shipwrecks
Leave a comment
Sinking of Russian WWII Cargo Ship in Portland
There are many books devoted entirely to shipwrecks on the NW coast of the USA, especially at the notorious Columbia River Bar with all the drama of the big waves, sand bars, rocks and loss of life. But 100 miles … Continue reading
The Long Life of the 1896 Battleship USS Oregon
With its incredible World War II production record, any visitor to Portland could be forgiven for thinking the city’s waterfront would be dotted with memorials to the seven World War II shipyards. Sadly, they would find that there is absolutely … Continue reading
Polar Research Schooner Tara Visits Astoria
It was back in July 2018 in the heart of the summer on the lower Columbia River when I spotted a big schooner-rigged sailing vessel at the East Mooring Basin in Astoria. From a distance, I could see it was … Continue reading
Posted in Marine Science and Education, Sailing Ships, Worth Reading
Tagged icebreaking schooner, tara
Leave a comment
Solo Canoeist Neal Moore Crosses America
On March 1, 2019– the day after the splendidly rowdy and irreverent Fisher Poets Gathering brought a hundred or so characters to the Hanthorn Cannery Museum in Astoria–another story teller showed up at the museum on Pier 39 at the … Continue reading
Posted in NW boats and boaters, Sailors & Yachts, Worth Reading
Tagged little wake, neal moore
Leave a comment
2021–Diversified’s Ninth RApport Tug for Brusco
The Pacific Northwest has been the center for tug construction on the west coast for at least the last 40 years, during which the azimuthing stern drive (ASD) and the use of computer-aided lofting and cutting have revolutionized the way … Continue reading
Posted in Commercial craft, Shipyards
Tagged ASD tug, Brusco Tug, Cates Tug, Robert Allan
Leave a comment
When Slo-mo-shun Set the World Record in Seattle!
There’s not a week goes by these days without someone on some kind of a boat trying to set a record for speed or distance. They may using human/wind/motor/solar power, or trying some novelty event like “largest boat tie-up.” That’s … Continue reading
Posted in NW boats and boaters, Ocean Racing & Records
Tagged seattle, Slo-mo-shun, world water speed record
Leave a comment
Wrecks of the Oregon Coast–Emily Reed to New Carissa
The remains of the sailing ship Peter Iredale at the northwest tip of Oregon are well-known as the most visited wreck on the West Coast. But for hardcore shipwreck fans, the real achievement is to see one of the unpredictable … Continue reading
Posted in Commercial craft, Nautical History, Sailing Ships
Tagged cannons found on on coast, Emily G. Reed, New Carissa, USS Shark
1 Comment
Monsieur Fresnel’s Brilliant Invention
At the mouth of the Columbia River and along the coast of Oregon, there are many lighthouses built on prominent headlands in the late 1800s by the former US Lighthouse Board. These historic buildings not only command fabulous views, but also … Continue reading