Author: seamarsh

Cleveland Rockwell–NW Coast Surveyor & Artist

Cleveland Rockwell had a successful 19th-century career in the military and the federal Coastal Survey. Educated as a cartographer and mechanical engineer, Rockwell started his professional life with the U.S. Coastal Survey, collecting survey data and drawing maps. In 1861, he was working on surveys along the South Carolina and Georgia coasts when the projects… Continue reading Cleveland Rockwell–NW Coast Surveyor & Artist

In 1958, a 1700′ Tsunami Hit Lituya Bay, Alaska

When I moved to Astoria almost a decade ago, I began to enjoy the pleasures of living on the edge of the continent, like the short trip to the beach, and the ever-changing weather. But when I attended a community meeting arranged by the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, I encountered a less… Continue reading In 1958, a 1700′ Tsunami Hit Lituya Bay, Alaska

Botterjacht Groote Beer’s Nazi Past All a Fraud

Back in the 1990’s, I wrote what I assumed would be the final American story about the Groote Beer, the 52′ Dutch botterjacht that had spent many years on the west coast, especially on the Columbia River in the 1950s–when it had actually raced to Hawaii–and again in the 1990s–when it returned here and became… Continue reading Botterjacht Groote Beer’s Nazi Past All a Fraud

Fred Wahl Opens New Yard on 38 Acre Island

Bolon Island Move “We’ve really outgrown the old boatyard. Having just one ways really slows us down,” stated Fred’s son Mike Wahl. “On the new property we will be able to haul a large number of boats and move them under cover for painting, major repairs, sponsons, mid-bodies, or deck modifications,” he explained. The Bolon… Continue reading Fred Wahl Opens New Yard on 38 Acre Island

US Coast Guard 1934 Wooden MLB

Restoration of Wooden Lifeboat Is One Man’s Dream The Port of Astoria’s haul-out yard may not sound like a great place to find a boating story, but there is always a variety of working boats and yachts on the hard–and the chance there might be a story worth re-telling. For the 15 years I have… Continue reading US Coast Guard 1934 Wooden MLB

Death of the Antarctic Ship Hero

How a Notable  Vessel Met Its End on Willapa Bay Fifty years ago, the 125′ X 30′ expedition ship Hero was taking shape at the Harvey Gamage Boatyard in Maine. Designed by Potter & M’Arthur, Inc., naval architects of Boston, Massachusetts and based on a traditional fishing trawler, it was the last wooden vessel built… Continue reading Death of the Antarctic Ship Hero

Ice Bird, Hero, Calypso at Palmer in 1972

Three remarkable craft made an unplanned rendezvous on the Antarctica Peninsula at Palmer Station in the summer of 1972.  The 125′ American research vessel Hero and the 154′ ex-WW II minesweeper Calypso were both traditional wooden vessels while the  32′ steel sloop Ice Bird was the first small sailing yacht to visit the frozen continent. Their… Continue reading Ice Bird, Hero, Calypso at Palmer in 1972

Shipping Sees New Use for Ammonia Tanker Barge

In 2015, Vigor, the Pacific Northwest’s biggest shipbuilder, launched the Harvest, the first liquefied ammonia barge built in the U.S. since 1982. It was built for the Mosaic Co. of Minnesota, a leading producer of concentrated phosphate and potash fertilizers, and will be operated as an ATB in the Gulf by a subsidiary of the… Continue reading Shipping Sees New Use for Ammonia Tanker Barge

Caden Foss: 110′ Multi-Purpose Tier 4 Tug

The Pacific Northwest has been at the forefront of North American tug design since the 1980’s, and has brought many innovations to both ship-handling and long-haul tugs. Over the years, a handful of boats have attempted to combine both these functions in one hull, but the goal of a truly “multi-purpose tug” has remained elusive.… Continue reading Caden Foss: 110′ Multi-Purpose Tier 4 Tug