Category: Nautical History

Drake in Oregon? The Mystery Continues……

 Hardly a year goes by without a reconstruction of a historic sailing ship visiting the Columbia River. The Lady Washington is a frequent visitor, but I can also recall going on board Captain Cook’s Endeavour, and even meeting Captain Bligh on HMS Bounty–they all explored the pacific Ocean in the 1700s. Each ship was rigged… Continue reading Drake in Oregon? The Mystery Continues……

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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. But Andes, a commercial fisherman based in Tillamook County and an avid beachcomber, persisted. Samples… Continue reading Untitled

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 inland, maritime casualties around Portland typically lacked those hazards and were more likely to be… Continue reading Sinking of Russian WWII Cargo Ship in Portland

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 nothing to mark to the region’s huge contribution to the war effort. In fact, the… Continue reading The Long Life of the 1896 Battleship USS Oregon

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 “disappearing” wrecks of the Pacific Northwest. This demands great patience, low tides, and a great… Continue reading Wrecks of the Oregon Coast–Emily Reed to New Carissa

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 represent a classic period of American architecture. After installing modern automated beacons on steel lattice… Continue reading Monsieur Fresnel’s Brilliant Invention

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

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