Posted on Nov 3, 2023
Life aboard the boat that keeps the ‘Graveyard of the Pacific’ clear and Oregon’s economy moving
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Simply getting aboard the Essayons is a hairy proposition this time of year.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge ship stretches the length of a football field and surges through the surf. To reach it, a motor launch pulls alongside, matching the Essayons’ speed, and two enormous hooks are attached. Then the whole launch — passengers included — is hoisted up and out of the water.
“In the unlikely event someone falls into the water, if you see it, you shout: ‘Man overboard!’ and point,” the safety instructions flash back to mind.
Ocean-going transportation is key to Oregon’s economy. For bulk products like wheat and cars, there is no more efficient way to get goods to market. Last year, $22 billion worth of cargo was shipped through Pacific Northwest waterways.
But sand silts up many rivers, including the Columbia, making them dangerous to navigate. That’s where the Essayons comes in, dredging up sand to maintain a 43-foot-deep navigation channel. During this time of the year, it’s working along the Columbia River Bar, a treacherous stretch at the mouth of the river known as the “Graveyard of the Pacific.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge ship stretches the length of a football field and surges through the surf. To reach it, a motor launch pulls alongside, matching the Essayons’ speed, and two enormous hooks are attached. Then the whole launch — passengers included — is hoisted up and out of the water.
“In the unlikely event someone falls into the water, if you see it, you shout: ‘Man overboard!’ and point,” the safety instructions flash back to mind.
Ocean-going transportation is key to Oregon’s economy. For bulk products like wheat and cars, there is no more efficient way to get goods to market. Last year, $22 billion worth of cargo was shipped through Pacific Northwest waterways.
But sand silts up many rivers, including the Columbia, making them dangerous to navigate. That’s where the Essayons comes in, dredging up sand to maintain a 43-foot-deep navigation channel. During this time of the year, it’s working along the Columbia River Bar, a treacherous stretch at the mouth of the river known as the “Graveyard of the Pacific.”
Life aboard the boat that keeps the ‘Graveyard of the Pacific’ clear and Oregon’s economy moving
Posted from opb.org
Posted 7 mo ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Some 2,000 vessels have met their demise here, where the river meets the ocean.
The problem is the mixture of bad weather, complex ocean currents, large volumes of water flowing out the Columbia River and massive Pacific Ocean waves that have been building momentum for 3,000 miles.
“It gets dangerous, especially when the tide gets low,” said Steven VanHorn, a second mate on the Essayons.
From the bridge, seven stories above the water, he’s surrounded by maps, compasses and computers. It’s his job to control two enormous dredge arms that hang over the sides of the ship.
The arms drag along the ocean floor, sucking up sand like two enormous vacuum cleaners. They empty into cavernous holds on the vessel causing the whole ship to gradually — and rather ominously — sink toward the waterline as it fills.
The Essayons heads to the Columbia Bar during the fall because the weather is comparatively calm, and the crew is less likely to disturb migrating salmon as they work.
But right about now, the winter storms start rolling in.
“One of the main rules of dredging is you always have to be making headway,” VanHorn said. “If you go backwards, you could break a drag arm. And when those swells get big enough, sometimes you go up a swell and come back down the other side. That will make you slide backwards.”
When that happens at full power, it’s time to pack up for the year."...
..."Some 2,000 vessels have met their demise here, where the river meets the ocean.
The problem is the mixture of bad weather, complex ocean currents, large volumes of water flowing out the Columbia River and massive Pacific Ocean waves that have been building momentum for 3,000 miles.
“It gets dangerous, especially when the tide gets low,” said Steven VanHorn, a second mate on the Essayons.
From the bridge, seven stories above the water, he’s surrounded by maps, compasses and computers. It’s his job to control two enormous dredge arms that hang over the sides of the ship.
The arms drag along the ocean floor, sucking up sand like two enormous vacuum cleaners. They empty into cavernous holds on the vessel causing the whole ship to gradually — and rather ominously — sink toward the waterline as it fills.
The Essayons heads to the Columbia Bar during the fall because the weather is comparatively calm, and the crew is less likely to disturb migrating salmon as they work.
But right about now, the winter storms start rolling in.
“One of the main rules of dredging is you always have to be making headway,” VanHorn said. “If you go backwards, you could break a drag arm. And when those swells get big enough, sometimes you go up a swell and come back down the other side. That will make you slide backwards.”
When that happens at full power, it’s time to pack up for the year."...
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