Ships on the Columbia River in 1994

These pictures were taken from Rainier, Oregon, in June of 1994. I don't have much to say about them as I can't positively identify most of the ships due to my cheap camera's inability to focus on them, but I am presenting them for completion.

The first ship is a United States Navy ship. It is hard to tell from the picture, but based on its size, I think it might be an Agile-class minesweeper. It was returning from a visit to Portland for the Rose Festival.

I can't identify this vessel, but I think it is part of the US Navy's Military Sealift Command fleet. Based on the cranes on the long, flat fantail, I think this might be a support vessel for submersibles. It was returning from a visit to Portland for the Rose Festival.

This vessel I am fairly confident is the United States Army Corps of Engineers dredge Yaquina. As a relatively common sight on the Columbia River, I am not sure if the Yaquina was visiting the Rose Festival, or just happened to be passing by.

In the foreground is a United States Coast Guard cutter that appears to be a 180-foot seagoing buoy tender, though I have no idea which one. In the background, being guided by a local tugboat, is a United States Navy ship that appears to be a Spruance-class guided missile cruiser. They were both returning from a visit to Portland for the Rose Festival.

There are no ships in this picture, just the Columbia River and the Longview Fibre paper mill in Longview, Washington, on the other side.

Here is a cargo ship that was more typical of the normal traffic on the Columbia River.

2009 Rose Festival Fleet: Other Boats

I originally posted this on my old website on June 22, 2009.

Coast Guard Auxiliary in Portland, Oregon on June 7, 2009

This boat was serving as a patrol boat for the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Continue to Grand Floral Parade Floats…

2009 Rose Festival Fleet: USCGC Fir (WLB-213) & USCGC Tern (WPB-87343)

I originally posted this on my old website on June 22, 2009.

USCGC Fir & USCGC Tern in Portland, Oregon

The Fir is a Juniper-class 225-foot seagoing buoy tender. It was built by the Marinette Marine Corporation of Marinette, Wisconsin and was commissioned on November 8, 2003. It has a top speed of 17.5 knots, a crew complement of 53 and is based out of Astoria, Oregon.

USCGC Fir & USCGC Tern in Portland, Oregon

The Fir is responsible for 150 aids to navigation from the Oregon-California border to the Canadian border.

USCGC Fir & USCGC Tern in Portland, Oregon

The Fir is named after a predecessor Coast Guard cutter Fir that was built in 1939 to resupply lighthouses and lightships and service buoys and served for over fifty years until its retirement in 1991 and is now a National Historic Landmark.

USCGC Fir & USCGC Tern in Portland, Oregon

For more information visit the official website of the Fir.

USCGC Tern in Portland, Oregon

The Tern is a Marine Protector-class 87-foot coastal patrol boat. It is based out of San Francisco, California. The Tern has a top speed of 25 knots with a maximum range of 560 nautical miles at 14 knots and carries a crew of 10. The Tern is equipped with a stern-launched 17-foot Zodiac Hurricane Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) with a Hamilton jet drive.

Continue to Sternwheeler Portland…

2009 Rose Festival Fleet: USCGC Henry Blake (WLM-563) & USCGC Bluebell (WLI-313)

I originally posted this on my old website on June 22, 2009.

USCGC Henry Blake & USCGC Bluebell in Portland, Oregon

The Henry Blake is the 13th of 14 Keeper-class 175-foot coastal buoy tenders. It was built by the Marinette Marine Corporation of Marinette, Wisconsin and was commissioned on October 27, 2000. It has a top speed of 12 knots, a crew complement of 28 and is based out of Everett, Washington. The Henry Blake is named after the first keeper of the New Dungeness Lighthouse, which was the first lighthouse in the Strait of Juan de Fuca when first lit on December 14, 1857.

For more information, visit the official website of the Henry Blake.

USCGC Henry Blake & USCGC Bluebell in Portland, Oregon

The Bluebell is one of two 100-foot inland buoy tenders in service. It was built by the Birchfield Boiler Company of Tacoma, Washington and was commissioned on April 4, 1945 The Bluebell is based out of Portland, Oregon. With its crew of 20, it is responsible for maintaining buoys and other navigational aids in the Columbia, Willamette and Snake rivers.

For more information, visit the official website of the Bluebell.

Continue to USCGC Fir (WLB-213) & USCGC Tern (WPB-87343)…

2009 Rose Festival

I originally posted this on my old website on June 22, 2009.

(NOTE: This website is NOT affiliated with the Rose Festival; see www.rosefestival.org for current info)

Rose Festival Fleet in Portland, Oregon on June 7, 2009

The next few posts feature pictures of the ships of Portland's 2009 Rose Festival Fleet, and the floats of the 2009 Grand Floral Parade, on display on the Portland Waterfront.

Rose Festival Fleet in Portland, Oregon on June 7, 2009

It was kind of a small fleet as only one US Navy ship visited, however Portland was one of only four US ports to get a courtesy visit from a Navy ship in 2009, so it was an honor to get even one ship. In addition, three Canadian Navy ships and several US Coast Guard cutters also attended. The ships were open for tours in Portland from June 3-7, and departed on the 8th.

USS Shoup (DDG-86)
HMCS Algonquin (DDG 283)
HMCS Nanaimo (MM 702) & HMCS Whitehorse (MM 705)
USCGC Henry Blake (WLM-563) & USCGC Bluebell (WLI-313)
USCGC Fir (WLB-213) & USCGC Tern (WPB-87343)
Sternwheeler Portland
PT-658
Other Boats
Grand Floral Parade Floats

Rose Festival Fleet in Portland, Oregon on June 7, 2009

2009 Rose Festival Links:
Rose Festival
United States Navy
USS Shoup
Canadian Navy
HMCS Algonquin
United States Coast Guard
USCGC Henry Blake
USCGC Bluebell
USCGC Fir
Oregon Maritime Center & Museum
Save the PT Boat, Inc.

Continue to USS Shoup (DDG-86)…

2008 Rose Festival: Other Boats

PBR Mark II River Patrol Boat on June 8, 2008

This PBR Mark II River Patrol Boat was displayed by the Gamewardens of Vietnam, Inc. Northwest Chapter as part of the Rose Festival Fleet.

PBR Mark II River Patrol Boat on June 8, 2008

It was built in June 1973 by United Boat Builders, Inc. of Bellingham, Washington. PBRs like this one were used in Vietnam through 1971.

M60 Machine Gun on PBR Mark II River Patrol Boat

The PBR is 32 feet long had a crew of four, and carried twin .50 caliber machine guns in front, a single M60 machine gun aft and a grenade launcher. (To compare, a Swift Boat is 50 feet long with a crew of six.)

Vessel Assist Boat on June 8, 2008

Vessel Assist boat in the Willamette River.

Fireboat George H. Williams on June 8, 2008

Portland Fire Bureau Fireboat George H. Williams in the Willamette River

Defender-class Response Boat #25769 on June 8, 2008

United States Coast Guard Defender-class Response Boat #24169 on patrol.

Defender-class Response Boat #25769 on June 8, 2008

Continue to Grand Floral Parade Floats…

2008 Rose Festival: Coast Guard Cutters

These United States Coast Guard Cutters were open for tours in Portland, Oregon, from June 4-8, 2008 as part of the Rose Festival Fleet, and left on the 9th. The pictures on this page were taken on June 8.

USCGC Henry Blake (WLM-563)

USCGC Blackfin, USCGC Bluebell & USCGC Henry Blake

The Henry Blake is the 13th of 14 Keeper-class 175-foot coastal buoy tenders. It was built by the Marinette Marine Corporation of Marinette, Wisconsin and was commissioned on October 27, 2000. It has a top speed of 12 knots, a crew complement of 28 and is based out of Everett, Washington. The Henry Blake is named after the first keeper of the New Dungeness Lighthouse, which was the first lighthouse in the Strait of Juan de Fuca when first lit on December 14, 1857.

For more information, visit the official website of the Henry Blake.

USGCG Bluebell (WLI-313)

USCGC Blackfin, USCGC Bluebell & USCGC Henry Blake

The Bluebell is one of two 100-foot inland buoy tenders in service. It was built by the Birchfield Boiler Company of Tacoma, Washington and was commissioned on April 4, 1945 The Bluebell is based out of Portland, Oregon. With its crew of 20, it is responsible for maintaining buoys and other navigational aids in the Columbia, Willamette and Snake rivers.

For more information, visit the official website of the Bluebell.

USGCG Blackfin (WPB-87317)

USCGC Blackfin, USCGC Bluebell & USCGC Henry Blake

The Blackfin is a Marine Protector-class 87-foot coastal patrol boat. It is based out of Santa Barbara, California. The Blackfin has a top speed of 25 knots with a maximum range of 560 nautical miles at 14 knots and carries a crew of 10. The Blackfin is equipped with a stern-launched 17-foot Zodiac Hurricane Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) with a Hamilton jet drive.

USCGC Alert (WMEC-630)

USCGC Alert

The US Coast Guard Cutter Alert is a Reliance-class 210-foot Medium Endurance Cutter. It was built by the Bay Shipbuilding Company of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and was commissioned on August 4, 1969. It is based out of Astoria, Oregon, at the Columbia River Maritime Museum. The Alert has a crew complement of 75, is powered by two 2,550 horsepower Alco diesel engines, has a top speed of 18 knots with a maximum range of 6,100 nautical miles at 14 knots and is capable of carrying an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter.

For more information, visit the official website of the Alert.

Continue to Sternwheeler Portland…

2007 Rose Festival Fleet: USCGC Active (WMEC-618)

USCGC Active

The US Coast Guard Cutter Active is a Reliance-class 210-foot Medium Endurance Cutter. It was built by the Bay Shipbuilding Company of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and was commissioned on September 1, 1966. It is based out of Port Angeles, Washington. The Active has a crew complement of 75, is powered by two 2,550 horsepower Alco diesel engines, has a top speed of 18 knots with a maximum range of 6,100 nautical miles at 14 knots and is capable of carrying an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter.

USCGC Active

For more information, visit the official website of the Active.

USCGC Active

The Active is a sister ship to the Alert, which is based at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon and can be toured on weekends.

USCGC Active

Continue to Sternwheeler Portland…

2007 Rose Festival Fleet: USCGC Henry Blake (WLM-563) & USCGC Sockeye (WPB-87337)

USCGC Henry Blake & USCGC Sockeye

The Henry Blake is the 13th of 14 Keeper-class 175-foot coastal buoy tenders. It was built by the Marinette Marine Corporation of Marinette, Wisconsin and was commissioned on October 27, 2000. It has a top speed of 12 knots, a crew complement of 28 and is based out of Everett, Washington.

USCGC Henry Blake & USCGC Sockeye

The Henry Blake is named after the first keeper of the New Dungeness Lighthouse, which was the first lighthouse in the Strait of Juan de Fuca when first lit on December 14, 1857.

USCGC Henry Blake & USCGC Sockeye

For more information, visit the official website of the Henry Blake.

USCGC Henry Blake & USCGC Sockeye

The Sockeye is a Marine Protector-class 87-foot coastal patrol boat. It was built by Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, Louisiana and was commissioned in 2001. It is based out of Bodega Bay, California.

USCGC Henry Blake & USCGC Sockeye

The Sockeye has a top speed of 25 knots with a maximum range of 560 nautical miles at 14 knots and carries a crew of 10. The Sockeye is equipped with a stern-launched 17-foot Zodiac Hurricane Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) with a Hamilton jet drive.

USCGC Henry Blake & USCGC Sockeye

For more information, visit the official website of the Sockeye.

USCGC Henry Blake & USCGC Sockeye

Continue to USCGC Active (WMEC-618)…

Coast Guard Cutter Alert

Coast Guard Cutter Alert at the Columbia River Maritime Museum.

The United States Coast Guard cutter Alert, WMEC 630, isn't really a part of the museum; it's still an active Coast Guard cutter, based in Astoria, Oregon, assigned to cover the North Pacific from Alaska to Central America and Hawaii enforcing fishing, immigration and contraband regulations. However, when not on duty at sea, the Alert is docked at the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, where it sometimes is open for tours for museum visitors. The Alert is the last 210-foot Medium Endurance Cutter built by the Coast Guard.  It was built at the Coast Guard shipyard at Curtis Bay, Maryland and commissioned August 4, 1969. The Alert was modernized in 1993. The Alert has a crew of 75, is powered by two 2,500 horsepower engines, has a top speed of 18 knots, a range of 5000 miles at 15 knots and an endurance of 30 days. The Alert is also capable of carrying an HH65A Dolphin helicopter. The Alert's sister ship Steadfast is also based out of Astoria.

This concludes the original content of my Astoria PLACES page. To see any additional blog entries about Astoria, click on the Astoria label.