Spirit of Discovery

Photo by Cliff West

The Spirit of Discovery was originally built in 1976 by Eastern Marine Shipbuilding at Boothbay Harbor, Maine, as the Independence for American Cruise Line. In 1985 it was sold to Great Pacific Cruise Lines and renamed Columbia. It was acquired by Cruise West which renamed it Spirit of Discovery and used it to become the first operator of scheduled overnight cruises on the Columbia River. 

Photo by Cliff West

The Spirit of Discovery is 166 feet long, carries 84 guests, and has a cruising speed of 12 knots. My dad, Cliff West, photographed it on the Columbia River at Rainier, Oregon, in April 2007.

M/V Zhen Hua 1 with Port of Portland Crane

Photo by Cliff West

My dad, Cliff West, photographed the heavy load carrier M/V Zhen Hua 1 on the Columbia River at Rainier, Oregon, on April 28, 2006, carrying a new gantry crane bound for the Port of Portland.

Photo by Cliff West

This ship was originally built by the Nippon Kokan Tsurumi Works in Yokohama, Japan, in December 1976 as a K-Line bulk carrier called the Titan. In 1988 or 1989 it was sold to Crescent Shipping Ltd. and was renamed the Rudy G. In October 1991 it was sold to Andreas Ugland Car Carrier and renamed Rudi. In October 1993 it was purchased by Greece-based Global Ocean Carriers and renamed Global Adelaide. In December 1998 it was sold to Entrust Maritime Co. Ltd. and renamed Kyrenia. In 2000 it was rebuilt into the heavy load carrier Zhen Hua 1 for Shanghai Zhenhua Shipping Company. The Zhen Hua 1 is 233.6 meters long overall, with a beam of 32.24 meters and a draft of 9 meters. It has a gross tonnage of 29,300 tons and a deadweight tonnage of 72,399 tons.

Photo by Cliff West

On April 2, 2006, the Zhen Hua 1 arrived at the Port of Seattle carrying five gantry cranes built by Zhenhua Port Machinery Company Limited, which was founded in 1885 as Gongmao Shipyard. Four of the 1,200-ton cranes were unloaded at the Port of Seattle’s Terminal 18, with the fifth bound for the Port of Portland’s Terminal 6. The ship waited in Seattle’s Elliott Bay until the water levels of the Columbia River were low enough for the crane to clear the Lewis & Clark Bridge between Longview, Washington, and Rainier, Oregon. Because the 412-foot width of the crane exceeded the beam of the ship by 95 feet on the port side and 193 feet on the starboard side, the United States Coast Guard established a Safety Zone of a 100 yard radius around the ship. The maximum height of the crane aboard the ship would exceed 225 feet.

Photo by Cliff West

On April 27, 2006, the Zhen Hua 1 crossed the Columbia River bar at Astoria, Oregon, and passed under the Astoria-Megler Bridge at low water with a minus tide of one foot. The crane was measured at 192 feet high aboard the ballasted ship, and the clearance under the bridge was measured at 207 feet. The ship proceeded up the Columbia River to anchor for the night at Longview, Washington.

Photo by Cliff West

The next day, the Zhen Hua 1 was ballasted to a draft of 40 feet, the depth of the Columbia River shipping channel, leaving approximately two feet of freeboard. The clearance under the Lewis & Clark Bridge was measured at 195 feet. The ship passed under the bridge at half a knot with clearance of seven feet. A crewmember standing on top of the crane reportedly reached up and touched the bridge.

Photo by Cliff West

The gantry crane was bound for the container terminal at the Port of Portland’s Terminal 6 to replace a smaller crane. The new post-Panamax crane had a capacity of 60 long tons and a reach of 169 feet. It was the third of its class at Terminal 6, and cost $7.5 million.

Photo by Cliff West

The passage of this crane was a major local news event, with a news helicopter overhead that appears to be KATU’s Chopper 2.

Mt. St. Helens Ash Plumes & Eclipse in October 2004

Over several days in early October 2004, Mount Saint Helens released several plumes of steam and ash.

These pictures were taken from Rainier, Oregon, looking across the Columbia River.

While I was taking pictures of the ash plume, a car carrier came by heading down the Columbia River.

Texas Highway is a car carrier operated by K-Line. It was built in 2003.

On October 27-28, 2004, a total lunar eclipse occurred, giving the moon a slightly reddish hue.

Here are some pictures of another ash plume. I am not sure if this was still in October 2004, but it was definitely by May 2005. This might be March 8, 2005.

Below are some more pictures of an ash plume taken by my dad, Cliff West, sometime between October 2004 and May 2005. Judging from the trees it was during the winter. I am not sure if this is the same plume as above from March 8, 2005, but it might be.

Photo by Cliff West

Photo by Cliff West

Photo by Cliff West

USNS Pecos at Rainier, Oregon, in Spring of 2004

Photo by Cliff West

The USNS Pecos T-AO-197 is the 11th member of the Henry J. Kaiser class of underway replenishment oilers operated by Military Sealift Command to support U.S. Navy ships. It is the third ship to be named after the Pecos River in New Mexico and Texas. The Pecos was built at Avondale Shipyard, Inc. in New Orleans, Louisiana, laid down on February 17, 1988, launched on September 23, 1989, and entered service on July 6, 1990. It is 677 feet long, 97 feet 5 inches wide, and has a maximum draft of 35 feet. It has a light displacement of 9,500 tons and can carry 31,200 tons, with a capacity of 178,000 to 180,000 barrels of fuel oil and jet fuel and 7,400 square feet of cargo space, and eight 20’ refrigerated containers with room for 128 pallets. Powered by two medium-speed Colt-Pielstick PC4-2/2 10V-570 engines driving two controllable-pitch propellers, it can reach a speed of 20 knots. It carries a crew complement of about 88, primarily civilian officers and merchant mariners. It is shown here on the Columbia River at Rainier, Oregon, in the Spring of 2004.

Ship on the Columbia River at Rainier, Oregon in Fall 2003

 

Photo by Cliff West

Here are some pictures of a ship on the Columbia River at Rainier, Oregon in the fall of 2003. They were taken by my dad, Cliff West. I can't make out the name of the ship.

Photo by Cliff West

Photo by Cliff West

R/V Sonne at Rainier, Oregon, in Summer 2002

Photo by Cliff West

The RV Sonne was a German geoscience research vessel originally built by Rickmers Werft in Bremerhaven, laid down in August 1968 and completed in 1969 for Hochseefischeri Nordstern AG as a fishing trawler and was used in the North Atlantic. It was converted to a scientific research vessel by Schichau Unterweser AG in 1977 and Rickmers Werft 1978. It was lengthened and modernized by Schichau-Seebeck-Werft in 1991.

Photo by Cliff West

Operated by RF Forschungsschiffahrt GmbH, it carried a crew of 25 plus 25 scientists. It is 320 feet, 2 inches long and 46 feet, 7 inches wide, with a draft of 22 feet, 4 inches and a displacement of 4,952 metric tons. It is powered by three 1,600-kilowatt diesel-generators and two 1,150-kilowatt electric engines and can reach a speed of 12 knots. It is shown here on the Columbia River at Rainier, Oregon, in the summer of 2002.

Tyco Resolute at Rainier, Oregon, in Summer 2002

Photo by Cliff West

The Tyco Resolute is a cable laying ship that was built by Keppel Hitachi Zosen in Singapore in 2002 for Tyco Telecommunications as the third of six ships in the Reliance class. It was preceded by the Tyco Reliance and Tyco Responder in 2001 and followed by the Tyco Dependable later in 2002 and the Tyco Decisive and Tyco Durable in 2003. It is 139.1 meters long and 21 meters wide with a draft of 7.8 meters. It has a gross tonnage of 12,184 metric tons and dead weight tonnage of 9,200 metric tons. Powered by five main diesel engines, it features 360-degree maneuverability and a total of 9,800 kilowatts of thruster power from 2 fixed bow thrusters, 1 drop-down bow thruster, and two azimuthing stern thrusters. It can lay and repair underwater cable to a depth of three meters beneath the ocean floor and has a cable laying capacity of around 5,465.5 metric tons. It can cover a distance of over 25,000 nautical miles in 60 days of active operation. Along with the plows that allow the ship to carry out its cable laying operations, it also features a state-of-the-art duplex dynamic positioning system, a very-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) for marine wideband communication satellites, and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to aid in accurate cable laying operations. It is shown here on the Columbia River at Rainier, Oregon in the summer of 2002.

Queen of the West sternwheeler at Rainier, Oregon, in Summer 2002

Photo by Cliff West

The Queen of the West was built in 1995 by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland, Washington for the American West Steamboat Company for overnight river cruises on the Columbia and Snake rivers. It was the first overnight passenger sternwheeler to be built and operated in the West in 80 years. 

Photo by Cliff West

It is 232 feet long and 50 feet wide with draft of 7 feet. With two 1,750-horsepower MTU 12V396 diesel engines and two 500-kiliowatt auxiliary engines driving its 26-foot, three-story paddlewheel through a hydraulic propulsion system using biodegradable hydraulic oil, it has a average speed of 12 knots. It had four decks and could carry up to 167 passengers. A 45-foot bow ramp allows passenger to go ashore anywhere along the river. It is shown here on two different trips on the Columbia River at Rainier, Oregon in the summer of 2002.

Spirit of '98 at Rainier, Oregon in Summer 2002

Photo by Cliff West

The Spirit of ’98 was operated by Cruise West on cruises from Seattle to Juneau and Skagway and on the Columbia and Snake rivers. It was designed by marine architect John W. Gilbert and was originally built in 1985 by Bender Shipbuilding & Repair in Mobile, Alabama. It is 192 feet long and with 49 cabins can carry 96 passengers. With twin Caterpillar diesel engines it has a top speed of 15 knots, and its Victorian interiors came from Interior Design International of Seattle, Washington. It was launched in May 1985 as the Pilgrim Belle and was operated by Coastwise Cruise Lines based out of Hyannis on Cape Cod. After running aground a few months later, it was sold to Exploration Cruise Lines of Seattle to allow the company to expand to the East Coast, and was renamed Colonial Explorer. After Exploration Cruise Lines went bankrupt in November 1988, it was sold to St. Lawrence Cruise Lines and moved to Ontario, Canada to operate as the Victorian Empress. In 1993, it was purchased by Cruise West and became the Spirit of ’98, named in honor of the Klondike gold rush in the Yukon Territory. It is shown here on the Columbia River at Rainier, Oregon in the summer of 2002.

Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler in September 2001

Photo by Cliff West

The Columbia Gorge sternwheeler operates out of Marine Park in Cascade Locks, Oregon, offering riverboat cruises in the Columbia River Gorge. It was built by Nichols Boat Works in Hood River, Oregon, and was launched in 1983. The triple-deck sternwheeler is 119,9 feet long with a draft of 5 feet and a gross weight of 92 tons. With two Cummins diesel electric engines, it has a cruising speed of 9 knots. Its historic-looking interior and exterior features seating for 232 passengers for plated meals, and onboard galley, and two full-service bars. It is licensed to carry up to 599 people. It is shown here at its dock in Cascade Locks in September 2001.

Photo by Cliff West

Here is the captain of the Columbia Gorge sternwheeler visiting with passengers.

Photo by Cliff West

Here is a closeup of the Columbia Gorge sternwheeler's paddlewheel.

Photo by Cliff West

Here is the interior of the Columbia Gorge sternwheeler's dining room.

Photo by Cliff West

Here is a fishing boat viewed from the Columbia River sternwheeler.

Photo by Cliff West

Here is another view of fishing boats from the Columbia Gorge sternwheeler.

Photo by Cliff West

Here is a view from the Columbia Gorge sternwheeler of one of the fishing boats making a catch.

Photo by Cliff West

Here is a view of the Bridge of the Gods from the Columbia Gorge sternwheeler.

M/V Kennicott at Rainier, Oregon in October 1998

 
Photo by Cliff West

The M/V Kennicott is an ocean-going ferry of the Alaska Marine Highway System that was designed by the Halter Marine Group of Pascagoula, Mississippi, and Glosten Associates of Seattle, Washington, and was built by the Halter Marine Group in Gulfport, Mississippi, in 1998, and was delivered that summer, making a monthly voyage across the Gulf of Alaska from Juneau to Kodiak. It was the first ocean-going passenger vessel in the United States in over 20 years. It is named after Kennicott Glacier in the Wrangell Mountains of the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve near McCarthy, Alaska, and the historic ghost town of Kennecott, Alaska. The Kennicott is 382 feet long and 85 feet wide, with a draft of 18 feet. With a 12,350-horsepower diesel propulsion system, it can reach a top speed of 16.75 knots. It has nine decks, a hot-food cafeteria-style restaurant, a covered heated solarium, several observation lounges including a cocktail lounge and a movie lounge, a play area for children, a gift shop, showers, coin-operated lockers, 51 four-berth cabins and 58 two-berth cabins It also features an external vehicle elevator built into the superstructure, capable of loading and unloading at ports without roll-on ramps using ordinary docks, regardless of tide levels. Only one other ferry in the Alaska Marine Highway System fleet, the Tustumena, has such an elevator. The Kennicott can carry up to 748 passengers and up to 80 vehicles. It can also act as a mobile command and logistics center for emergency teams responding to oil spills or natural disasters. 

Photo by Cliff West

After its first summer season, the Kennicott was sent to Cascade General, Inc. in Portland, Oregon, for warranty work. Over five weeks in September and October, it was drydocked for hull inspection and repairs to the Gyro Fin Stabilizers and both tailshafts. It is pictured here on the Columbia River at Rainier, Oregon, in October 2002 on its way back to Alaska.

USNS Observation Island

The USNS Observation Island is a Missile Range Instrumentation Ship, used in the testing of U.S. missile systems, and to monitor other countries to ensure treaty compliance. It was originally launched in 1953 as the merchant ship Empire State Mariner and operated by the United States Lines for the Military Sea Transportation Service, before being transferred to the United States Navy for use in ballistic missile development in 1956 and renamed USS Observation Island, after an island in Florida's Lake Okeechobee. The Observation Island was the first naval ship to have a fully integrated Fleet Ballistic Missile System with the installation of the Polaris missile system in the late 1950s. Decommissioned by the U.S. Navy in 1972, the Observation Island was transferred to the Military Sealift Command in 1977 at the request of the United States Air Force Technical Applications Center for use as a tracking ship. Still owned by the U.S. Navy, its USNS prefix indicates that it is mostly crewed by civilians.

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.