Learn about Northwest salvage divers
Author Rebecca Harrison to speak at Cannon Beach Library
CANNON BEACH — Rebecca
Harrison, author of “Deep,
Dark and Dangerous: On the
Bottom with the Northwest
Salvage Divers,” will be the
next speaker at the Cannon
Beach Library’s Northwest
Author series at 2 p.m. Satur-
day, March 12.
Harrison’s book is focused
on the hard-hat salvage divers
from Oregon and Washington
who work underwater in tur-
bid darkness, attired in cum-
bersome diving gear. These
men have barely enough room
to move around while ¿ght-
ing the cold temperatures and
treacherous currents. It is a
dirty, unromantic and highly
dangerous way of earning a
living, yet these divers would
not trade their jobs for any oth-
er profession.
From locating sunken
boxcars to repairing concrete
foundations of bridges, no
task is too risky. Any under-
water salvage or repair work
NW Author Series
2 p.m. Saturday, March 12
Cannon Beach Library
131 N. Hemlock St., Cannon Beach
503-436-1391
Free
Submitted photo
“Deep, Dark and Dangerous: On the Bot-
tom with Northwest Salvage Divers” by
Rebecca Harrison.
becomes the job of these elite
divers — they are carpenters,
masons, riggers, hydraulic me-
chanics, ironworkers, welders,
pile bucks and underwater en-
gineers. They must be able to
adapt all blueprints, tools and
equipment to the harsh reali-
ties of the underwater environ-
ment.
Harrison was born and
raised in Oregon and has re-
cently moved to the Oregon
Coast. She spends time trav-
eling around the world writing
and working. She has recently
published a new book, “Port-
land’s Maritime History,”
from the Images of America
series. Harrison notes that
Portland was not only the site
of numerous marine terminals
along the Willamette and Co-
lumbia rivers, but was home
to a rich American maritime
history. Portland shipbuilding
started in 1840 with the con-
struction of the schooner Star
of Oregon. More than l00 years
later, three Portland shipyards
would build 621 ships for the
World War II effort.
In a soon-to-be-published
work, Harrison will take read-
ers back 150 years to ride the
grand Columbia and Willa-
mette rivers on sternwheel-
ers of the mid 1800s. The
book, “Aboard the Portland:
The History of Northwest
Steamships,” meticulously re-
searched, tells the exciting sto-
ry of these trade and transport
ships and explores how Port-
land survived time and harsh
work to become the last place
operating steam sternwheelers
in America.
The Cannon Beach Library
hosts various Northwest au-
thors in its second Saturday
series. All library events are
free, and the public is wel-
come. Cannon Beach Library
is located at 131 N. Hemlock
St. For more information, call
503-436-1391, or visit www.
cannonbeachlibrary.org
3 Thursday
rd
Robotics teams also to stage a battle
SKAMOKAWA, Wash. — The
River Life Interpretive Center
at Redmen Hall in will feature
an exhibit of art and science
projects created by Wahkia-
kum School District students
from Saturday, March 12
through April 10.
Original artwork from
Mary Moonen’s elementary
school students, Tina Merz’s
middle school students, and
Sue Garn’s high school stu-
dents will be featured. A com-
bination of art and science
projects from Kyle Hurley’s
Ag Science class will also be
on exhibit.
The exhibit opens with a
reception from noon to 4 p.m.
on March 12. Students and
teachers will be present to talk
about their programs, and re-
freshments will be served.
On Saturday, March 26,
Redmen Hall will host the
“Battle of the Robots” pre-
sented by Ron Wright’s 4-H
Robotics Club, Jeff Pillar’s
eighth grade robotics class,
and Jeff Rooklidge’s high
school robotics class. This is
a special, one-day-only event
from 1 to 3 p.m. with a ro-
botics demonstration; refresh-
ments will be served.
Both the 4-H club and the
high school robotics class
have competed in district ro-
botics tournaments. The high
school team made it to state
competitions in the past. All
robots are assembled and pro-
grammed by the students.
Redmen Hall is located at
1394 Washington State Route
4. The hall is open noon to 4
p.m. Thursday through Sun-
day. For more information call
360-795-8675.
Big Fat Gay Movie Night
set at Columbian Theater
Craft Fair
M arch
12th
16 | March 10, 2016 | coastweekend.com
Redmen Hall shows student
artwork, science projects
ASTORIA — Big Fat Gay
Movie Night returns to the
Columbian Theater on Friday,
March 11. Join members of the
local LGBT community for
the ¿lm “The Adventures of
Priscilla Queen of the Desert,”
starring Hugo Weaving, Guy
Pearce and Terence Stamp.
Share in some laughs and
adventure, and travel across
the desert in this heart-warm-
ing ¿lm. A 1994 Australian
comedy-drama, “The Adven-
tures of Priscilla Queen of the
Desert” follows the journey of
two drag queens and a trans-
gender woman performing
across the Australian Outback.
The ¿lm won a Academy
Award for best costume design
and is considered a cult clas-
sic.
Doors open at 9:30 p.m.,
and the movie starts at 10 p.m.
Tickets are $4 at the door, and
Submitted photo
“The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the
Desert” will be screened March 11 at the
Columbian Theater for ages 17 and up.
proceed will go to the Lower
Columbia Q Center.
The theater’s balcony is
21 and over, offering beer and
wine service. Ages 17 and old-
er are welcome downstairs.