Continued from Page 6
“There’s a magic when a ship goes
by,” Rideout said. “Stand on the water-
front and it is easy to become trans-
fi xed by them. The ships connect us to a
wider world. There’s something kind of
exotic about them.”
The onset of the pandemic also did
much to illustrate the importance of
both “The Ship Report” and KMUN. “I
went from working in a studio to work-
ing at home,” Rideout said. “I was also
acting as news director and was able to
do the live news from our house,” she
added.
Realizing that the local commu-
nity was looking to the station to know
what was going on, Rideout embraced
her responsibility of remaining a sta-
ble source of information. “I wanted to
be a voice that people can count on. I
needed to be accurate, calm, and com-
forting. And lighthearted when I could
be,” Rideout said.
Though now retired from KMUN,
Rideout has no plans to sunset “The
Ship Report.” “I have no desire to stop
and will continue to produce the show at
home,” she said. Additionally, she plans
to possibly write a few books, including
one that highlights a 2010 trip aboard an
oceangoing gypsum ship. “I would like
to get back on another vessel and bring
things to people that they may never
know or experience,” she said. “I want
to continue to highlight the humanity of
the maritime world and show what it is
like to be at sea for four months, away
from family.”
For readers wishing to partake in a
ship watching adventure of their own,
Rideout recommends taking a stroll
along the Astoria Riverwalk and vis-
Photos by Andy Cameron
ABOVE: A cruise ship docks beneath the Astoria Bridge at sunset. BELOW: The Explorer Africa, a cargo ship, sits anchored in the river.
iting both Pier 39 and the Colum-
bia River Maritime Museum. To assist
ship watchers with identifying the var-
ious types of river traffi c, Rideout has
also published a foldout fi eld guide,
available online and at the Maritime
Museum.
Refl ecting on the draw that river traf-
fi c has with both visitors and locals of
Astoria, Rideout is quick to illustrate the
interconnections between everyday life
and the seafaring sector. “Ships are a
window to a wider world, and I am glad
that people are tuning into the maritime
aspect of where we are,” Rideout said.
“The ships bring people from every-
where and they bring most of what we
purchase. Raw ingredients leave the
river and come back as manufactured
goods. It is a small planet, and we all
have to work together,” she added.
THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2022 // 7