The Columbia River Pilots are among the unsung heroes of the river. They’re different from the Columbia River Bar Pilots who shepherd ships between the ocean and Astoria. Both pilot groups are consummate experts whose skills are greatly needed on the challenging waters of the Columbia. The river pilots handle the long, painstaking upriver leg between Astoria and commercial ports like Longview, Kalama, Portland and Vancouver. The river is winding, full of strong currents, and actually quite shallow compared to the draft of the many ships that traverse its waters. River pilots must be “on point” for many hours at a time while they work, to keep ships safely out of harm’s way. You don’t hear much in the media about river pilots, who generally shun the limelight. But without them, commerce could not happen. They are among the many people in the marine realm who help bring us all our “stuff,” from cars to clothing to french fries. We have mariners to thank for the plethora of choices we have when we need to buy something. It’s estimated that over 90 percent of our goods in the U.S. came to us by ship.
