Here is my entry for Jez Braithwaite’s Fan of … #45 challenge.  I love watching the big ship trekking their way to Port of Portland, Oregon.  My favorite place to capture photos of them is at The Cannery Hotel in Astoria, Oregon.  It is a 5 story hotel that is built on piers on the Columbia River.  Also shown in this photo is the Astoria-Megler Bridge.  The mountains in the background are in Washington State.

Here is a gallery of some of the big ships I’ve photographed.

The Cannery Pier Hotel rests on the 100 year-old pilings that formerly supported the Union Fisherman’s Cooperative Packing Company. Formed in 1897, it was the result of a turbulent time that favored big business cannery owners instead of the fishermen. Disputes with cannery owners about prices per fish started in 1876, with fishermen going on strike, and in 1880 they formed the Columbia River Fishermen’s Protective Union. Tensions came to a head in 1896 when the fishermen went on strike again. Two strike-breakers were shot and more violence threatened, and the Oregon National Guard was called in to break the strike. After this, about 200 fishermen (mostly Finnish) came together, pooled their resources, and formed the Union Fisherman’s Cooperative Packing Company. By 1904, it had become the largest cannery in Astoria. It remained a fishermen-owned business until the late 1940’s.

I’ve put together a list of challenges and their hosts.  So if you know a challenge host, please direct them to my blog.  Feel free to contact me anytime.  I hope everyone will be able to use my lists.

Qi (energy) hugs

Cee