About the captain
Columbia River Guide is written by Russell Guy Morgan, known on the water as Cap'n Guy Morgan.
- U.S. Coast Guard-licensed Master, 100 tons
- Instrument-rated pilot
- National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) certified instructor (membership renewal in progress)
- More than 12 years of support-boat work for Catalina Channel swims in Southern California
- Currently a captain on the Columbia River at Richland, Washington, working for a local cruise operator (see the disclosure)
Why this site
The Washington boater card course covers the basics. It doesn't cover how to call McNary lock or what to do when a tow comes around a bend. That information is spread across Corps of Engineers notices, federal regulations and state guides. This site collects it in plain English and links every fact to its official source.
For hands-on docking and close-quarters boat handling, on-water instruction is planned for the 2027 season at Tri-Cities Boating School.