John Craigie

I know John Craigie through Anna Moss way back down south in the bayous of New Orleans in Season 5. Anna and I shared one of the most wild rows I'd ever had in a tinyboatsession with alligators, wild pigs, jumping mullet, chickens, cats and an aviary's worth of birds. I asked if she knew anyone out west and she introduced me to John. I reached out and asked him if he liked the idea of a song in a tiny boat. He said yes, and I drove down to the Willamette River in Portland to become the first singer for season eight.

I picked him up on some of the narrow streets in a hip neighborhood around there–always tricky with a trailer–and we made our way down to the water and put in at the Swan Island Basin. This is a natural and historical gem hiding in plain sight. It’s easy to overlook because you have to go through an industrial park to get to it. Over 100 years ago it was a wooded island. Portland’s growth and World War 2 flattened it and attached the island to the mainland making a deep basin and eventually a set of dry docks critical to the war effort.

John and I put in at the ramp and were immediately drawn to the large grey vessel with the letters 713 on its bow. It had a clear, military bearing about her. We rowed out to the river looking for backgrounds and had too many to choose from. At the mouth of the basin were large dry docks with a massive ship in them, across from that tree lined bluffs. He played songs and we talked. He told me he goes on a few river rafting trips each year and plays mini concerts at night. That sounded mighty great.

When we made our way back we saw some men on the grey ship. They invited us onboard and we found out it was a WWII landing craft (LCI). Over 200 soldiers could be landed from this vessel. They gave us a tour and asked if we wanted to see their other boat. It was a Motor Torpedo Boat. Turns out this boat was built in New Orleans. That felt like a nice circle considering that was the same town I’d met Anna Moss in, and she was the one that introduced us. Instagram: @johncraigie