The full moon and international trade in the Middle East

Oliver Norred, 30 March 2021

On Sunday, after the hail stopped, the full moon made his grand entrance. I mistook him for a streetlamp. It was my first glimpse of the big guy all year, so I was thanking my lucky stars that I was outside.

The next day, the 220,000-ton container ship who blocked the Suez Canal for six days finally budged. Why did it take tugboats six days to tug her out? Because only the full moon’s spring tide can buoy a ship so big—the same full moon who earned my gaze just hours prior!

Had the ship gotten stuck a week earlier, crews still might have had to wait for the full moon. He freed the ship.

I like that something small but special in my tranquil Pacific Northwest life also saved billions of dollars in the Middle East. It’s a reminder that little things we think are cool usually are. Much love!