We awakened aboard National Geographic Sea Bird on approach to the dock in Astoria, which we would use as our springboard for the day’s activities. It had begun raining in the night, however there was a bit of clearing during sunrise, and the eastern sky glowed orange and pink and yellow through the streaks of clouds. The rain returned, a propos for our visit to Fort Clatsop, where the Corps of Discovery spent a very damp and cold winter of 1805-06. After a brief visit and orientation in the museum, we had the opportunity to visit a replica of the fort. There were several humorous comments comparing their bunks with the cabins onboard. After a walk through the surrounding forest among red alders, Douglas firs, and Sitka spruce, we boarded the buses, made a brief stop at the Astoria Column, and arrived at the Columbia River Maritime Museum where we spent the rest of the morning learning about the challenges of navigating the confluence of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean.
In the afternoon we travelled across the four-mile Astoria Bridge to Washington to visit Cape Disappointment. The cape sits high atop a cliff and reveals stunning views of the confluence of river and ocean. The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center has a wonderful chronological overview of the Corps of Discovery from beginning to end. The afternoon culminated with a walk on Waikiki Beach. Some took a mile-long trail down to sea level, while others met up with the bus to deliver them to the Pacific below.
Back aboard we gathered together for final cocktails, the Captain’s farewell dinner, and a final wrap-up with fellow Road Scholar shipmates. What an amazing week we’ve had together!
