After leaving Portland yesterday afternoon and cruising north, downstream, on the Willamette River, National Geographic Quest entered the great Columbia River and turned west toward the river’s mouth and the lovely little town of Astoria. Our day was filled with explorations of the history of the region, beginning with a visit to the excellent Columbia River Maritime Museum. The rest of the day took us to two historic forts on the south side of the estuary: Fort Clatsop, where Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery spent the winter, and Fort Stevens, which is a military battery that defended the entrance to the river in the early 20th Century.
4/18/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Walla Walla
We started our crisp and sunny morning with a ride into the boat basin at Sacajawea Historical State Park. The park is home to the October 16-17, 1805 campsite of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and also the Confluence Project Story Circles installed by the acclaimed artist, Maya Lin. As this is a Food and Wine expedition, we departed for Dunham Cellars, with some passengers going to the Whitman Mission National Historic Site. This is the scene of the tragic 1847 encounter between the missionaries and local natives. The setting for all our activities was at the base of the Blue Mountains, which was lush with the growth of spring. Dunham Cellars was enjoyed for their acclaimed cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and chardonnay. Everyone then met at Three Rivers Winery for a catered lunch with wine tasting and an enjoyable bask in the warm sun, supplemented by frisbee golf, corn hole contests, and relaxing on the deck. The afternoon was spent at Fort Walla Walla Museum and downtown Walla Walla. Fort Walla Walla has many exhibits from the late 1800s to early 1900s, including a full-sized diorama of a team of 33 mules used to move the large wheat combines. This was the practice prior to mechanization in this highly productive wheat area. Walla Walla is a wonderful town with a vibrant wine scene and bustling commercial district, which allowed for more wine tasting and shopping, including wine ice cream.