The sun rose in a nearly cloudless sky to find National Geographic Sea Bird at anchor beside Crow Butte Island. Overnight, we had passed through the lower Snake River and into the Columbia, “the Great River of the West.” This middle section of the Columbia was a major crossroads of fishing and trade for the people who lived here, even thousands of years before Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery passed through. Uplands such as Crow Butte were sacred areas to the local Umatilla tribe, and with their blessing, it is now protected as a park and campground. After morning hikes in the park, we continued our downriver journey alongside layered cliffs of basalt, dry grassland hills, and irrigated orchards and vineyards. This is a major transportation corridor to the West Coast with road, rail, and barge traffic. We dropped nearly 200 feet through dam/locks until we were less than 100 feet above sea level as we anchored opposite The Dalles, Oregon.
4/27/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Astoria, Oregon
We reached the penultimate day of our journey in Astoria, Oregon, where the Columbia River collides with the open ocean. We were met with a typical Pacific Northwest day of gentle rains punctuated by moments of sunshine. The guests were divided to conquer this gem of a city, nestled under bridges; half headed across the river to Washington to visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment, while the other half visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum and Astoria Column. The museum and the interpretive center are both excellent examples of what the west coast can offer with regard to history and culture. Each has thoughtful exhibits that cover broad swaths of topics, and are staffed with informative and helpful faculty. After a hearty lunch on board, the groups swapped in order to have the best of both worlds. Finally, all met back aboard for the week’s final recap and guest slideshow.
