As the sun rose across the Snake River, a magenta glow began to illuminate National Geographic Sea Lion as it approached Little Goose Dam and Lock, eventually reaching the Palouse-Snake River confluence. After transiting the lock, National Geographic Sea Lion set anchor and guests set out by Zodiac for transfers to Palouse Falls and cruises up the River. The majesty of Palouse Falls did not disappoint, highlighting sculptural mastery of enormous Missoula Floods over 15,000 years ago. Guests on Zodiacs cruised up the Palouse River spotting porcupines, mule deer, coots, and cormorants while penetrating deep into the deep Palouse River Canyon. Guests finished their adventure paddling the confluence of the Palouse and Snake River Basins, intimately exploring retired Lyon’s Cable Ferry while navigating great bulrush and cattails along the mouth of the Palouse River.
10/23/2024
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National Geographic Sea Lion
Walla Walla
We awoke anchored at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers, National Geographic Sea Lion perfectly framed by the Ed Hendler and Pioneer Memorial Bridges. Departing shortly after breakfast, everyone headed to shore for a full day of adventure, education, and indulgent wine tasting. Once ashore, some of us headed to Seven Hills Vineyard for an exclusive tour while others explored the rich cultural history of Fort Walla Walla. We reconvened at the stunning Seven Hills Tasting Room in downtown Walla Walla for a spectacular lunch and our first tasting of the day. After lunch we split up again, with options for excursions ranging from wine tasting to ice cream sampling, shopping, and a visit to the Whitman Mission National Historic Site. Our Zodiac rides back to the ship were perfectly timed with the sunset, making for a beautiful end to a busy day exploring the Pasco and Walla Walla area. After yet another exceptional wine and dinner pairing by Wine Specialist Kristine, a sporty game of Pacific Northwest Trivia ensued!