Early in the morning, the bridge team of National Geographic Sea Bird navigated from The Dalles to Hood River, Oregon along the Columbia River. We spent our morning enjoying the collection at the Western Aeroplane & Automobile Museum followed by a visit to Draper Girls’ Farm in the agriculturally rich Hood River Valley. We headed back to our ship for lunch followed by walks in the afternoon at Beacon Rock, an incredible volcanic plug with stunning views, and Multnomah Falls, one of Oregon’s most beautiful waterfalls. We also had the opportunity to visit the Bonneville Fish Hatchery, featuring the famous sturgeon named Herman who is 89 years old! After a full day of activities and learning, we gathered for cocktail hour on the bow as we watched sunset and navigated the historic Bonneville Lock. After dinner on board our beautiful ship, we were treated to a presentation by historian Doug Crispin. What a fantastic and unforgettable day!
11/4/2023
Read
National Geographic Sea Bird
Astoria, Oregon
O! the Joy! Hmm, we needed to rethink that one this morning, as we woke to a rainy and blustery Astoria. What this weather did give us was a taste of historic authenticity in relation to the Corps of Discovery and their experiences here in the winter of 1805-06. Our first activity this morning was amongst the magnificent exhibits of the Columbia River Maritime Museum. This world-class facility tells the story of the mighty Columbia and the treacherous results to mariners when the river shoves against the incoming tides of the Pacific Ocean. As our day progressed, we crossed the Astoria-Megler bridge to the state of Washington. At the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center the winds continued but the rain subsided, and we enjoyed a sun-drenched afternoon with an option to walk a forest trail down to Waikiki Beach. The sun and sand were a siren to us and we made an additional stop at the North Jetty to get a water-level view of the waves crashing against the rocks of the Cape Disappointment lighthouse. The day turned out anything but disappointing.
