After departing Portland, Oregon last evening, National Geographic Quest sailed down the lower Columbia River in lovely, calm, and clear conditions to Astoria, where the “Great River of the West” meets the North Pacific Ocean. We spent the day exploring both the human and natural histories of this region. Although the area was home to Native Americans for thousands of years, much of the northwestern portion of North America was unknown to Europeans until the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Not long after ship-borne explorers from Spain, Russia, Great Britain, and the United States drew in the outlines mapping the coast, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the Corps of Discovery across the plains, over the mountains, and down the river from the east to this area, their westward most point. For us, a short bus ride away on the north side of the mouth of the Columbia River, the Washington State Park at Cape Disappointment includes dramatic headlands, massive spruce trees, sandy beaches, and the fascinating story of the expedition as told at the Lewis and Clark Discovery Center. In Astoria, we visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum, which filled in the story of exploration, commerce, fishing, and timber that shaped this region. We reveled in the expansive views at the Astoria Column perched on a hill above town.
4/25/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Crow Butte
After transiting McNary Lock and Dam, National Geographic Sea Bird dropped anchor at Crow Butte in the early morning of Thursday, April 25th. After a hearty breakfast, we were delivered by Zodiac to the south side locations for an aerobic walk to the top of Crow Butte, supplemented with a medium elevation nature hike. A more casual history-oriented walk began on the west side of the Island and ended where we were able to get some great photos of National Geographic Sea Bird at anchor. The aroma of the sagebrush in the shrub-steppe environment filled the air, and the gentle but steady winds preceded a light rain in the otherwise arid environment. Returning hikers were greeted by the hotel staff and hot chocolate at the landing site and also enjoyed the playground equipment. Crow Butte is a tear drop shaped island surrounding a core of basalt, and the sandy terrain is composed of debris deposited during the Ice Age Flood events of 12,000-18,000 years ago. The afternoon was spent cruising the Columbia River on our way to dock at Hood River, Oregon.