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.
4/18/2024
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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.