After leaving Portland yesterday afternoon and cruising north, downstream, on the Willamette River, National Geographic Quest entered the great Columbia River and turned west toward the river’s mouth and the lovely little town of Astoria. Our day was filled with explorations of the history of the region, beginning with a visit to the excellent Columbia River Maritime Museum. The rest of the day took us to two historic forts on the south side of the estuary: Fort Clatsop, where Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery spent the winter, and Fort Stevens, which is a military battery that defended the entrance to the river in the early 20th Century.
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.