Today was spent exploring the region of the Columbia River Gorge, beginning with shuttles to Oregon’s Cascade Locks. Once everyone was ashore, we boarded buses to take us to our desired locations. Some went hiking at Wahchella Falls, others directly to the Bonneville Fish Hatchery, and then to Multnomah Falls. A delicious lunch awaited us at the Crag Rat Hut, then it was off on a tour of the Fruit Loop Trail, traveling through a variety of orchards, with a stop at The Draper Girls Farm. Due to an incoming storm, we headed back to the ship a little early, and shuttled back to the ship, which had to reposition due to strong winds.
11/4/2023
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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.