Columbia River Gorge

Just before sunrise, the National Geographic Sea Bird cruised east, into the fjord- like border between Oregon and Washington, known as the Columbia River Gorge. The Gorge, created by cataclysmic volcanic activity, flooding and landslides, is now decorated by the scars of mud slides, lava flows and avalanches leaving behind more than 77 waterfalls and sheer basalt cliffs that are speckled with Douglas Firs. The Gorge’s 80-mile long run in the mountains, is not only the only break in the cordillera of Cascades and Sierra Nevada from Canada to Mexico, but one of two rivers in the world(the other being Brahmaputra in the Himalaya) that cuts through a major mountain range at sea level.

Back at sea level, the National Geographic Sea Bird entered the first of the eight locks on the Columbia River, Bonneville Lock, lifting us 97 feet above sea level. With the presence of the locks, the Columbia River is no longer the treacherous white water river bed as it was in the days of Lewis and Clark, but contains a fortress of man made navigable locks that provide a source for hydropower and once fueled a booming aluminum business for the region.
After breakfast, we set out for Multnomah Falls, a 620 foot waterfall, one of eleven waterfalls that can be viewed from the roadside. With “exemplary” planning, as one guest commented, the group viewed the rushing waterfall just as the rained ceased. So we cascaded back to the ship for lunch and in early afternoon, we docked in Hood River and set out for our afternoon adventure.

While some of us opted to head into Hood River to check out this northwest Oregon town known for its windsurfing and hair whipping wind, others made their way to Rasmussen’s, a fruit orchard known for its collection of apples and pears. Pumpkins, gourds and straw bales decorated the orchard to celebrate the beginning of fall as well as house made apple cider, which was tart and delicious.

The rest of the group headed to the Mosier Tunnel Scenic Road for an afternoon of bike riding and walking. The fall colors have just started to turn in Oregon and the array of yellow, crimson, orange and brown made it evident that fall is officially here. The rain let up on us as we got started and made for a wonderful chance to see why the beauty of this area is so highly regarded. After finishing up on the Mosier Tunnel Scenic Road, we headed over by motor coach to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.

Along with a wonderful museum, the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center offered us a chance to get a glimpse of some of the wildlife in the area, namely birds. Hank, a rescued Kestrel falcon, the smallest species of falcon in the Pacific Northwest, was perched by the door to greet us as we came in. Leaving the museum, we were treated to an amazing rainbow to add to an already exciting day!

After leaving the museum, it was straight to the Dalles Dam to embark the National Geographic Sea Bird after a full day of activities. Still recovering from the repairs that have been taking place the last two weeks, it took a bit of extra time for the ship to get through the lock, but once it did, we boarded the Zodiacs and quickly found ourselves back in the comfort of the ship, ready for dinner and excited to share our stories from the day!