Umatilla, Oregon
Travelling up the Columbia River, one experiences many night noises. Each of the eight locks on the vessel’s path creates both interest and disturbance. But despite the excitement of a busy night, we eagerly took to the bow this morning to search for wildlife. Deer ashore in a patch of willow trees watched us watch them as we approached the Blalock Islands, part of the Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge. Among the shadows and brush, we glimpsed red-tailed hawks, Canada geese and rarely seen white pelicans.
Before lunch we took advantage of this chance to stretch our legs at the McNary Mitigation Ponds. Here, we walked amidst poplars, cottonwoods and Russian olives. Calm waters and blue skies were perfect conditions for a deck lunch, so we seized our opportunity. Chicken breasts stuffed with pesto, vegetable empanadas and iced green tea with mint were the fare of the afternoon. Afterwards, naturalist Jack Taylor presented a broad overview of the Lewis and Clark expedition, which gave a larger context to our own expedition.
Just when the rolling sagebrush steppes seemed interminable, we found them suddenly replaced by startling basalt cliffs. These cliffs reflected in the still shallow waters where we launched our Zodiacs for afternoon cruising. A few jumping fish and gliding birds barely broke the warm tranquility of the Columbia. Sound relaxing? Yes, but leisure mixed well with education in nature’s own classroom. Heading back to the ship, a dead pigeon floating by the Zodiac. Expedition Leader Steve Gould collected the sample and naturalist Karen Copeland excitedly demonstrated the bird’s anatomy and adaptations. After passing it around two Zodiacs, we left it to its watery grave. In the evening we headed for the Snake River and onto more locks and all their accompanying noise and excitement.
Travelling up the Columbia River, one experiences many night noises. Each of the eight locks on the vessel’s path creates both interest and disturbance. But despite the excitement of a busy night, we eagerly took to the bow this morning to search for wildlife. Deer ashore in a patch of willow trees watched us watch them as we approached the Blalock Islands, part of the Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge. Among the shadows and brush, we glimpsed red-tailed hawks, Canada geese and rarely seen white pelicans.
Before lunch we took advantage of this chance to stretch our legs at the McNary Mitigation Ponds. Here, we walked amidst poplars, cottonwoods and Russian olives. Calm waters and blue skies were perfect conditions for a deck lunch, so we seized our opportunity. Chicken breasts stuffed with pesto, vegetable empanadas and iced green tea with mint were the fare of the afternoon. Afterwards, naturalist Jack Taylor presented a broad overview of the Lewis and Clark expedition, which gave a larger context to our own expedition.
Just when the rolling sagebrush steppes seemed interminable, we found them suddenly replaced by startling basalt cliffs. These cliffs reflected in the still shallow waters where we launched our Zodiacs for afternoon cruising. A few jumping fish and gliding birds barely broke the warm tranquility of the Columbia. Sound relaxing? Yes, but leisure mixed well with education in nature’s own classroom. Heading back to the ship, a dead pigeon floating by the Zodiac. Expedition Leader Steve Gould collected the sample and naturalist Karen Copeland excitedly demonstrated the bird’s anatomy and adaptations. After passing it around two Zodiacs, we left it to its watery grave. In the evening we headed for the Snake River and onto more locks and all their accompanying noise and excitement.
