Sunrise over Point Ellice
In light of the recent, tragic burning of the Fort Clatsop replica near Astoria, Oregon, our party decided to begin our day with an exploration along the Washington shore of the Columbia River Estuary. Thus, as dawn broke on yet another uncommonly fair day, we rose to find the Sea Bird gliding along the forested heights of Point Ellice, site of two important Lewis & Clark encampments. Heading further west, we flanked Baker Bay, then lay for a while off the rocky headland of Cape Disappointment at the very mouth of the Columbia River.
This route afforded us an excellent prospect of the terrain where Lewis & Clark spent most of November, 1805 and achieved their primary objective of reaching the Pacific Ocean. In spite of the many hardships they had endured during their long journey, the captains believed they had fulfilled Thomas Jefferson’s instruction to find “the most direct and practicable water communication across this continent.” They, along with the rest of their party, exulted in their triumph.
To delve further into Lewis and Clark’s activities at the mouth of the Columbia, we put in at the small fishing port of Ilwaco, Washington and climbed to the back of Cape Disappointment. There we visited the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center at Fort Canby State Park, a first-rate facility that focuses on the expedition’s arrival at the Pacific and on the culture of the Chinookan peoples who were already living here. We explored trails through the temperate rain forest, and—just as the members of the Corps of Discovery had done nearly 200 years before—we put our backs to the breadth of North America and gazed at the seemingly endless Pacific Ocean.
During lunch, the Sea Bird crossed the estuary to Astoria. There, we visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum, another first-rate interpretive center with a different bent: the history of shipping—and rescue—along the treacherous Columbia River bar. Afterward, some of our party ascended Coxcomb Hill to visit the Astoria Column while others strolled the town.
As it was for Lewis & Clark, the Astoria area is our turn-around point. Like them, we all “appear much satisfied with [our] trip.” Unlike them, we do not find ourselves eager to depart from this place or to leave behind our quarters aboard that most esteemable vessel, the Sea Bird.
In light of the recent, tragic burning of the Fort Clatsop replica near Astoria, Oregon, our party decided to begin our day with an exploration along the Washington shore of the Columbia River Estuary. Thus, as dawn broke on yet another uncommonly fair day, we rose to find the Sea Bird gliding along the forested heights of Point Ellice, site of two important Lewis & Clark encampments. Heading further west, we flanked Baker Bay, then lay for a while off the rocky headland of Cape Disappointment at the very mouth of the Columbia River.
This route afforded us an excellent prospect of the terrain where Lewis & Clark spent most of November, 1805 and achieved their primary objective of reaching the Pacific Ocean. In spite of the many hardships they had endured during their long journey, the captains believed they had fulfilled Thomas Jefferson’s instruction to find “the most direct and practicable water communication across this continent.” They, along with the rest of their party, exulted in their triumph.
To delve further into Lewis and Clark’s activities at the mouth of the Columbia, we put in at the small fishing port of Ilwaco, Washington and climbed to the back of Cape Disappointment. There we visited the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center at Fort Canby State Park, a first-rate facility that focuses on the expedition’s arrival at the Pacific and on the culture of the Chinookan peoples who were already living here. We explored trails through the temperate rain forest, and—just as the members of the Corps of Discovery had done nearly 200 years before—we put our backs to the breadth of North America and gazed at the seemingly endless Pacific Ocean.
During lunch, the Sea Bird crossed the estuary to Astoria. There, we visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum, another first-rate interpretive center with a different bent: the history of shipping—and rescue—along the treacherous Columbia River bar. Afterward, some of our party ascended Coxcomb Hill to visit the Astoria Column while others strolled the town.
As it was for Lewis & Clark, the Astoria area is our turn-around point. Like them, we all “appear much satisfied with [our] trip.” Unlike them, we do not find ourselves eager to depart from this place or to leave behind our quarters aboard that most esteemable vessel, the Sea Bird.
