The morning brought us fabulous weather. We took advantage of the conditions by starting the day with a visit to the Astoria Column, a historic observation tower which stands on a hill overlooking the town of Astoria and the mouth of the Columbia River. An isolated fog bank rolled in to enhance the effect of a striking blue sky, no wind, and a pleasant temperature.
If only Lewis and Clark, and the rest of their Corps of Discovery had had it so nice when they first arrived at the mouth of the Columbia in November of 1805. The initial joy they first experienced upon finally reaching the Pacific Ocean was soon forgotten in the face of horrendous weather. After retreating from stormy conditions on the north shore of the Columbia (in the present day state of Washington) the Corps then crossed to the south shore to find what they hoped would be a more suitable location to establish their winter quarters. In the evening of November 27 they camped just east of the present day town of Astoria, Oregon at the base of a peninsula they named Point William (now Tongue Point). They become storm-bound at this camp until December 7. William Clark wrote in his journal on November 28, "wind too high to go either back or forward…truly disagreeable…about 12oClock the wind shifted…and blew with… such violence that I expected every moment to see trees taken up by the roots, …O! how Tremendious is the day."
On a beautiful day like this, it's very hard to appreciate the hardships these men endured 195 years ago.
