Columbia River Gorge
“Sturgion was verry good” Clatsop Indian (in English) to Wm. Clark on the beach near Seaside, December 10th, 1805.
While the sturgeon of the Volga and Caspian are known as the world’s largest freshwater fish, the two species found in the Columbia River are, like salmon, anadromous – spending much of their life cycle in salt water, returning to rivers to spawn and develop.
The magnificent replica fish of our picture, 17 feet in length, 7 inch girth and carved from a single piece of black walnut, resides in the main hall of the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center just outside The Dalles, Oregon. The center commissioned local artist Jeff Dufur, to create the work for the opening of the museum in 1997. He seems to have taken the fisherman’s traditional liberty with the size – the scientific literature quotes a maximum length of 12 feet 6 for the local green and white species of sturgeon.
Lewis and Clark’s journals make several mentions of the “Sturgion”, most of them recording that they had been given or traded the flesh of the fish by the people of the lower reaches. Clark describes how the Indians steamed “fletches” of the meat over fire-heated stones covered in mats and brushwood for about an hour. He also mentions the fish as a source of “gleue” for reinforcing bows with elk sinew.
After visiting the splendid facility, we paused at Rowena Crest – the high point of the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway. There we admired the short-lived carpet of local wild flowers now at their most brilliant. We then divided into activity groups. The more energetic went biking or walking along a newly restored section of the graceful and historic highway. Others could explore the conserved, turn-of-century architecture of the town of Hood River. A lucky few discovered the largest collection of carousel art in the world, but it was far too nice a day to devote adequate time for the three floors of this delightful art form. It would have made an ideal venue had the weather been less benign.After leaving Bonneville Dam, the lowest on the Columbia, and now with the benefit of the river’s mighty flow, we transited the best-known sections of the gorge. Sharon and Jack providing a running commentary, we passed the waterfalls, State parks and scenic places. Everywhere we saw signs of folk enjoying a perfect, sunlit Mother’s Day.
“Sturgion was verry good” Clatsop Indian (in English) to Wm. Clark on the beach near Seaside, December 10th, 1805.
While the sturgeon of the Volga and Caspian are known as the world’s largest freshwater fish, the two species found in the Columbia River are, like salmon, anadromous – spending much of their life cycle in salt water, returning to rivers to spawn and develop.
The magnificent replica fish of our picture, 17 feet in length, 7 inch girth and carved from a single piece of black walnut, resides in the main hall of the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center just outside The Dalles, Oregon. The center commissioned local artist Jeff Dufur, to create the work for the opening of the museum in 1997. He seems to have taken the fisherman’s traditional liberty with the size – the scientific literature quotes a maximum length of 12 feet 6 for the local green and white species of sturgeon.
Lewis and Clark’s journals make several mentions of the “Sturgion”, most of them recording that they had been given or traded the flesh of the fish by the people of the lower reaches. Clark describes how the Indians steamed “fletches” of the meat over fire-heated stones covered in mats and brushwood for about an hour. He also mentions the fish as a source of “gleue” for reinforcing bows with elk sinew.
After visiting the splendid facility, we paused at Rowena Crest – the high point of the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway. There we admired the short-lived carpet of local wild flowers now at their most brilliant. We then divided into activity groups. The more energetic went biking or walking along a newly restored section of the graceful and historic highway. Others could explore the conserved, turn-of-century architecture of the town of Hood River. A lucky few discovered the largest collection of carousel art in the world, but it was far too nice a day to devote adequate time for the three floors of this delightful art form. It would have made an ideal venue had the weather been less benign.After leaving Bonneville Dam, the lowest on the Columbia, and now with the benefit of the river’s mighty flow, we transited the best-known sections of the gorge. Sharon and Jack providing a running commentary, we passed the waterfalls, State parks and scenic places. Everywhere we saw signs of folk enjoying a perfect, sunlit Mother’s Day.
