Palouse River and down the Snake to the Columbia
We spent the first half of the day at the mouth of the Palouse River, exploring this scenic area by Zodiac and kayak. When the Corps of Discovery passed this river, Lewis and Clark named it “Dreweyers’s River” after George Drouillard, one of the most able members of their party. Because of the delayed publication of the Captain’s journals, this name is not in use today, and palouse refers to the grassland that the river flows through. The kayakers set off after breakfast to a small meadow next to the river where the crew had the kayaks set up. There was a short and entertaining briefing about kayak technique and safety after which we settled in and paddled up stream. Rounding a bend, we entered a beautiful canyon lit up by the morning sun. Silently we paddled below the canyon walls listening to the birds calling from the grass. Those that opted for the Zodiac tour explored the same canyon with the benefit of Sharon or Steve pointing out interesting plants and wildlife. They spotted two golden eagles soaring overhead and a few mule deer on the grassy hillside.
The other big event of the morning was a visit to Palouse Falls State Park. To get there, we rode a short distance in a school bus (making sure to follow the rules) through dry grasslands with numerous rock outcroppings. Arriving at the park, the grass gave way to a large canyon where the Palouse River poured over a 185 foot basalt cliff. We were on the rim of the canyon looking down on the waterfall, and after a few photos, we set off for a short walk above the waterfall and river. We stopped to admire the canyon, which we learned is the handiwork of ancient, massive floods that carved this whole area thousands of years ago. The morning came to a close with a delicious barbecue lunch followed by ice cream sundays all served on the top deck of the ship.
The afternoon was a relaxing mix of reading, napping, a presentation by our historian, Tom, and the last two locks on the Snake River. As we approached Ice Harbor dam, we passed several large apple orchards that covered both banks of the river. When we entered the Ice Harbor lock, the lockmaster, Russ, came out to answer our questions about the operation of the dam and what he has to do to operate the lock. A great finish to another fun day.
We spent the first half of the day at the mouth of the Palouse River, exploring this scenic area by Zodiac and kayak. When the Corps of Discovery passed this river, Lewis and Clark named it “Dreweyers’s River” after George Drouillard, one of the most able members of their party. Because of the delayed publication of the Captain’s journals, this name is not in use today, and palouse refers to the grassland that the river flows through. The kayakers set off after breakfast to a small meadow next to the river where the crew had the kayaks set up. There was a short and entertaining briefing about kayak technique and safety after which we settled in and paddled up stream. Rounding a bend, we entered a beautiful canyon lit up by the morning sun. Silently we paddled below the canyon walls listening to the birds calling from the grass. Those that opted for the Zodiac tour explored the same canyon with the benefit of Sharon or Steve pointing out interesting plants and wildlife. They spotted two golden eagles soaring overhead and a few mule deer on the grassy hillside.
The other big event of the morning was a visit to Palouse Falls State Park. To get there, we rode a short distance in a school bus (making sure to follow the rules) through dry grasslands with numerous rock outcroppings. Arriving at the park, the grass gave way to a large canyon where the Palouse River poured over a 185 foot basalt cliff. We were on the rim of the canyon looking down on the waterfall, and after a few photos, we set off for a short walk above the waterfall and river. We stopped to admire the canyon, which we learned is the handiwork of ancient, massive floods that carved this whole area thousands of years ago. The morning came to a close with a delicious barbecue lunch followed by ice cream sundays all served on the top deck of the ship.
The afternoon was a relaxing mix of reading, napping, a presentation by our historian, Tom, and the last two locks on the Snake River. As we approached Ice Harbor dam, we passed several large apple orchards that covered both banks of the river. When we entered the Ice Harbor lock, the lockmaster, Russ, came out to answer our questions about the operation of the dam and what he has to do to operate the lock. A great finish to another fun day.
