Astoria, Oregon and the mouth of the Columbia River
The Sea Lion began her approach to the Columbia Maritime Museum’s dock at approximately 7:00AM. We had finally reached the mouth of the Columbia River and the final winter camp sight of Lewis and Clark. It was a slightly overcast day, but there was sun peeking through the clouds, across the river on the Washington side, and we had hopes for some sunshine this afternoon. This morning we would be visiting the Columbia River Maritime Museum followed by a visit to Fort Clatsop the winter camp sight for Lewis and Clark during the winter of 1805. The members of the Corps of Discovery remained at Fort Clatsop from December 7, 1805 until March 23, 1806.
Members of the Sea Lion journeyed by comfortable coach to Fort Clatsop about twenty minutes from the center of the city of Astoria. We were greeted by a park ranger who gave an introduction to Fort Clatsop, now a national park, and led us through the park down to the replica of the fort that Lewis and Clark shared with forty other men for 106 days. The fort stands in a third growth forest of Sitka spruce, Western hemlock, Grand fir, Douglas fir, Western red cedar and several very large Red alders. The skies had remained gray, giving us a better understanding of the long rainy winter the Corps of Discovery spent three miles up the Netul River (now the Lewis and Clark River). They had moved from the north shore on the Washington side of the Columbia River to the Oregon side of the river and to a sheltered area near Young’s Bay. By Christmas of 1805 Lewis and Clark and their party were under shelter. They named their fort after the local Indians, the Clatsops. We walked through the fort and then took our time to see the spring sight behind the fort, and enjoy a short walk to the canoe landing near the edge of the Lewis and Clark River. All to soon we had to begin our return to the Museum center, stop briefly to visit the gift shop and then board our busses heading back to Astoria. Where the Sea Lion was waiting with yet another hearty lunches buffet!
Once we had finished our lunch, our expedition leader made his usual announcements concerning our afternoon, with an outline of options. One possibility was a short bus ride up to the Astor Column, along with a walk back down to the ship through the forested hillside and local neighborhood located just above the Sea Lion. A good-sized group of us began our hike still watching the mists rolling around the steep hills of Astoria. Slowly the mists began to fade and we found ourselves walking through a beautiful temperate rain forest with late afternoon sunshine creating shadows that played around the trees, sending long shafts of light down the hillside as we walked. We made a stop at a 300 year old Sitka spruce called the cathedral tree… took photos, told stories and marveled at our good fortune….a gift of sunshine in a place of few sunny days and the continued pleasure of good companionship on our journey retracing some of the journey of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery.
