Another gorgeous, sunny fall day on the Columbia River. As the Sea Lion made her way westward toward The Dalles for our morning excursions into the Columbia River Gorge, Mount Hood loomed above us and dominated the western skyline. Since we were running a little late due to barge traffic in the locks during the night, we had the opportunity to be on deck to watch our sinuous traverse of the dramatic basalt narrows of Hell's Gate. Again, we were reminded of the vast extent of the Columbia River basalt flows of 7 to 17 million years ago and stunned by their stark beauty.
Just downriver from Hells Gate, and submerged under the lake backed up by The Dalles dam, we passed over Celilo Falls. Celilo Falls was one of the most important fishing, trading and gathering places for the Indians of the entire Pacific Northwest. During the summer months while salmon numbers were greatest, tribes from the coast and the interior camped together at these great falls. In addition to catching salmon for immediate consumption, for drying and for smoking, this was a time for dances, gambling, horse races, courting and exchanging of news. For over 10,000 years this was perhaps the largest gathering of native peoples in north America and on March 10, 1957 the Celilo site was inundated by The Dalles Dam and lost forever.
