Astoria Oregon
The mouth of the Columbia River is known as one of the most treacherous stretches of water in the world. The ever-present flow of the river battles the tides and strong currents of the Pacific to create the navigational hazard known as the ‘bar’. The shifting sands and huge breaking seas have been responsible for countless wrecks and loss of life over centuries. Today’s navigational aids, good weather forecasting and the service of the well-respected Columbia River Bar Pilots have served to minimize the dangers associated with negotiating the mouth of this river.
This morning we woke to the gentle rocking of the Sea Lion. We were near the river bar and the swell of the ocean made itself felt. From the deck of our ship we could see Cape Disappointment to the north. The heavy breakers pounded against the rock jetties that stretch seaward from both sides of the river. They serve to lessen the deposition of sand near the bar and ease the action of current and surf. We idled for a time to reflect on our arrival here and the contrasting arrival of the Corps of Discovery nearly two hundred years ago this week.
Once tied up to the dock in Astoria, we spent a portion of our morning touring the Columbia River Maritime Museum with their enthusiastic and knowledgeable docents. The retired Columbia River lightship is permanently docked as part of this fine facility and we welcomed aboard her as part of our visit.
The mouth of the Columbia River is known as one of the most treacherous stretches of water in the world. The ever-present flow of the river battles the tides and strong currents of the Pacific to create the navigational hazard known as the ‘bar’. The shifting sands and huge breaking seas have been responsible for countless wrecks and loss of life over centuries. Today’s navigational aids, good weather forecasting and the service of the well-respected Columbia River Bar Pilots have served to minimize the dangers associated with negotiating the mouth of this river.
This morning we woke to the gentle rocking of the Sea Lion. We were near the river bar and the swell of the ocean made itself felt. From the deck of our ship we could see Cape Disappointment to the north. The heavy breakers pounded against the rock jetties that stretch seaward from both sides of the river. They serve to lessen the deposition of sand near the bar and ease the action of current and surf. We idled for a time to reflect on our arrival here and the contrasting arrival of the Corps of Discovery nearly two hundred years ago this week.
Once tied up to the dock in Astoria, we spent a portion of our morning touring the Columbia River Maritime Museum with their enthusiastic and knowledgeable docents. The retired Columbia River lightship is permanently docked as part of this fine facility and we welcomed aboard her as part of our visit.
