Astoria, Oregon
We have been cruising for several days on the Sea Lion, in the Wake of Lewis and Clark. Sometimes it is difficult to imagine what it must have been like nearly two hundred years ago. Occasionally we do catch a glimpse however. It is for these moments that we wait in anticipation, and when they come, we say, “Ahhh, so that is what it was like!” There are two ways those moments can occur. One way is for us to stand where those courageous explorers stood. It can be by the riverside, or on a steep narrow trail, or a rocky promontory. It can be, as we experienced this morning, standing in a driving rain that left us soaking wet.
The other way is to visit museums and interpretive centers where efforts have been made to re-create some of the experiences. The Nez Perce Center, near Lewiston, Idaho is one of those places. Here the story of these people is told, and we develop greater respect for them. We can learn their part in helping a travel-worn Corps of Discovery to continue on their way. We visit the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles, Oregon, where we become immersed in the historical period of Lewis and Clark, as well as the natural history of the area.
Finally, on this last full day of our travels, we visit Fort Clatsop, where they over-wintered. Lewis and Clark complained of the constant rain. We shared with them a drenching experience. In contrast, however, we were able to enjoy moments of bright sunshine. Next to where we were moored we marveled at the excellent Astoria Maritime Museum shown above. It tells the story of the discovery of the Great River of the West, by European and American explorers. It tells of the hazards of shifting sands and brutal winds as early sailing ships tried to find the channel of the Columbia River. It ties together the travels of the Corps of Discovery, most of the way across our continent to Finally reach the Pacific Ocean.
We have been cruising for several days on the Sea Lion, in the Wake of Lewis and Clark. Sometimes it is difficult to imagine what it must have been like nearly two hundred years ago. Occasionally we do catch a glimpse however. It is for these moments that we wait in anticipation, and when they come, we say, “Ahhh, so that is what it was like!” There are two ways those moments can occur. One way is for us to stand where those courageous explorers stood. It can be by the riverside, or on a steep narrow trail, or a rocky promontory. It can be, as we experienced this morning, standing in a driving rain that left us soaking wet.
The other way is to visit museums and interpretive centers where efforts have been made to re-create some of the experiences. The Nez Perce Center, near Lewiston, Idaho is one of those places. Here the story of these people is told, and we develop greater respect for them. We can learn their part in helping a travel-worn Corps of Discovery to continue on their way. We visit the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles, Oregon, where we become immersed in the historical period of Lewis and Clark, as well as the natural history of the area.
Finally, on this last full day of our travels, we visit Fort Clatsop, where they over-wintered. Lewis and Clark complained of the constant rain. We shared with them a drenching experience. In contrast, however, we were able to enjoy moments of bright sunshine. Next to where we were moored we marveled at the excellent Astoria Maritime Museum shown above. It tells the story of the discovery of the Great River of the West, by European and American explorers. It tells of the hazards of shifting sands and brutal winds as early sailing ships tried to find the channel of the Columbia River. It ties together the travels of the Corps of Discovery, most of the way across our continent to Finally reach the Pacific Ocean.
