Our final day of our expedition on the Columbia River was more exciting than any of us had imagined it could be. Early in the day, we traveled to Clarkston, Washington where we boarded small jet boats on the Snake River. Our time on the jet boats was spent winding up the spectacular river through extreme and rugged parts of Hells Canyon. Over the course of the day we were able to observe beautiful wildflowers, long horn sheep, mule deer, wild turkeys, bald eagles and even a black bear! Our lunch stop was especially delicious as we were able to pick fresh plums, apples and pears from the trees and devour them right on the spot! It was an adventurous ride and excellent end to our week in the Pacific Northwest.
11/4/2023
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Astoria, Oregon
O! the Joy! Hmm, we needed to rethink that one this morning, as we woke to a rainy and blustery Astoria. What this weather did give us was a taste of historic authenticity in relation to the Corps of Discovery and their experiences here in the winter of 1805-06. Our first activity this morning was amongst the magnificent exhibits of the Columbia River Maritime Museum. This world-class facility tells the story of the mighty Columbia and the treacherous results to mariners when the river shoves against the incoming tides of the Pacific Ocean. As our day progressed, we crossed the Astoria-Megler bridge to the state of Washington. At the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center the winds continued but the rain subsided, and we enjoyed a sun-drenched afternoon with an option to walk a forest trail down to Waikiki Beach. The sun and sand were a siren to us and we made an additional stop at the North Jetty to get a water-level view of the waves crashing against the rocks of the Cape Disappointment lighthouse. The day turned out anything but disappointing.