A warm, sunny morning greeted National Geographic Sea Bird where it was docked alongside the Tri-Cities pier. Guests enjoyed breakfast before departing by coach for the fertile farmlands of the Walla Walla Valley. The first stop of the day was a 19th century military fort, the Fort Walla Walla Museum. The museum offers a 17-building historical settlement with beautifully kept lawns, gardens, and large exhibit halls full of historical artifacts. As guests walked through the museum, they discovered stories and artifacts from the Oregon Trail, trains, and a replica of a 33-mule team that was used to harvest wheat. After exploring the grounds, coaches took the guests to the Three Rivers Winery for lunch, a tour of the premises, and a wine tasting. After the winery tour, guests relaxed on the veranda and enjoyed the warm afternoon. The coach eventually departed for the second museum of the day, Whitman Mission. After an introduction by the rangers and a tour around the grounds and museum, the coaches departed for Tri-Cities. After arriving at the ship, guests enjoyed recap before dinner, which was followed by an informative documentary on the Columbia River dams.
4/25/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Crow Butte
After transiting McNary Lock and Dam, National Geographic Sea Bird dropped anchor at Crow Butte in the early morning of Thursday, April 25th. After a hearty breakfast, we were delivered by Zodiac to the south side locations for an aerobic walk to the top of Crow Butte, supplemented with a medium elevation nature hike. A more casual history-oriented walk began on the west side of the Island and ended where we were able to get some great photos of National Geographic Sea Bird at anchor. The aroma of the sagebrush in the shrub-steppe environment filled the air, and the gentle but steady winds preceded a light rain in the otherwise arid environment. Returning hikers were greeted by the hotel staff and hot chocolate at the landing site and also enjoyed the playground equipment. Crow Butte is a tear drop shaped island surrounding a core of basalt, and the sandy terrain is composed of debris deposited during the Ice Age Flood events of 12,000-18,000 years ago. The afternoon was spent cruising the Columbia River on our way to dock at Hood River, Oregon.