During the night we navigated from the Snake River and turned south onto the Columbia River. This morning we woke in front of McNary Lock and Dam. McNary is the fifth lock of our trip, after having traversed four along the Snake River. It is also our first lock on the Columbia River as we continue our navigation westward. We are still in the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains and the defining desert-steppe vegetation. This afternoon we had a chance for a short stroll at Crow Butte County Park to get a closer look at the classic vegetation, sagebrush and other western plant species. We closed our day with a sampling of the local wines from Washington and Oregon vineyards. A flavorful way to end another day navigating the great river of the west.
4/27/2024
Read
National Geographic Sea Bird
Astoria, Oregon
We reached the penultimate day of our journey in Astoria, Oregon, where the Columbia River collides with the open ocean. We were met with a typical Pacific Northwest day of gentle rains punctuated by moments of sunshine. The guests were divided to conquer this gem of a city, nestled under bridges; half headed across the river to Washington to visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment, while the other half visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum and Astoria Column. The museum and the interpretive center are both excellent examples of what the west coast can offer with regard to history and culture. Each has thoughtful exhibits that cover broad swaths of topics, and are staffed with informative and helpful faculty. After a hearty lunch on board, the groups swapped in order to have the best of both worlds. Finally, all met back aboard for the week’s final recap and guest slideshow.
