The day dawned pink and peach, blue and grey. Like most days aboard National Geographic Sea Lion, things continued to get better! We had a very interesting presentation in the morning hours by Kirt Kempter about plate tectonics and the Columbia River Flood basalts that formed so much of what we see and talk about. I am a layer counter! I like to know how many basalt events I can see at one time.
Later in the day we listened to a presentation by Lincoln Pratson about global warming and some unique ways that are being developed to sequester carbon from both the atmosphere and from the ocean water using natural materials and processes like olivine! Some fascinating ideas and processes I had never heard of.
We spent the afternoon hiking about Crow Butte which is now an island in the Columbia River although it used to be a peninsula. The terrain is shrub steppe which is a term for what I used to call sagebrush desert. I really like the term shrub steppe, I very much like the term. I find it much more descriptive than desert. When I think of desert I think of sand dunes. A very good day for all!
