The morning was spent exploring the Crow Butte area on foot, on a variety of hikes. We were shuttled to shore by Zodiac and then broke off into several groups depending on interest and hike choices. Each hike was led by a staff naturalist, although a few chose to explore on their own. The blustery winds made for a rather wet return back to the ship. The afternoon and early evening we cruised farther north up the Columbia traversing through the McNary Dam locks and then crossing from Oregon into Washington and then turning onto the Snake River.
4/27/2024
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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.
