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.
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.
