Early in the morning, we transited the Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River dropping approximately 100ft and then had a lovely brunch. We arrived at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia rivers and took Zodiacs ashore to the Sacagawea State Park. The Confluence area was significant to the Indigenous people of the region for millennia as a place to gather and trade. This particular spot was also historically significant to the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which camped here in October of 1805 and surveyed the confluence area. Half of us started with a visit to the REACH Museum with exhibits on the natural, cultural, and scientific history of Hanford Reach and the Columbia Basin area, while the other group took in Sacagawea State Park, the interpretive center, and the Confluence Project installation by Maya Lin. We then switched so everyone could enjoy both sites.
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.