The Columbia River
This morning we awoke to find ourselves at the Dalles Dam and surrounded by a very different landscape than we saw yesterday as we left Portland. The lush forests were gone and replaced by columnar basalt formations and the dry grasslands of Eastern Oregon and Washington.
The morning brought us beautiful, crisp weather. We kept ourselves busy on deck bird watching, enjoying the scenery and learning about some of the history and natural history of this area. Soon after breakfast we went through a narrow section of the river called Hell's Gate, on the north side of Miller Island. Traveling this close to shore provided sightings of several species of ducks that are here for the winter or migrating through.
A highlight of the morning was going through the lock at John Day Dam. The lock chamber, although small-looking as we approached, is 86 feet x 675 feet and big enough to hold the huge 4 barge loads of wheat that we have seen tugs pushing downriver. The John Day Lock is the highest lift of any lock in the world – 113 feet! We rose more than the total height of the Panama Canal, all in less than 15 minutes! After leaving the lock, Ben, our historian, gave us a wonderful introduction to Lewis and Clark's adventures.
After lunch (and a nap) we cruised through the Blalock Islands, and enjoyed the fall colors and our first sightings of American White Pelicans. Following that, Sue taught us about the Pacific Salmon and the challenges they face today in the Columbia and Snake Rivers. At sunset, as the reflection glowed on the river, we delighted in our Pacific Northwest setting while tasting wines, chocolates, smoked seafood and other goodies from the region.
This morning we awoke to find ourselves at the Dalles Dam and surrounded by a very different landscape than we saw yesterday as we left Portland. The lush forests were gone and replaced by columnar basalt formations and the dry grasslands of Eastern Oregon and Washington.
The morning brought us beautiful, crisp weather. We kept ourselves busy on deck bird watching, enjoying the scenery and learning about some of the history and natural history of this area. Soon after breakfast we went through a narrow section of the river called Hell's Gate, on the north side of Miller Island. Traveling this close to shore provided sightings of several species of ducks that are here for the winter or migrating through.
A highlight of the morning was going through the lock at John Day Dam. The lock chamber, although small-looking as we approached, is 86 feet x 675 feet and big enough to hold the huge 4 barge loads of wheat that we have seen tugs pushing downriver. The John Day Lock is the highest lift of any lock in the world – 113 feet! We rose more than the total height of the Panama Canal, all in less than 15 minutes! After leaving the lock, Ben, our historian, gave us a wonderful introduction to Lewis and Clark's adventures.
After lunch (and a nap) we cruised through the Blalock Islands, and enjoyed the fall colors and our first sightings of American White Pelicans. Following that, Sue taught us about the Pacific Salmon and the challenges they face today in the Columbia and Snake Rivers. At sunset, as the reflection glowed on the river, we delighted in our Pacific Northwest setting while tasting wines, chocolates, smoked seafood and other goodies from the region.
