Astoria
A sullen, gray day with pelting rain greeted the guests aboard the Sea Lion this morning, but conditions failed to dampen their spirits. All trudged ashore to the Columbia River Maritime Museum and marveled at the variety and excellence of the exhibits within. Especially awesome was the simulation of a rescue on the Columbia bar with sound effects and graphics on a monitor enhancing the experience. Most guests watched a short movie about the "Great River of the West."
Buses awaited us at 10:30 to whisk us off to Fort Clatsop, the replica of the quarters where Lewis and Clark's Corps spent the winter of 1804-05. At the time of their arrival on the south shore of the Columbia River the weather was and continued to be as miserably chilly and rainy as it was this day. The park ranger who explained the background of the site was uniquely qualified, because he actually grew up at Fort Clatsop. His father was a park ranger here. The ranger told us that the site of the replica was within mere feet of the estimated location, although few artifacts remained. Subsequent users of the site have disturbed the ground over the decades.
Our route to and from the fort was along Young's Bay, where waterfowl abounded and gulls made nests on old pilings. The Astoria Bridge loomed out of the fog as the weather cleared a little, permitting us to view its four-mile length and a bit of the Washington shore. A few guests chose to leave the buses downtown and spend time shopping and exploring in the city. Most returned for lunch. After a rest period the guests set off again for a look at Fort Canby and Cape Disappointment on the Washington shore. The Astor Column on a hill above the city, visited after the excursion to Fort Canby, was constructed by the descendants of John Jacob Astor and the Northern Pacific Railway Company to depict events that have occurred in this area.
Guests dressed up tonight for the captain's cocktail party. Recap time featured guests who volunteered their opinions about what made the Lewis and Clark Expedition very special and valuable. After six days of close association strangers had become friends who would be reluctant to part tomorrow.
A sullen, gray day with pelting rain greeted the guests aboard the Sea Lion this morning, but conditions failed to dampen their spirits. All trudged ashore to the Columbia River Maritime Museum and marveled at the variety and excellence of the exhibits within. Especially awesome was the simulation of a rescue on the Columbia bar with sound effects and graphics on a monitor enhancing the experience. Most guests watched a short movie about the "Great River of the West."
Buses awaited us at 10:30 to whisk us off to Fort Clatsop, the replica of the quarters where Lewis and Clark's Corps spent the winter of 1804-05. At the time of their arrival on the south shore of the Columbia River the weather was and continued to be as miserably chilly and rainy as it was this day. The park ranger who explained the background of the site was uniquely qualified, because he actually grew up at Fort Clatsop. His father was a park ranger here. The ranger told us that the site of the replica was within mere feet of the estimated location, although few artifacts remained. Subsequent users of the site have disturbed the ground over the decades.
Our route to and from the fort was along Young's Bay, where waterfowl abounded and gulls made nests on old pilings. The Astoria Bridge loomed out of the fog as the weather cleared a little, permitting us to view its four-mile length and a bit of the Washington shore. A few guests chose to leave the buses downtown and spend time shopping and exploring in the city. Most returned for lunch. After a rest period the guests set off again for a look at Fort Canby and Cape Disappointment on the Washington shore. The Astor Column on a hill above the city, visited after the excursion to Fort Canby, was constructed by the descendants of John Jacob Astor and the Northern Pacific Railway Company to depict events that have occurred in this area.
Guests dressed up tonight for the captain's cocktail party. Recap time featured guests who volunteered their opinions about what made the Lewis and Clark Expedition very special and valuable. After six days of close association strangers had become friends who would be reluctant to part tomorrow.
