This morning, we left National Geographic Sea Bird anchored at the confluence of the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Our destination was Walla Walla, Washington. The local saying is, “the town is so nice, they named it twice.” Our visits included Fort Walla Walla, Three Rivers Winery, and the Whitman Mission Site. We successfully dodged the moisture-laden clouds that dusted the mountains to the east of us with a late spring snow. It was a beautiful backdrop to our day of exploration.
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.