We started our glorious first day of the Columbia River trip as the National Geographic Sea Bird crossed the Columbia Bar into the open Pacific Ocean. The billowy clouds were painted with streaks of pink and greeted us with a gentle breeze.
We docked in Astoria, Washington in the heart of downtown next to the Columbia River Maritime Museum. The day’s adventure started with an outing to Fort Clastsop National Historic site. There was an informative film about the indigenous Native American tribe of this region, interpretative walks by a ranger and naturalists, and the viewing of the rebuilt replica of the old fort that Lewis, Clark and company stayed in for the rainy winter of 1805-06. After, we stopped at the Astoria Column, where some active group members climbed 164 stairs for a stellar view. The last stop of the morning was the excellently designed Maritime Museum. A docent presented the information and some wandered freely on their own.
Our fantastic lunch ended with a gathering at our loyal motor coaches for the trip to Cape Disappointment. The gorgeous sunny weather continued as we viewed the Pacific Ocean and toured the visitors’ center. Then we had a hike and beach time at Waikiki Beach before returning to our floating home for the evening and heading along the river.
