At 8:30 a.m. photographic instructor Linda Burback gave a 25-minute presentation. With cameras in hand, the sun overhead, and in crisp temperatures, guests undertook several shore side expeditions.
One motor coach crossed the Astoria-Megler bridge into Washington State. Its destination was Cape Disappointment and the frenzied mouth of the Columbia River. Another motor coach toured the town, with stops at the famous Columbia River Maritime Museum, and later to 600-foot Coxcomb Hill as well as the Astoria Column. At this elevation, panoramic views were offered under clear skies. From this vantage, one can observe the hillsides of Astoria, the Pacific Ocean, Tillamook Head, and the 3,283-foot Saddle Mountain all in one sweep – the last of these the avowed genesis site of native peoples in that area and named in 1841 by Navy Lieutenant Charles Wilkes.
The visit to Cape Disappointment included a stroll on Waikiki Beach where two Sandwich Island crew members perished in 1811 from the John Jacob Astor ship Tonquin. Several guests elected to walk back, using the boardwalk next to the Astoria Trolley tracks. This scenic waterside revealed historic signage, birdwatching, and the occasional bark from a rogue sea lion.
After recap and dinner, a geology presentation was given by Duncan Foley, leader of a shipboard group called Betchart.
