This brisk and sunny morning we boarded jet boats in Clarkston, Washington, for a thrilling ride up the Snake River into Hells Canyon. For over two million years the Snake River has been carving its way down into the continent to form this wildly beautiful and remote canyon. Known for its magnificent views and dynamic geology, Hells Canyon is deeper even than the Grand Canyon. The rugged landscape that will by dry and brown by summer is now gloriously green and sports a variety of colorful wildflowers. We traveled into Hells Canyon, to the Snake River’s confluence with the Salmon River, the legendary River of No Return.
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.
