National Geographic Sea Birdcontinued its journey east towards the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers, anchoring for the morning at Crow Butte State Park. Zodiacs ferried guests to shore as they chose between long aerobic hikes along the high ridge of the butte, or a casual stroll with interpretive naturalists eager to talk about the flora and fauna. Fog rolled over the golden hills as the sun began to warm the cool October landscape. Northern flickers trilled loudly in the distance as mule deer bounded up the basalt-crowned crest of the small island. Guests were led up to the bluff overlooking National Geographic Sea Bird at her anchorage, before meandering down to the campground below, wreathed in silver maples and sycamore trees.
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.
