The first full day of our journey began with a spectacular sunrise as we passed the Columbia River Bar, leaving the river to enter the ocean for a short while before turning around and heading to dock in Astoria. The morning’s news alerted us to the presence of a group of humpback whales that had entered the mouth of the river. At least one of the guests witnessed a blow from a whale in the morning. After breakfast, we loaded into two buses and headed to Fort Clatsop, the site where Lewis and Clark’s Corp of Discovery spent the very rainy winter of 1805/1806. We enjoyed a film presentation and interpretive talk by volunteer staff, then we went on a nature walk through the temperate rainforest surrounding the fort. We marveled at the size and beauty of the Sitka spruce trees in the forest, as well as the lush vegetation and diversity of lichens and mosses.
After a drive by viewing of the Astoria Column, we returned to the National Geographic Sea Lion for a delicious lunch. Then we once again boarded the buses and headed off for Cape Disappointment, on the north bank of the Columbia River in Washington State. To get there, we crossed the Columbia on the impressive Astoria Bridge. Sea lions, pelicans, gulls, and cormorants could be seen hunting for fish on the open water. Cape Disappointment is the home of the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, which is the oldest west coast lighthouse still in operation. Most of the guests took a hike with naturalist Rich out to see and photograph the lighthouse.
Once back at Astoria we all had some free time to explore the quaint seaside town before dinner and setting sail to venture up the Columbia. Stephanie Ambrose Tubbs, the historian on our voyage, gave a presentation on the balance of leadership qualities between Captains Lewis and Clark.
