Cruising east on the Columbia River
During the night we sailed from the Willamette River onto the great Columbia River and through the Columbia Gorge. At dawn we were sailing eastward under cloudy skies. With a temperature of 55oF and with a following wind it was quite pleasant to be on the bow and having a look at the drastic change in the landscape since we left Portland last evening.
Here on the east side of the Cascade Range we are in the rain shadow of the Cascades and the land is dry and without trees. On either side of the river rise picturesque dark brown cliffs of basaltic lava flows topped and softened by the buff-colored grasses of fall. With white caps topping the waves on the gray-green water, the whole scene is quite pleasing.
We soon enter the John Day Lock, which, at 105 feet, is the highest lift lock in the western hemisphere. The great downstream gate closes behind us and we are in a deep concrete box. Our deckhands secure the ship to the side of the lock by throwing a heavy line on a floating bollard and fastening the line to a cleat on our deck. Then water enters the lock under the force of gravity and water and ship rise and rise until we are at the top of the lock and at the level of water in the river before us. The upstream gate opens and we continue on our way.
In the first presentation of our voyage, Historian Junius Rochester sets the stage for this voyage along the path of Lewis and Cark and their Corps of Discovery, giving an intriguing account of how and why their great western exploration began. This was followed by a timely program on photography by Linda, our photography instructor. We soon felt better prepared and eager to use the information she imparted.
The afternoon found us on the deck again as we approached Wallula Gap, an area of great importance in the story of the great Missoula floods that tortured and sculpted this area during the last Ice Age. Here Grace, geologist and naturalist, explained the landscape and geology to us. Also at Wallula Gap is the Twin Sisters formation, formed of, yes, more basalt. Junius told us the Native American legend about the Great Spirit and Coyote and the Twin Sisters.
We had a chance to practice our new photography skills as we sailed onto the Snake River just at sunset and the sky turned crimson. Bridges we had just passed beneath were silhouetted against the flaming sky and many excellent photos were taken.
Now it was time for cheese and wine tasting, cocktails, and conversation. After dinner the short film on Exotic Terrane prepared us for our trip up the Snake River to Hell’s Canyon tomorrow.
