Hells Canyon of the Snake River, Clearwater River
As I made my way to the bow of the National Geographic Sea Lion this morning, with coffee and binoculars in hand, to watch a spectacular sunrise, I suddenly realized that one key thing was missing – my camera! I quickly remedied the situation by racing back to my cabin and grabbing my camera bag. Hurrying back outside I was still in time to capture a beautiful, smoke-aided sunrise over the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers.
After breakfast, the first group of guests left for their historical exploration of the Clearwater River. Our onboard historian and a guest speaker brought the Lewis and Clark journey through that area alive!
Soon after their departure, the rest of us boarded two jet boats to explore the Hells Canyon area of the Snake River. We traveled almost sixty miles through calm waters, multiple rapids and dramatic landscape, seeing bighorn sheep, mule deer and a multitude of bird life. The canyon that the Snake had cut through immense basalt and limestone formations was truly a geologic marvel!
We stopped for lunch, and then looked at 6,000-year-old petroglyphs on our way back to the National Geographic Sea Lion. Soon after, both groups met at the Nez Perce Museum to learn about the history of this Native tribe, another key piece in the Lewis and Clark story.
Once back onboard for the evening, the National Geographic Sea Lion set sail from the town of Clarkston, and headed down river toward the Pacific, and our adventures that awaited us tomorrow on the Palouse River. Cocktail hour was spent on the bow with local wines and appetizers. A great way to end our first day of exploration!
