Columbia River Gorge and Bonneville Dam/Multnomah Falls, Wine Tasting, Hood River, Oregon

The National Geographic Sea Lion officially entered the Columbia River Gorge at Rooster Rock this morning, passing Cape Horn, Phoca Rock, Rooster Rock, Multnomah Falls and Beacon Rock (features noted by the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery) leading to Bonneville, the first dam of our voyage. Guests and staff observed bald eagles, double-crested cormorants and a variety of gulls en route. Many small boats on the river were trying their luck at salmon fishing and a small stream below the dam was full of migrating fish!

After a giant landslide from nearby Table Mountain blocked the Columbia River about 700 years ago, the local Indians offered a legend called Bridge of the Gods. Here it is: The great chief had two sons who misbehaved. The chief asked Loowit, the old lady on the Bridge, to separate his two fighting boys. She accomplished this task by turning one son into Mt. Hood (Oregon), the other into Mt. Adams (Washington). For her reward she regained her youthful beauty as Mt. St. Helens (Washington). A modern day result of the Table Mountain geological upheaval is wild rapids in the Columbia River at Cascade Locks, Oregon.

Guests boarded motor coaches at Cascade Locks (since tamed by nearby Bonneville Dam) for a ride downstream to Multnomah Falls. From this point guests motored back upstream to Hood River, Oregon and then uphill into the Hood River Valley, one of the nation’s premier fruit baskets. At the Hood River Winery a wine tasting and fulsome buffet was produced. To help work off this feast, guests walked through the nearby pear orchards – about a quarter mile – to the White House heritage farm. More tasting was offered here, including a rare, slightly sweet pear wine.

To complete the afternoon, guests chose from two options: Cathedral Ridge Winery or the opportunity to explore the town of Hood River, which included a return to the National Geographic Sea Lion.

After dinner, the almost-legendary Sam Hill, “father” of the 1919 Columbia Gorge Historic Highway and builder of Maryhill Museum, was featured in a delightful film with vintage images called “Paradise Road.”