The Palouse River

Morning found the Sea Bird locking her way through Little Goose Dam, heading to the mouth of the Palouse River. This morning we were to explore the Palouse by foot, Zodiac, and kayak. Those of us that chose to paddle were off first. We paddled our way up the still waters that reflected our path between the towering basaltic cliffs. We also had a chance to view the cascading waters of the Palouse falls. The area surrounding the falls provides a striking view of the river as it flows through the narrow canyon.

On our way down stream, we passed a nesting colony of great blue herons, who chose the supporting structure of a railroad bridge as their cozy home. We cruised downstream on the Snake River, watched the picturesque scenery and enjoyed a barbeque lunch on deck.

Motoring further down stream we passed through the locks of Lower Monumental and Ice Harbor Dam. Before dinner we reached the confluence of the Columbia River, and continued our way downstream. We also took pleasure in the continuation of our presentations by our team of Naturalists. Linda gave a presentation on the edible botanical aspects of the Corps of Discovery, while Tom continued with his series “For the Purpose of Commerce.” The day ended with a beautiful sunset, silhouetting the vineyards of Washington.