Eastward on the Columbia River
This morning we were treated to a beautiful sunrise as we approached John Day Dam. The pink skies reflected off the water and made the basalt cliffs all the more dramatic. After navigating through two locks during the night, we enjoyed the firsthand view of the workings of the deepest lock on the river. From a distance, the lock chamber looked small. But once we pulled in, it was easy to see that there was plenty of space for our 152 foot boat. The locks are all standardized in size – 86 feet wide by 675 feet long. After we pulled into the lock chamber, the deckhands secured the line to the floating ballard. Once secure, we watched the huge guillotine gate close. The water from the upstream reservoir flowed into the lock through two huge valves invisible to us below the waterline. In less than 20 minutes we were raised to the level of the upper reservoir and on our way. We will pass through 8 locks and dams to get to our easternmost destination, and those same 8 again on our return.
As we cruised east, we learned about Lewis and Clark, the salmon fishery and the history of the area that we were passing. One of the items of fascination was the vineyards visible on the Washington side of the river. This afternoon in order get the flavor of the region in which we were traveling, the hotel staff treated us to a wine and food tasting. Along with many Washington wines, we sampled smoked seafood and locally made jams, spreads, butters and mustards.
This morning we were treated to a beautiful sunrise as we approached John Day Dam. The pink skies reflected off the water and made the basalt cliffs all the more dramatic. After navigating through two locks during the night, we enjoyed the firsthand view of the workings of the deepest lock on the river. From a distance, the lock chamber looked small. But once we pulled in, it was easy to see that there was plenty of space for our 152 foot boat. The locks are all standardized in size – 86 feet wide by 675 feet long. After we pulled into the lock chamber, the deckhands secured the line to the floating ballard. Once secure, we watched the huge guillotine gate close. The water from the upstream reservoir flowed into the lock through two huge valves invisible to us below the waterline. In less than 20 minutes we were raised to the level of the upper reservoir and on our way. We will pass through 8 locks and dams to get to our easternmost destination, and those same 8 again on our return.
As we cruised east, we learned about Lewis and Clark, the salmon fishery and the history of the area that we were passing. One of the items of fascination was the vineyards visible on the Washington side of the river. This afternoon in order get the flavor of the region in which we were traveling, the hotel staff treated us to a wine and food tasting. Along with many Washington wines, we sampled smoked seafood and locally made jams, spreads, butters and mustards.
