Astoria
On the Columbia River, “In the Wake of Lewis and Clark,” every day is better than its predecessor. So it was today, on the last full day of our tour, here in Astoria Oregon. First of all, the sun shone. On days when the sun shines in Astoria, natives come out of their houses and bow to the ground. We were blessed with fine, sunny, warm weather all day, and we gave thanks for it.
We began, after Eggs Benedict, with a trip across the wharf to the Columbia River Maritime Museum, one of the finest institutions of its kind anywhere in the world. The Museum has recently been reconfigured, with emphases on shipwrecks and contemporary developments, guests could return to the museum anytime all day, and many did.
We bussed to the Fort Clatsop historical site, where the Lewis and Clark Expedition spent the winter of 1805-1806. The replica of the fort, constructed in 1955, burned down on October 3, 2005. Authorities at first suspected arson, but, finding no evidence, now suspect smoldering fires inside or burning candles. The fire-charred remnants of the Fort were razed; archeological excavations (which revealed little) conducted, and reconstruction begun. The new Fort is well under way, and scheduled to be dedicated on December 9, 2006—the 201st anniversary of the beginning of construction in 1805.
In the afternoon, guests had many choices. Some stayed aboard; some stayed in town. Some traveled up Coxcomb Hill to the Astoria Column, modeled after Trajan’s Column in Rome, which depicts the history of the area in relief. Many headed over the 4.1 mile bridge across the estuary and drove west on Highway 101 through Ilwaca to Cape Disappointment, on the extreme southwestern corner of Washington, and the northern edge of the Columbia River Bar. A newly-expanded Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center is worth the trip. Hikers headed off to the first lighthouse ever constructed on the West Coast.
Back aboard, Sea Lion steamed towards the Columbia River Bar, then reversed course for the anticipated Captain’s Cocktail Hour. After dinner, Ivy League impresarios offered new interpretations of Sacajawea, spelled and pronounced with a “J”. The evening, the day, and the entire trip ended with successive waves of applause.
On the Columbia River, “In the Wake of Lewis and Clark,” every day is better than its predecessor. So it was today, on the last full day of our tour, here in Astoria Oregon. First of all, the sun shone. On days when the sun shines in Astoria, natives come out of their houses and bow to the ground. We were blessed with fine, sunny, warm weather all day, and we gave thanks for it.
We began, after Eggs Benedict, with a trip across the wharf to the Columbia River Maritime Museum, one of the finest institutions of its kind anywhere in the world. The Museum has recently been reconfigured, with emphases on shipwrecks and contemporary developments, guests could return to the museum anytime all day, and many did.
We bussed to the Fort Clatsop historical site, where the Lewis and Clark Expedition spent the winter of 1805-1806. The replica of the fort, constructed in 1955, burned down on October 3, 2005. Authorities at first suspected arson, but, finding no evidence, now suspect smoldering fires inside or burning candles. The fire-charred remnants of the Fort were razed; archeological excavations (which revealed little) conducted, and reconstruction begun. The new Fort is well under way, and scheduled to be dedicated on December 9, 2006—the 201st anniversary of the beginning of construction in 1805.
In the afternoon, guests had many choices. Some stayed aboard; some stayed in town. Some traveled up Coxcomb Hill to the Astoria Column, modeled after Trajan’s Column in Rome, which depicts the history of the area in relief. Many headed over the 4.1 mile bridge across the estuary and drove west on Highway 101 through Ilwaca to Cape Disappointment, on the extreme southwestern corner of Washington, and the northern edge of the Columbia River Bar. A newly-expanded Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center is worth the trip. Hikers headed off to the first lighthouse ever constructed on the West Coast.
Back aboard, Sea Lion steamed towards the Columbia River Bar, then reversed course for the anticipated Captain’s Cocktail Hour. After dinner, Ivy League impresarios offered new interpretations of Sacajawea, spelled and pronounced with a “J”. The evening, the day, and the entire trip ended with successive waves of applause.
