Astoria
The morning was embraced with a warm jacket and cup of peppermint tea. Astoria had not yet emerged from its blanket of clouds. However sleepy this little picturesque town was, it would soon be bustling with business, shopkeepers, and shipping just as it has since its founding in 1811.
Taking a walk on deck, we welcomed the sight of our neighbors docked adjacent to us. Sharing our dock was the US Coast Guard ship, Steadfast, as well as a floating lighthouse, The Lightship Columbia.
We enjoyed discovering another waterfront locale just steps from our gangway – Oregon's official Maritime Museum, The Columbia River Maritime Museum. Artifacts, pictures, and recreations fill this remarkable museum for a vivid education of the Columbia River. Intricate displays of life on the river told the stories of the many fish that swim beneath us and the many men who dedicated their lifetime to catch them. Fishing, sailing, and navigation have surged in evolving technology from the 1700s to the present day.
We would also step back into the year of 1805 when the Lewis & Clark expedition spent their rain-soaked winter. Fort Clatsop has been recreated to view a glimpse of what it would have been like to experience life in conditions of the original expedition.
With some irony as we left Fort Clatsop, the sun blew a kiss and the skies cleared for what was a beautiful afternoon. The Astoria Column offered sweeping views of the town, waterfront and river merging into the vast Pacific Ocean. Time in town was also offered for those wishing to do a little further exploration of Astoria's shops, galleries, and boutiques.
As we slipped the lines from our berth, we headed outward bound for the Columbia River Bar. The mouth of the Columbia River, known for swallowing more than 2,000 vessels is aptly referred to as the 'Graveyard of the Pacific.' Luckily today conditions were calm, and our always capable Captain & crew turned us back up river before we ventured too far, after all this was just the first day… Tomorrow is waiting.
The morning was embraced with a warm jacket and cup of peppermint tea. Astoria had not yet emerged from its blanket of clouds. However sleepy this little picturesque town was, it would soon be bustling with business, shopkeepers, and shipping just as it has since its founding in 1811.
Taking a walk on deck, we welcomed the sight of our neighbors docked adjacent to us. Sharing our dock was the US Coast Guard ship, Steadfast, as well as a floating lighthouse, The Lightship Columbia.
We enjoyed discovering another waterfront locale just steps from our gangway – Oregon's official Maritime Museum, The Columbia River Maritime Museum. Artifacts, pictures, and recreations fill this remarkable museum for a vivid education of the Columbia River. Intricate displays of life on the river told the stories of the many fish that swim beneath us and the many men who dedicated their lifetime to catch them. Fishing, sailing, and navigation have surged in evolving technology from the 1700s to the present day.
We would also step back into the year of 1805 when the Lewis & Clark expedition spent their rain-soaked winter. Fort Clatsop has been recreated to view a glimpse of what it would have been like to experience life in conditions of the original expedition.
With some irony as we left Fort Clatsop, the sun blew a kiss and the skies cleared for what was a beautiful afternoon. The Astoria Column offered sweeping views of the town, waterfront and river merging into the vast Pacific Ocean. Time in town was also offered for those wishing to do a little further exploration of Astoria's shops, galleries, and boutiques.
As we slipped the lines from our berth, we headed outward bound for the Columbia River Bar. The mouth of the Columbia River, known for swallowing more than 2,000 vessels is aptly referred to as the 'Graveyard of the Pacific.' Luckily today conditions were calm, and our always capable Captain & crew turned us back up river before we ventured too far, after all this was just the first day… Tomorrow is waiting.
