What an introduction to the interior northwest! With ship docked in Clarkston, we embarked on the first day of our expedition. Shortly after breakfast we boarded three jet boats to explore some 50 miles up Snake River, into Hells Canyon, North America’s deepest river gorge. After a day of world-class whitewater, spectacular mountain vistas, abundant wildlife, and ancient petroglyphs, we returned to National Geographic Quest to enjoy discussions both entertaining and informative, led by Nez Perce storyteller JR Spencer.
4/27/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Astoria, Oregon
We reached the penultimate day of our journey in Astoria, Oregon, where the Columbia River collides with the open ocean. We were met with a typical Pacific Northwest day of gentle rains punctuated by moments of sunshine. The guests were divided to conquer this gem of a city, nestled under bridges; half headed across the river to Washington to visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment, while the other half visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum and Astoria Column. The museum and the interpretive center are both excellent examples of what the west coast can offer with regard to history and culture. Each has thoughtful exhibits that cover broad swaths of topics, and are staffed with informative and helpful faculty. After a hearty lunch on board, the groups swapped in order to have the best of both worlds. Finally, all met back aboard for the week’s final recap and guest slideshow.
