Early in the morning National Geographic Sea Lion did a short repositioning upstream from Hood River to The Dalles. So, shortly after breakfast we disembarked, loaded the coach, and did a short drive back down river to Rowena Crest Overlook, and then to the Columbia River Discovery Center. From there we had the options of walking 5.5 miles back to the ship, do the same on bicycles, or take the coach for the return trip. After lunch, it was back to the coaches, and enjoyed a drive along the Columbia River to Maryhill museum, and then visiting the Maryhill Winery for our last excursion of the day.
4/27/2024
Read
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.
