We enjoyed a grand final day on National Geographic Sea Bird’s Columbia River trip. We climbed aboard jet boats and headed up the Snake River into the Hells Canyon region for the day. Hells Canyon is the deepest canyon in North America, and it is steeped in dramatic scenery and wildlife. Both golden and bald eagles were observed on the river, as well as bighorn sheep. Black bears were not seen, but their scat was visible in the pear orchard where they have been enjoying the fall harvest. We had a wonderful lunch at Garden Creek, a Nature Conservancy area with a wonderful view of the river. Back aboard National Geographic Sea Bird, we began the process of winding down after our wonderful week on the Columbia River.
4/18/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Walla Walla
We started our crisp and sunny morning with a ride into the boat basin at Sacajawea Historical State Park. The park is home to the October 16-17, 1805 campsite of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and also the Confluence Project Story Circles installed by the acclaimed artist, Maya Lin. As this is a Food and Wine expedition, we departed for Dunham Cellars, with some passengers going to the Whitman Mission National Historic Site. This is the scene of the tragic 1847 encounter between the missionaries and local natives. The setting for all our activities was at the base of the Blue Mountains, which was lush with the growth of spring. Dunham Cellars was enjoyed for their acclaimed cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and chardonnay. Everyone then met at Three Rivers Winery for a catered lunch with wine tasting and an enjoyable bask in the warm sun, supplemented by frisbee golf, corn hole contests, and relaxing on the deck. The afternoon was spent at Fort Walla Walla Museum and downtown Walla Walla. Fort Walla Walla has many exhibits from the late 1800s to early 1900s, including a full-sized diorama of a team of 33 mules used to move the large wheat combines. This was the practice prior to mechanization in this highly productive wheat area. Walla Walla is a wonderful town with a vibrant wine scene and bustling commercial district, which allowed for more wine tasting and shopping, including wine ice cream.