Today began our first full day of exploration. The weather started cloudy but morphed into a warm, spring-like sunny day. Our stops included the historical Fort Stevens, a walk on the sandy beach to the wreck of the Peter Iredale, an investigation of the wonders held in the Columbia River Maritime Museum, a short visit to view the barking sea lions on the pier, and a stroll through the woods at Fort Clatsop. It was a diverse and interesting day, all with the prevailing threat of sunburn.
11/4/2023
Read
National Geographic Sea Bird
Astoria, Oregon
O! the Joy! Hmm, we needed to rethink that one this morning, as we woke to a rainy and blustery Astoria. What this weather did give us was a taste of historic authenticity in relation to the Corps of Discovery and their experiences here in the winter of 1805-06. Our first activity this morning was amongst the magnificent exhibits of the Columbia River Maritime Museum. This world-class facility tells the story of the mighty Columbia and the treacherous results to mariners when the river shoves against the incoming tides of the Pacific Ocean. As our day progressed, we crossed the Astoria-Megler bridge to the state of Washington. At the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center the winds continued but the rain subsided, and we enjoyed a sun-drenched afternoon with an option to walk a forest trail down to Waikiki Beach. The sun and sand were a siren to us and we made an additional stop at the North Jetty to get a water-level view of the waves crashing against the rocks of the Cape Disappointment lighthouse. The day turned out anything but disappointing.