At sunset last night, we began our journey eastward from the mouth of the Columbia River, passing by Portland in the predawn and reaching the Columbia River Gorge just after breakfast. Fierce winds of 35-40 mph blew from the east as we prepared to Zodiac ashore for hikes up Taylor Creek canyon, a visit to the Bonneville Dam Fish Hatchery, and world famous Multnomah Falls. After lunch, we passed through the locks at Bonneville Dam and then skirted the remains of a mega-landslide, known as the Bridge of the Gods, which once blocked the Columbia River. We anchored for the evening at the town of Hood River, Oregon.
4/25/2024
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National Geographic Sea Bird
Crow Butte
After transiting McNary Lock and Dam, National Geographic Sea Bird dropped anchor at Crow Butte in the early morning of Thursday, April 25th. After a hearty breakfast, we were delivered by Zodiac to the south side locations for an aerobic walk to the top of Crow Butte, supplemented with a medium elevation nature hike. A more casual history-oriented walk began on the west side of the Island and ended where we were able to get some great photos of National Geographic Sea Bird at anchor. The aroma of the sagebrush in the shrub-steppe environment filled the air, and the gentle but steady winds preceded a light rain in the otherwise arid environment. Returning hikers were greeted by the hotel staff and hot chocolate at the landing site and also enjoyed the playground equipment. Crow Butte is a tear drop shaped island surrounding a core of basalt, and the sandy terrain is composed of debris deposited during the Ice Age Flood events of 12,000-18,000 years ago. The afternoon was spent cruising the Columbia River on our way to dock at Hood River, Oregon.