As the sun was rising in the east and the full moon was setting in the west, our trusty ship the National Geographic Sea Lion made her way upstream on the Columbia River toward the first activity of the day, transiting through the lock at Bonneville Dam. It was an exciting first step in our day’s activities. Soon after successfully exiting Bonneville Lock, we continued a short distance upriver to our anchorage for the day, near Cascade Lock. After lunch we boarded Zodiacs for a short ride to a small marina, then onto coaches for the afternoon’s activities: Multnomah Falls, Bonneville Fish Hatchery, Beacon Rock, and the Columbia River Interpretive Center. So, after a full day, another wonderful dinner, it was time to relax, get a good night’s sleep, and prepare for another full day of exploring along the mighty Columbia!
4/25/2024
Read
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.