Palouse River, Cruising along Snake River
Our third day in the Wake Of Lewis and Clark dawned clear, warm and beautiful. After cruising from the Clarkston, Lewiston area, we found ourselves approaching the confluence of the Palouse and Snake Rivers.
After breakfast we launched the Zodiacs for cruises around the shores of this stunning basaltic river canyon. The Palouse River is a time machine giving us a view back into millions of years of geologic history. Here we can see what lies beneath our feet as we look over the “Rolling Hills of Grass,” as the French name Palouse is loosely translated. The power of the gigantic Bretz floods can begin to be understood as we look at the scars they left when cutting and tearing at the hundreds of feet of basaltic lava flows that covered the area, leaving the canyons and falls of the Palouse River.
Steve Engel joined our own Naturalist, Sharon Grainger, to introduce us to the rich and beautiful world that lives along the banks of this wild and strange landscape. We came to call at a beaver lodge but found the residents out for the morning. The growing store of branches providing winter rations for the family was visible. We had better luck with the muskrat that gave us a brief opportunity for viewing and pictures.
We had a chance to see the efficiency of the Sea Lion crew as they quickly and easily accomplished a mid-water refueling of one of our Zodiacs.
Red-tailed hawks and song sparrows were the predominate birds seen on the journey on the river and nature walks at Palouse Falls. Cormorants were lined up like fans at a football game to watch us exit the locks at the Lower Monumental Dam. The run-off, from the unusual lift style gates of the lock, provided all on deck with a refreshing shower as we passed under them.
After clearing the lock we were treated to a beautiful slide presentation and explanation of the climate and vegetation of the Pacific Northwest by Naturalist Sharon Grainger. The differences between the Eastern and Western Cascade climate areas along with that of the trees, groundcovers and flowers were presented in their full ranges of color and beauty. Many of these plants were written about in the journals of The Corps of Discovery as they saw them for the first time and discovered the many uses the Native Americans had for each tree, fern and flower.
Our day drew to a close as we continued down the Snake River and looked forward to our entrance onto the Columbia River later in the evening just as the thirty-three people in their dugouts did as they traversed this new land in 1805.
Our third day in the Wake Of Lewis and Clark dawned clear, warm and beautiful. After cruising from the Clarkston, Lewiston area, we found ourselves approaching the confluence of the Palouse and Snake Rivers.
After breakfast we launched the Zodiacs for cruises around the shores of this stunning basaltic river canyon. The Palouse River is a time machine giving us a view back into millions of years of geologic history. Here we can see what lies beneath our feet as we look over the “Rolling Hills of Grass,” as the French name Palouse is loosely translated. The power of the gigantic Bretz floods can begin to be understood as we look at the scars they left when cutting and tearing at the hundreds of feet of basaltic lava flows that covered the area, leaving the canyons and falls of the Palouse River.
Steve Engel joined our own Naturalist, Sharon Grainger, to introduce us to the rich and beautiful world that lives along the banks of this wild and strange landscape. We came to call at a beaver lodge but found the residents out for the morning. The growing store of branches providing winter rations for the family was visible. We had better luck with the muskrat that gave us a brief opportunity for viewing and pictures.
We had a chance to see the efficiency of the Sea Lion crew as they quickly and easily accomplished a mid-water refueling of one of our Zodiacs.
Red-tailed hawks and song sparrows were the predominate birds seen on the journey on the river and nature walks at Palouse Falls. Cormorants were lined up like fans at a football game to watch us exit the locks at the Lower Monumental Dam. The run-off, from the unusual lift style gates of the lock, provided all on deck with a refreshing shower as we passed under them.
After clearing the lock we were treated to a beautiful slide presentation and explanation of the climate and vegetation of the Pacific Northwest by Naturalist Sharon Grainger. The differences between the Eastern and Western Cascade climate areas along with that of the trees, groundcovers and flowers were presented in their full ranges of color and beauty. Many of these plants were written about in the journals of The Corps of Discovery as they saw them for the first time and discovered the many uses the Native Americans had for each tree, fern and flower.
Our day drew to a close as we continued down the Snake River and looked forward to our entrance onto the Columbia River later in the evening just as the thirty-three people in their dugouts did as they traversed this new land in 1805.
