We awoke this morning as the National Geographic Sea Lion was docking at the city of The Dalles, Oregon. The town was named by French explorers for the basalt rocks in the river that resembled flagstones or stepping stones. As we disembarked we were greeted by local re-enactors dressed to resemble the “floozies” who plied their trade here in the early days. Our first coach stop along the Columbia River Scenic Highway was at Rowena Crest that offered sweeping views up and down river. We traveled to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Wasco County Museum, where we learned about the geological, biological, and cultural history of the area. We were entranced by a display of living raptors (red-tailed hawk, spotted owl, and falcon) that have been rehabilitated at the museum.
Some guests made their way back to the ship by hiking or biking while others took a nature walk around the museum grounds. Other guests traveled by coach to the ship or Lewis and Clark’s Rock Fort, where the Corps of Discovery camped going down river in 1805 and upriver in 1806, and through the city to view murals of events in the history of the area.
Our afternoon included a coach trip across the Columbia to Washington to visit the Maryhill Art Museum, established in the former home of Sam Hill of Seattle, who was responsible for the creation of the Columbia River Scenic Highway. The museum contains an eclectic variety of art works, from Rodin sculptures to Indian crafts to chess sets and furniture from Queen Marie of Romania. One favorite was a film of a modern dance by Sam Hill’s friend Loie Fuller. We traveled along the river to the full size replica of Stonehenge, created by Sam Hill to honor the dead from Klickitat County in World War I. A short ride in our inflatable boats brought us back to the ship and our evening cocktails, recap, and dinner.
