Travelogue No. 5 - Astoria, Oregon

TRAVELOGUE NO. 5
PACIFIC COASTAL CRUISE LOS ANGELES TO VANCOUVER

WEDNESDAY, May 12, 2010 – Astoria, Oregon

Astoria, Oregon is one of our favorite ports of call on a Pacific Coastal cruise because we get the pleasure of being with friends and family! We do not sign up for any shore excursions, because they take us on our own private excursions around the area – and this time was no different.

Astoria is in northwestern Oregon and a port on the Columbia River where it is a major shipping point for logs and grain and has fish and wood-processing industries. Fur traders sent by the America merchant, John Jacob Astor, founded Astoria in 1811. Astoria is the oldest U.S. settlement west of the Rockies. Around 1802, President Thomas Jefferson sent an expedition of explorers searching for large rivers and possible road-ways through the wilderness that Captain Robert Gray had found in 1792. Thus, the Lewis and Clark journey of discovery was formed. They began their journey in Saint Lewis and after a 2000 mile trek, the 33 members of the group spent an incredibly difficult winter at Fort Clatsup in 1805.

There are several interesting places of interest in Astoria. One of our favorites is the Astoria Column – a 125 foot high column patterned after the Trajan’s Column in Rome by architect Electus Ritchfield. From the Column you have spectacular views of the Columbia River Gorge and of the Willamette River Valley. You can climb up into the column as well; but we have not made that trek yet.

Another of our favorite places is the Columbia River Maritime Museum. It is located right on the waterfront and contains one of the most extensive collections of nautical artifacts on the west coast. The exhibits about the Coast Guard rescues at the mouth of the Gorge in bad weather are incredible and so interesting that you cannot help but stand and watch the entire video presentation.

Fort Clatsup is nearby and commemorates the 1805-1806 winter encampment of the 33-member Lewis and Clark expedition. This is a replica of the actual 50 X 50 fort and is nestled in the coastal forests and wetlands of the Coast Range as it merges with the Columbia River Estuary.

Today, however, we did not go to any of those places. Today, Jim’s daughter Jen and our good friends Rob & Christie all drove out from Portland to spend the day with us. The Sapphire Princess picked up the local pilot to help navigate us through the “bar” (which is where the Columbia River greets the Pacific Ocean) and continue on down the Columbia River to Astoria. The morning was a brisk 55° or so with a slight wind, but actually, very pleasant. After Captain Sagini gently pulled the Sapphire into its mooring spot on the dock and we got customs clearance to leave, Jim and I walked down to get in line with the passengers leaving the ship. Once we walked down the gangway and through the small flea market where the locals were selling their homemade jams and jellies and knitted scarves and such, we walked through the chain link fence to the parking lot where our three greeters were there waiting for us with open arms. It is always so good to see everyone.

And so, our adventure of enjoying the day began…we went to Pig’n’Pancake for breakfast where we caught up a little and filled our tummies with warm food and coffee and then we were off to Cannon Beach – our ultimate destination today. Cannon Beach is about one hour south of Astoria and is surrounded by the rugged natural beauty of forests, ocean beaches and rivers. We drove to Tolovana Beach, where we parked and walked out to the beach that had spectacular views of the Cannon Beach Haystack Rock which is a monolith right on the water’s edge. As we walked along the firm sand of the beach, you could not help notice that when the water swept in from the ocean and up onto the beach, there were no crashing waves, but rather the water flowed calmly up and washed across the beach. There were seagulls in front us, that seemed to be playing in the water as it reached them and they kept walking right in front of us as far as we walked. The last time we were at Cannon Beach, Jen and I both found sand dollars in the sand, but we had no luck this time. We did see a couple of broken remnants of some, but nothing in tact.

From the beach, we got back in the cars and drove back into the small community to enjoy walking through some of the boutiques and art galleries. Jim & I and Rob & Christie both bought some art at a local gallery and they will ship ours to us once we get home in a few days.

For lunch we enjoyed a delicious meal at one of the only restaurants on the water at the Wayfarer Restaurant. The view out the front picture window was spectacular of the Cannon Beach Hay Stack and beach. We sat and visited and just enjoyed everything.

Because the Sapphire Princess was leaving Astoria at 4:00 in the afternoon, after lunch we headed back to Astoria where Jen left us and headed back to Portland and we went back to Pig’n’Pancake with Rob & Christie for a cup of coffee and a quick game of Euchre (our favorite card game). Although I “feathered”, the guys still took the game – but we gave them a run for their money as the score was 31 to 29. Then, they had to take us back to the ship and say goodbye. This is the part I always hate because there just doesn’t seem to be enough time.

I don’t know about you, but I feel that way at the end of a cruise as well. No matter what we do – we always seem to say we wished we had just a few more minutes. This was no exception.

As the Sapphire pulled out of port in Astoria, the Captain pointed out several points of interest for us – one was where Free Willy was filmed. We got pictures of the area where Keiko actually was “freed” and jumped over the rock seawall. After that we passed the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse to the north and could also see further north to the North Head Lighthouse. Both of those are easy driving distance from Astoria, and if you’re a lighthouse fan like me, they are truly worth going to visit.

The Sapphire reached “the bar” and soon after, the pilot left the ship and our Captain turned the Sapphire north once again on our way to Seattle. Tonight we enjoyed another special dinner in the Sterling Steakhouse. Till next time…
Wish you were here!