October 4

Columbia River Cruise 2.0

Morning:  Fort Clatsop & Astoria Experience

Well, there were two stories from the morning's excursion.  First, we really enjoyed the crisp weather walking through the woods around the historic Fort Clatsop site; and second there was controversy before we even left the dock!  A little after 9 pm we got on board the bus and began what we thought was the same tour we'd been on a year and a half ago.  One lady sitting next to us asked Kim that she thought we were only doing the fort, and the tour was free.... we said "No" that this excursion was an optional/pay trip and included both.  And therein lied the controversy!

Kim went to the bus driver who was having a conversation with our cruise director Monica.  Kim returned and said that they were in disagreement about yes or no the column was included.  The driver got on and apologized because he said he had ALWAYS done the column as well, and apparently we would NOT be doing it today.  CLEARLY as you can see above, the upper half of the image shows the description of the tour which says we WILL go to the column; and the bottom half shows we will be paying $40.  So we only did the fort.  When we returned I asked not one but three "directors" who all gave me "deer in the headlight" looks when I explained that on the description sheet only one tour had "Fort Clatsop" in the title/description; and it said we would also see the colum; and in the payment option sheet there was only one item with "Fort Clatsop" and it clearly said it was $40.  So which was it?  Was it free or not?  We only got one-half of what we were promised.  The reply I received was that this "needed to be updated" and the only way to go to the column beginning this year is the free shuttle.  So I said, so did we pay or no?  And from now on the tour is $40 for ONLY the fort?  The reply was yes, and "don't worry about this" pointing to our sign up sheet.....so we'll see if we have to pay!  Regardless we enjoyed the morning considerably!

Less than 200 yds from the fort - where canoes went into the river

Another view of the canoe launch/river

The "BEST Fish & Chips" In the Pacific Northwest (or so they say)

Afternoon Excursion:  Cape Disappointment

This afternoon I ended up being the only one on the tour, we'd been here before but I just thought the scenery (and the chance to be out in the coolish weather) was too good to pass up.  It was about a 30 minute bus ride across the big bridge (four miles long, see top banner at beginning of this page) to the Washington side of the river and then out to the peninsula where the Pacific Ocean meets the Columbia River.  It's so treacherous (over 2000 wrecks) that to cross you must have a special "bar pilot" board your ship while in the Pacific and bring you over the bar into the river.  Luckily for us, as we were arriving you could just spy a ship beginning to cross....and by the time we were ready to leave he was entering the Columbia and crossing past the light house.  A very cool afternoon!

I just thought this was one of the better "portrait" photos of me, so.....it's MY web page, so I'm adding it :)