THE world is full of diverse and wonderful discoveries.
THE world is full of diverse and wonderful discoveries. They're all the more delightful when totally unexpected.Years ago on an early family driving trip down the Oregon coast, we'd passed by Astoria . . . or more accurately, bypassed it. En route from Seattle to Los Angeles, there was just too much to see, even with weeks to do it.
We'd lingered briefly at the reconstructed site of Fort Clatsop where explorers Lewis and Clark spent the winter of 1805-06. Then we'd moved on as they did.
"I don't know why they're stopping in Astoria," John Sarich had commented at dinner the night before our arrival. "There's nothing there."
As guest lecturer on food and wine, John was headquartered in neighbouring Washington State where he was Ste. Michelle Winery's culinary expert, often promoting Washington's products overseas.
That comment would come back to haunt him when we returned the following evening. Although we'd gone ashore with low expectations, we returned with great enthusiasm. He admitted he'd probably been arbitrary in his comment and that it did have much of interest.
First impressions definitely create a certain mood. Barely down the gangway and through the security gate, we encountered an effervescent welcoming committee. Full of enthusiasm and armed with a helpful map, they proceeded to tell us about the area's unique attractions.
Turned out 22 ship stops were on their calendar and a special dockside area had been set up to welcome passengers, not unlike Bermuda's Harbour Nights.
They included all nature of imaginative crafts from carved whales and wine tasting to model lighthouses and ocean-inspired jewellery.
"You can stroll along the river walk, past some of the old canneries and new resort properties to the maritime museum, or take our tourist trolley there," an especially personable volunteer enthused, as she categorised main "must-see attractions".MEETING several other volunteers like her son had us equally enthused strolling past the tented craft stalls. One caught our special attention, not as much for its carved fish, which we already had in abundance, but its display table covered with a unique, very colourful fabric with an eye-catching assortment of lighthouses.It was an absolute knockout, especially for my brother Jim and I as we're both lighthouse fans. Not only mesmerised by those stalwart shoreline guardians, we've also become very involved in editorialising in magazine and newspaper articles about saving some specific endangered ones.
"Where did you find something so fabulous? Is there anywhere in town that sells it?"
We soon learned we were among a long list asking the same question.
Given the name of a large Commercial Street fabric shop, we put it on an ever increasing to-see-and-do list.
We opted to follow the waterfront paved path paralleling the tourist trolley tracks because getting in a daily walk is important to us. There were no traditional all-around walking decks on Regent's Seven Seas Mariner as existed on classic ships.
Instead, that space is now more often used for money-enhancing stateroom balconies. And>Mariner, like most modern floating hotel cruise ships, has adapted the cookie-cutter design of an upper encirclement walkway.
Designed for space saving efficiency, it's fine on a good day, but wind, rain, broiling sun bring out the flaws of not having a traditional, more protected deck as all ships formerly did.
Don't attempt to walk all the way to the maritime museum if you tire easily. Take the traditional restored 1913 trolley for $1, or walk part way and flag it down as it approaches. Volunteer conductors and motormen really know their history and keep passengers entertained during a four-mile ride.
However, en route walking you will encounter some worthy sights. First is an unusual large maritime monument, a sort of half circle design of black granite somewhat reminiscent of Washington's Vietnam Memorial. At the memorial's entry was a gorgeous blaze of azaleas and rhododendrons in full bloom. Unfortunately, many visitors walked by without entering because its simplicity belied what the unusual wall reveals.
On individual squares, often dramatically etched with vintage sailing schooners, cannery scenes and dramatic sea vistas are individual memorials. They range from fishermen lost at sea to those who made their living as horse seine operators, coastal fishing along the shore. There's one, born in 1852, who sailed around the Horn, another a Naval Aviation Pilot in World War Two.
From tug boat captains and those who worked on the Columbia to make "crossing the bar" safer . . . to a first mate on a light ship and early cannery workers.
It's a moving memorial, dedicated to the harsh life and sacrifices of those who carved out this once wilderness frontier. One seaman's tribute sums up the mood: "Weep not for me that go to sea. In the limitless ocean I am free."
That's rather how we felt, designing our own shore excursion free of regimentation and being shuttled around in a bus with limited time at each site. This is one port where such exploration is easily possible.
We'll be telling you more about that incredible sea-oriented heritage next week, when we visit a very special maritime museum. Tempestuous seas off this shore, where the Columbia River empties into the Pacific, are challenging to an extent Bermudians will definitely appreciate.WHILE Bermuda's coastal waters are challenged by reefs, here it's a "bar" where fierce tides have challenged seamen for centuries. Two thousand ships have foundered here since 1811.Along the wide walkway, we passed a "cannery" warehouse, doors wide open revealing many millions of stacked, unlabelled cans glistening in reflected light.
"I'll bet they all contain exactly the same product, but will come out with very different labels carrying assorted prices," commented my brother, who is usually right in such appraisals.
And true to form, he was yet again. Turns out this area, once a world centre for canneries involving locally-caught tuna and salmon, now often receives shipments of canned salmon from Alaska and it's here that many are labelled.
The volunteer trolley conductor on our ride back confirmed Jim's appraisal.
"Yes, they're labelled in that plant you saw and sent out," he admitted. "Did you see the label display in the museum? Well-known Bumble Bee got its start here when the local co-operative started using it."
Since we eat only wild salmon on doctor's orders, were they wild or farm raised? Drive up Vancouver Island some time and you'll find yourself surrounded by controversy involving the farm-raised variety.
At Port Hardy, up near the very tip of the island, a battle about them was raging. Enclosures along ocean shores and inlets were causing major problems of contamination among other things.
Our doctor insists we not eat salmon unless wild for the benefit of its Omega Three which doesn't exist in the farm-raised variety and recent studies on Vancouver Island showed even wild species are now threatened with contamination.
Nowadays, zillions of tons of cargo from around the world move along the Columbia River. Ever since the arrival of Lewis and Clark, the area began to open to settlement.
John Jacob Astor, at that time the world's wealthiest man, established one of his fur-trading outposts here very early and thus the name Astoria.
Prosperity soon followed and many homes remain recalling local success stories. Among the town's worthwhile sights is Flavel House, built by one of the Pacific Northwest's early shipping tycoons.
Built between 1884 and 1886, it's a real gem, especially six fireplaces with mantels hand carved from exotic hardwood and enhanced with tiles from around the world.
It's only one example of some of the high Victorian treasures around Astoria. Some are now bed and breakfasts.
As the first major settlement west of the Rocky Mountains, it boasts one of the Pacific Northwest's largest collection of vintage homes. (Admission is $5 adults, $4 for seniors and students and $2 for children aged six to 17).
It's remarkable to consider it "once rivalled San Francisco in size and splendour".
Storied Astoria is an Oregon gem along the mighty Columbia River
