Astoria appeared in the distance on our port side, laying peacefully against the early evening sky as we motored Westward from Portland on the Columbia drawing near to the Pacific and the voyage end for Lewis and Clark. The picture marked the last hours of our 8 day adventure river cruise up the Columbia and Snake Rivers, which included a jet boat ride through Hell’s Canyon and visits to the towns of Walla Walla, Pemberton, and especially the wonders of Mt. St. Helens. . It was a great trip, marking the start of the 40th anniversary summer of Barb and myself, and one we had long dreamed of making.
USA River Cruises and Cruise West did a great Job of meeting our expectations for exploration, learning about the settling of the northwest, and the history of this great area. The meals were great and the talks about local history met everything we had looked forward to. Our crew became good friends, as did many of the passengers on similar adventures of exploration, and we returned feeling very fulfilled at having had this wonderful experience.
So thanks to all those who made this happen, especially Marcy and Kieron, we will long remember you and the adventure as we share our story (and pictures) with family and friends.
-Carl and Barb Debevec
Aboard the Spirit of ’98, July 2009
