A large portion of our guests on the Sea Bird stirred awake about 6 a.m., struggled out to the bow and found themselves observing an unusually calm river about 25 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The reputation of the Columbia River, especially as it nears its estuary, is one of danger and storms. That was not the case on this beautiful day. Cloudless skies, moderate temperatures and calm winds were the order of the day as we visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum, Fort Clatsop National Historic Site, Astoria Column, and the beach at Fort Stevens State Park. Even when the ship approached the infamous Columbia River bar, later in the afternoon, the swells were modest near Cape Disappointment.
Four miles east of Astoria, Oregon, and before breakfast, the observant guests in this expedition "In the Wake of Lewis and Clark," cruised close to the Oregon landmark named Tongue Point by Lieutenant William Robert Broughton of the British Royal Navy in October of 1792. For much of the rest of the day this peninsula remained visible. Today it is easy to think of Tongue Point as only the site of a United States Coast Guard station, but in 1805 and 1806 it served an important role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Corps of Discovery knew that Lieutenant Broughton had named the point, so they renamed it Point William in honor of William Clark. From November 27 to December 7, 1805 the point served as shelter from stormy weather as a cadre of men searched for winter quarters, eventually to be named Fort Clatsop. On March 23, 1806, the expedition camped there a second time, their first stop on the long journey back to St. Louis. Point William still appears on maps today as Tongue Point, but for the guests of the Sea Bird it will always be remembered as an essential location in the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
