The Travel Industry News - Editorial Archives

April 1, 2001

GATHERING THOUGHTS...

I didn’t wake ‘til 8.30 (a.m. that is!), the sun demanded my attention and the river banks along the Multnomah Channel presented the Northwest in all its finery.

We had sat with John Borneman...the vessel’s historian...the day before on our train ride and an interesting character he turned out to be. A degree in music (specializing in Opera), a stint with The Fred Waring Pennsylvanians (ask your mother if you don’t know), 33 years with the Audubon Society and here he was plying the rivers of the Northwest. He told passengers about the countryside they passed through, the points of interest and all woven together with humour and the adventures of Lewis and Clark along the Oregon Trail.

That morning ‘The Bird Man of Steamboats’ talked for an hour in the sun filled Columbia-Showroom. I relaxed and listened to the hardships and resourcefulness of those who blazed this trail...I almost felt guilty that I was doing nothing...but that didn’t last long.

We strolled ‘topside’, the river behind us frothed white as our red paddlewheel churned tirelessly, passengers were walking, sitting, pointing cameras in every direction. “Seals off the port bow”, yes there they were gliding through the water with ease, I guess they too had to see this ‘different’ vessel that had entered their domain.

Lunch time! No doubt about it the food was good and those waiters were still smiling...I like this life style.

We came alongside and docked in Longview, WA. The Queen’s pax wended their way off of their ‘new home’ at 12.45 bound for our old friend ‘Mt. St. Helens...you know the one who blew her top in 1980?

D & D had already been there..done that..in fact, more than once. The Bonds stayed behind to guard the sundeck chairs, read a little (I was rereading ‘Moby Dick’ and trust me you need peace and quiet for that), write a thought or two and let the sun know that she was not ignored. Our ‘Queen of the West’ was docked almost beneath the Longview Bridge.

Ah yes, cruising is for seeing, learning, eating, dreaming and meeting new friends, but it is also...for leaving worries behind...or at the very least, for pushing them back into the recesses of your mind.

The sky was a ‘Northwest Blue’, the clouds that did exist were virgin white and trees across the river, a rich silent green. Oh indeed...it was a good day to read Moby Dick beneath the crying seagulls and to quietly thank Lewis & Clark and friends for their wondrous journey.

Ships that sail today, particularly those who sail under the American flag attempt to do so in an ‘environmentally friendly manner’. I smiled as I learned that the rocking chair on which I was ‘rocking the day away’, was made from recycled milk cartons...now if we can only produce one from empty scotch bottles. How about ‘A Chair with a Fling’? That’s cruising...your mind has time for foolish thoughts..mine does anyway! It was also a good day to add another travel memory to my mind while sitting (almost) perfectly still.

The Mt. St. Helens explorers returned from their educational adventure and to hear them talk...which we did...they were in awe of Nature's power and of Washington’s scenery. They returned just in time for ‘Cocktail Hour’, an hour in which they relived their day, their cruise so far and of course, some of their favorite family and travel times.

After dinner ... lamb for Mr D and pasta for Mrs D, enjoyed with an Oregon Merlot... The Columbia Room presented ‘O’l Time Country’. I love Country music, it’s the tales of love gone wrong that set my toe a’tappin’, that and my London ‘mum’s’ love for ‘Put Your Sweet Lips A Little Closer To The Phone’. After the show we danced a step or two, and all the while our lady of the river cruised through the evening towards Astoria, OR.

Tuesday March 7 dawned, our last full day afloat aboard our friendly paddlewheeling ‘Queen of the West’.

Apparently..if you lived in Portland, OR. between 1862 and 1916, the thing to do on a weekend, holiday or vacation was to take a trip on one of the Paddlewheel Riverboats then operating between Portland and the Ocean. The first sternwheeler to do this was the “Jennie Clark” in 1862...bet you didn’t know that. Of course it makes sense, for in those distant days there were virtually no roads and the rivers were the highways.

Well, today there are highways...and it is still better to travel by boat...particularly if you’re aboard a Paddlewheeler.

A pleasant breakfast ( I was up earlier!), we were docked in Astoria OR., the first town built on the west coast by settlers. Our buses ... or better yet ... ‘motor coaches’ picked us up at 8.45 for a tour of Astoria.

Built in 1811, Astoria has a colorful history built mainly by its close association with the sea. We visited Fort Clatsop, where Lewis & Clark were headquartered 1805-06, the scenic Astoria Tower high atop Coxcomb Hill ( breathtaking views) and one of the best maritime museums I have ever been in.

D & D have passed through Astoria countless times on our sojourns to Cannon Beach, passing the ‘Columbia River Maritime Museum’ each time, and yet never stopping to go in...mistake! If you have any interest in your history and/or vessels and ships of all persuasions, you are bound to thoroughly enjoy this lovingly cared for museum. You can also board the Lightship Columbia moored behind the museum.

By 12.30 we were aboard again for lunch, a little R & R and our ‘Magic Carpet Buses’ were back at 2.15....next stop...Cannon Beach.

Those of you who know us and have read TIN lo these many years, know that Cannon Beach has always been our ‘Escape’ from the norm. I should qualify that by saying the ‘escapes’ had to be in the ‘Off Season’ before the maddening crowds descended. This was early March and although the sun dominated the sky, blissfully there were relatively few visitors in town.

The ‘Queen’s’ motley guests scattered hither and thither exploring the small stores, galleries and candy stores that awaited. D & D split up (briefly!), Mrs D off to the cooking paraphernalia store and David to his favourite gallery that features the art of ‘Steve Hanks’.

To my amazement Mrs D met me sans packages in hand, I on the other hand found a small framed ‘Hanks’ painting entitled ‘Gathering Thoughts’...it reminded me of my daughter Keeley once upon a time...and I had to have it. Oh well, easy come...easy go.

We bid our bus drivers adieu at the dock, boarded our ‘Queen’ for our last evening afloat, an evening that featured the Captain’s Gala Dinner. Dress aboard ‘Her Majesty’ was casual, but passengers had on their ‘best’ casual clothes that evening.

“One for my partner and one for the ‘River’ please Mel”. A couple of minutes later our Paddlewheel Lounge barman and confidant, Mel, poured our ‘shaken’ martinis into thirsty glasses and all was well. I’ve been on 43 cruises now...and Mel is maybe the best bartender I’ve encountered and Ruby one of the best purveyors of the ‘Blues’.

In keeping with the mariner theme, we enjoyed a delicious Lobster Dinner that evening in a party-like atmosphere. It was our final dinner, ‘so to speak’, and we had...by chance of course...found ourselves at a table for two, the perfect ending to a great cruise.

Well almost the end...there was a show and then we danced...and then we had a ‘Goodnight Brandy’, then we slipped up on deck just to see if the stars were still there...and they were.

David (Gathering Thoughts) Bond

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