ASTORIA, OREGON

This town with a population of around 9500 lies on the west coast of Oregon at the mouth of the Columbia River.  The river flows southeast and passes through Portland nearly 100 miles away.  As a point of reference, Seattle is 180 miles to the northeast.

The city was named after the investor, John Jacob Aston, when he built Fort Astor in 1811 for his American Fur Company, however the Oregon Legislative Assembly first incorporated the town back in 1876.  The Lewis & Clark Expedition spent the winter of 1805 & 1806 at Fort Clatsop just south of Astoria.  Fort Astoria was the first permanent settlement built on the Pacific coast and was extremely important in the exploration of the northwestern US.  As the Oregon Territory grew it became more colonized by Americans, Astoria became an important port city with its Colombia River access to the inland.

For over a hundred years Astoria’s economy thrived on fishing, fish processing, and lumber but those started declining in the mid 1900’s.  All canneries were closed by 1980.  Even its trading center as a port of entry has moved to Portland and Seattle.  Today tourism, art, and light manufacturing are Astoria’s economic drivers.  Facilities at the port were built to handle cruise ships in 1982.  Interestingly enough, in order to avoid Mexican ports during the 2009 Swine Flu outbreak, the cruise lines rerouted many ships here to Astoria as a port of call.  Another bit of trivia:  Actor Clark Gable began his career here at the Astoria Theater in 1922.  

                                         Dinner last night with Goran & Rose Mary

                                                       Rebecca's lobster

  Headline entertainer in showroom last night was Jade Milian singing Whitney Houston music.

                                            Our position this morning--Astoria

                                       I have to mail my Mother's Day card here today.

 Hemlock and fir trees waiting to loaded on ships.  They export to China.  Two ships every month.

                                             Bridge over to Washington state

                                                                   Our ship

 My tour was "Panoramic Astoria".  Rae was guide and Charlie the bus driver.  Yes, they used school buses for our tours here.

             Sea lions--They were noisy and smelly.  Locals want to ship them back to CA.

 Stopped for photos at Astoria Column that was built in 1926 on a hill over looking Astoria.  You could climb the 164 steps to top but not me.

 Deck chairs back out today after 36 hours of wind and rough seas.  Nice sunny day and 62 degrees.

                                                                 Pool grill

        Rebecca decided not to go on tour this morning.  She stayed on ship and went to the fitness center to do her workout on treadmill.  She did not miss much by not going on tour.  We had lunch up in La Veranda (buffet) and I ordered a hamburger from pool grill.  The burgers are VERY good.

        Not sure what we will do this afternoon.  I am going to fitness center to do my workout for sure. It has been too rough at sea to do it.  Captain said it was going to be very rough again when we leave this port at 3:00 pm and get back out in ocean.  YUK!  At 6:00 pm is Regent's "block party".  You take wine glasses out into the hall where the stewardesses will pour wine and you meet your neighbors.  Only Regent ships do this and it is fun.

        This evening we will dine up in Sette Mari.  At night La Veranda turns into an Italian restaurant called Sette Mari.  Tonight's show will be the first production show featuring the Jean Ann Ryan singers and dancers.  We will definitely be going.

        Tomorrow will be another day at sea as we head north to Sitka, Alaska.  We will arrive there on Tuesday at noon.  So for the next 45 hours we will probably be bounding around again.  Not looking to that.