Tracking Lewis and Clark

On November 7, 1805, Captain William Clark thought he had marked the westward culmination of the Voyage of Discovery and wrote in his journal: “Great joy in camp we are in View of the Ocian, this great Pacific Ocian which we been So long anxious to See.”

Clark’s spelling and grammar were idiosyncratic and he wasn’t quite at the Pacific yet, but instead was looking at the mouth of the Columbia River. Nevertheless, it was a remarkable moment. Clark and Captain Meriwether Lewis had spent 18 months leading an expedition commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to determine the source of the Missouri River, find the best route to the Pacific, and make geographic and scientific observations. Along the way, they traveled by boat, horse and foot, camped during a bitterly cold winter in North Dakota, crossed Montana’s snow-covered Bitterroot Mountains, hollowed five dugout canoes, and hunted buffalo, deer, rabbit and turkey for food. They also traded with previously unknown Native American tribes and saw one of their number die of appendicitis.

Eventually they reached the coast, spending 18 days in what is now Pacific County in the state of Washington and the rest of the winter on the Oregon side of the Columbia River.

Epic History
The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment State Park near Ilwaco, Washington, is a good place to begin understanding the history and grandeur of the Lewis and Clark expedition. It is part of the new Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Park, which takes in sites in both Oregon and Washington. At the interpretive center, you will find a timeline of the entire journey, a film about the group’s adventures on and around the Columbia River, and a variety of interesting artifacts and hands-on exhibits with educational and entertainment value for both children and adults. The center sits on a bluff high above the Pacific Ocean, offering a wonderful place for visitors to sit and watch the ocean, fishing boats and cargo ships.

Then, to retrace the path of Lewis and Clark’s journey, go east through the little village of Chinook to the historical marker for Station Camp. This is where the party stayed and where Clark wrote the above quotation nearly two centuries ago.

While exploring the area, the Lewis and Clark expedition learned from local natives that the south side of the river was a better place to hunt elk and find protected places to camp. They took a vote on whether to stay or cross the river. Sacagawea, the Indian guide whose contribution to the voyage was invaluable, participated, marking the first recorded instance of a woman’s vote in this country.

The Lewis and Clark party backtracked many miles to cross the river at a narrower point, but you can take the 4.2 mile long Astoria-Megler Bridge to cross from Washington to Astoria, Oregon, and then visit Fort Clatsop, where the expedition spent the winter of 1805-06. Although it rained for 94 days during their 106-day stay, you can avoid most of the rain if you visit in the summer.

Members of the expedition spent their time at Fort Clatsop entering their thoughts about the trip in journals, making clothing and moccasins to replace those that had worn out, boiling seawater for salt, and restocking their food supplies for the return voyage.

Cape Disappointment
After touring Fort Clatsop, you will find many other attractions in Astoria, and the neighboring cities of Seaside and Cannon Beach, but the focus of our visit was the Long Beach Peninsula on the Washington side of the Columbia River.

At the southern end of the peninsula is Cape Disappoint-ment, which was given that name by a British sea captain, John Meares, in 1788 when he was unable to find the river channel he was seeking. Meares was not the only one to find the place challenging. This area is called, “the Graveyard of the Pacific” due to the incredible number of ships that have been lost. Even today, two different pilots are required to guide huge ocean freighters into the Columbia. The first pilot’s job is to direct the ships over the ever-changing bar, the often wild and dangerous area where the waters from 1,200 miles of river meet the waves of the sea. The position and wave patterns of the bar are altered by the season, tide, wind, the amount of flow of the river and offshore weather patterns. The second pilot directs the ships up the narrow deep-water channel.

Cape Disappointment State Park, which covers 1,882 acres, contains several miles of moderate hiking trails winding through a forest of huge Sitka spruce, Douglas fir and western hemlock trees. It also has two lighthouses about two miles apart. Visitors can climb to the top of North Head Lighthouse and hear an explanation of the history of the light, which was erected in 1898. Cape Disappointment Lighthouse is a moderate half-mile hike from the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.

The park has a campground, small store, coin-operated laundry, beach and boat launch. It is also the site of a U.S. Coast Guard rescue training facility. The park was formerly known as Fort Canby State Park and may still appear that way on older maps. The entire area is filled with natural beauty. It is great for bird watching, hiking, fishing, flying a kite or just walking on the beach.

Ilwaco Attractions
The Long Beach Peninsula has much to see whether you spend a weekend or month. I stayed at Eagle’s Nest RV Resort in Ilwaco, which is just three miles from the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. The view from the clubhouse overlooks the Port of Ilwaco and across the Columbia to Oregon.

Ilwaco calls itself the “Fishing Capital of the West,” and its port has charter boats where fisherman can catch salmon, sturgeon and halibut. It also has art galleries, gift shops and Jessie’s Ilwaco Fish Company, an excellent seafood market. A must-see in town is the Ilwaco Heritage Museum. Right on the path where Lewis and Clark walked, it covers the major historical developments of the Washington and Oregon coastlines, the Columbia River and the peninsula itself.

The peninsula extends north about 20 miles. The ocean side has bright, sandy beaches and acres of sand dunes. The Willapa Bay side is known for clamming and oystering. On Pacific Highway, the main street, you will find good restaurants and antique and gift stores. You might stop and watch chain-saw artist Josh Blewett create a work of art in his front yard or look for the interesting historical murals painted on the side of buildings.

There are many excellent restaurants. One of the best, the nationally recognized Shelburne Inn, is in the village of Seaview. It offers more than 400 varieties of wine. Another personal favorite is the Crab Pot. The peninsula is filled with activities, including a seafood festival in May, a garlic festival in June, jazz, oyster and kite festivals in August, and an exhibit of hot rods and classic cars in September.

Long Beach is the big town on the peninsula. The attractive downtown area is a Mecca for shoppers, with a variety of gift shops, art galleries and restaurants. You can ride a horse on the beach, rent a moped or bicycle, drive a go-cart or bumper cars, walk along the dunes on the boardwalk, or play arcade games. At the World Kite Museum, you can find 1,500 kites from around the world, and at the Cranberry Museum, you can learn more than you ever wanted to know about cranberries. Golfers will find two challenging golf courses.

The 80-acre Oysterville National Historical District has the feel of a 19th century coastal community. Eight houses, a church, the Oysterville cannery and a one-room schoolhouse are on the National Register of Historic Places. The Oysterville post office is the oldest continuously operating post office in Washington State. The town celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. Visit the Willapa Bay Interpretive Center at Nahcotta for an education in oystering and clamming. Jack’s Country Store in Ocean Park, founded in 1885, retains its general store character with wood floors, track ladders, oak showcases and a stained glass ceiling. Over 200,000 items are stocked in this half-acre grocery, hardware, and general merchandise emporium.

Peter C. Gray is a full-time RVer with a diverse background in the fields of computers and sales.