Astoria

Astoria is a very interesting city. It is the first port after a ship clears the bar into the Columbia River. The area near the bar is the most dangerous place for shipping along the west coast. Over 2000 ships have been lost here in the past 300 years. There is a Maritime Museum with great displays of Coast Guard rescue ships and the pilot boats of the bar. There is a lot of history of the early explorers who came by sea. There is a lot about the development of the shipping industry up through Portland.

Shipwreck mapping

Full scale model of Coast Guard rescue

There were three ships on display moored at the dock. There was a Coast Guard Cutter, a bouy tender that is being retired and a retired floating lighthouse.

Floating lighthouse

Buoy tender

Literally straight up the hill from the museum is the Astoria Column. It sits on the highest point in Astoria. The history of Astoria winds around the tower and is created with a unique type of relief cut into layers of different coloured plaster.

Astoria Column

Astoria overlook

Clatsop boat overlooking creek leading to Fort Clatsop

Looks like San Francisco

Local shop sign