Who doesn't like a harbor cruise, right? Well... Fortunately or un-, I think I had the best time. And I got the wettest. Since the jet boat ride was pretty much my idea, I had no business complaining about being wet and cold and voiced the utmost sympathy to Chris and our two relatives about their discomfort.
We boarded the Osprey for our two-hour tour of the Willamette River, all the way to Willamette Falls. Imagine our surprise when we learned that the highlights of these jet boat rides are their 360-degree spins in the water! I was in the seat right next to the water. You do the math.
But anything that gives you a different view of a place, a way of seeing/photographing from an angle that you don't ordinarily see, well, it's worth getting wet. 75% of my group would disagree, but, well, what can I say?
For me the highlight was seeing the backs of really old, funky, grungy buildings. I would love to hire someone with a boat that could take me past s-l-o-w-l-y to fill my frame with patterns and textures and forms. But when the boat skipper yells, "Hang on! Hang on! Hang onnnnn!" it's time to cover the camera and hunker down as we go into yet another spin.
The falls were beautiful. The locks were interesting. Saw turkey vultures, cliff swallows, crows, a deer, and a bald eagle (plus nest). After lunch, we bid adieu to our relatives (who were probably pleased to see the last of us) and headed over to Astoria, to camp at Fort Stevens State Park and to do some photography I'd been wanting to do for a long, long time. More to follow . . . ©Carol Leigh
