What a difference a day makes. 

Calm waters, no wind, sunny & cool (36F). Our early start capitalized on the calm waters, which as the wind picked up about noon made for increasingly choppy seas. We arrived in Astoria about 2pm. The breeze and current were both strong. We docked in the west basin of the Astoria Marina and later walked up to the Portway Tavern, just a couple of blocks from the marina. 

A neat, dive tavern with a colorful history, good selection of beers and fantastic Alaskan halibut and chips.

4/29/2019 Astoria, Oregon


Monday morning, we enjoyed a pleasant morning walk along the Riverwalk to downtown, about 1.5 miles. 

We were joined by hundreds of friends from the cruise ship, Island Princess. We were unaware that cruise ships visit Astoria, but the good news was that the trolley and buses were running to accommodate the passengers. 

Surprisingly, town did not seem overcrowded as is the case in so many cruise ports.

Astoria has some wonderful Victorian architecture and several museums, including the Favel House, named after Captain George Flavel,  a River Bar Pilot and one of the area’s first millionaires. Flavel House is now a historic landmark and museum. Astoria appears to be undergoing a renaissance, capitalizing on its past history and catering to todays tourists. One of its most noted events is the Crab & Wine Festival, held on the last weekend of April.

Today was a rest day for us and we were content to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.

As noon approached, it was time for a rest and beer break. We stopped at a funky bistro/café just off the main street and enjoyed great service, cold beer and the $5 lunch special which was a shrimp melt on baguette with coleslaw and potato chips.

We returned to the boat and part way back, the historical trolley stopped and offered a narrated ride for $1 per person. A worthwhile experience.

Now we wait to see when our best weather window materializes. Currently, it is looking like a 3:30am departure on Tuesday.