PORTLAND, Ore. -- This is the same river route Lewis and Clark took 200 years ago, a 1,000-mile journey along the Columbia and Snake rivers and right up the musket of the American West.
In the milky calm of a Snake River canyon, summer raindrops smooch the mirrored surface; at the mouth of the mighty Columbia, waters first brewed in Canada race for the sea, meeting waves as high as a cathedral.
What's so great about increasingly popular river cruises? With a maximum of 88 passengers, this fetching little ship is a fine alternative for those tired of massive floating hotels -- or seasickness or endless days of open ocean.
More than the sea, a river pulses, every bend a new chapter. We cross gorges and pass 7,000-year-old petroglyphs and stop in dusty former frontier towns that once brimmed with brothels. One afternoon, with Mount Hood luminous in the distance, hundreds of kite boarders show off for us, like a fleet of polyester butterflies. Pure travel magic.
Our vessel? Un-Cruise's Legacy, a 30-year-old replica of the late 19th-century coastal steamers. Brass fittings. Gleaming wood rails. As clean as a sailor's spoon.
For eight days we make shore visits to waterfalls, wineries, dams, fish ladders, museums and forts along the way. Back onboard, your favorite hangout probably will be the ship's bridge, which is open to passengers night and day, as the river pilots use a watchmaker's touch to snug the 192-by-40-foot vessel into one of the eight locks along the way.
The river is the star here, but the personable crew is a close second. One night, they stage a talent show that rivals most comedy clubs.
Sure, there's a lot of history to swallow in a week, but if it gets to be too much you can opt out of one of the too-many museum trips and spend an afternoon in the hot tub with that thriller you've been meaning to tackle. As is the bridge, the ship's saloon is always open. Most nights ended swapping stories with my favorite fellow passenger/soul mate, "Bloody Mary Bill," a Michigan farmer who kept everyone entertained on the voyage.
Whatever you do, you'll end the week with a bit of a wind burn and a thrashing river of good memories. That may be a lot less than what Lewis and Clark left here as a legacy. But it's an exciting start.
For buffs, this voyage on the Columbia, Snake and Willamette rivers is history come to life.
We learn how Sacagawea, a 16-year-old Shoshone squaw, served as mediator with distrustful tribes. We learn that the expedition's frequent courts-martial ended in lashings. That the men preferred the taste of dog over the succulent and plentiful salmon. That the soldiers and frontiersmen took mercury as medicine, and that their journey's route could be deciphered by traces of the lethal liquid still found near former campsites 200 years later.
I'm no buff, but I soaked it all up. To enjoy this trip, you need only be a fan of glorious scenery -- an amazing transition that takes you from Oregon's temperate rain forests to the bone-dry vistas of western Idaho.
In particular, Multnomah Falls, where waters pour 620 feet down an amphitheater-shaped cliff face, making it one of Oregon's most popular outdoor destinations.
The company that offers this adventure, a new entity called Un-Cruise, runs small-ship excursions from Mexico to Alaska. Travelers in their 20s or 30s might prefer the line's so-called active adventures that feature kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and more of a social scene. But the all-inclusive "heritage adventures," such as the Lewis and Clark journey, have broad appeal, especially for anyone who likes to walk and experience historic trails and sites first-hand.
"The cruise surpassed our expectations," said Jim Kouracos, a Chicago dentist who took the trip with his 91-year-old dad, Nick. "What really put this over the top was how accessible the boat and shore tours were, as well as the efforts by the crew and staff to create a stimulating environment filled with good food and camaraderie."
Indeed, our cruise, in early June, drew widespread thumbs-ups from passengers, many of whom had done river cruises in Europe and the United States (primarily Alaska and the Mississippi).
"Compared to the Mississippi trip, you don't look at levees most of the time," said passenger Doug Swanson. "This was changing scenery."
As did most passengers, Swanson's wife, Clare, gave high marks to the 30-person crew. Service was more than merely efficient, she noted; it was "warm and engaging."
For more information on Un-Cruise Adventures, visit un-cruise.com or call (888) 862-8881.
Travel on 08/17/2014