Carnival Splendor and the Cannery Pier Hotel

Astoria is a port of call for big cruise ships as well as smaller paddlewheel boats that come down the Columbia River from Portland. The big cruise liners, of course, come the other way: in from the ocean. This ship dwarfs the four-storey Cannery Pier Hotel, built on the location of the former Union Fisherman's Cooperative Packing Company. The designer and owners went to a lot of work to attempt to preserve the look and flavor of the 1900s buildings. A boutique hotel will never feel like an authentic cannery, but I'm so glad they went to the lengths they did instead of building something without thought to history or location. We have a few of those, too! You can see an old photo of the Union Fish Cannery and a fleet of small fishing boats in a photo on the hotel's web site.

The cruise ship Carnival Splendor was getting ready to leave and go back out to sea. They stay for a day and then they're on their way. We've had quite a few cruise ships in already this year. The visitors come into town by bus or they can take the riverfront trolley or walk along the River Walk. They fill Astoria's streets, put smiles on the faces of local merchants, and generally seem to enjoy their stopover, even the ones who have been re-routed here instead of going to Mexico due to the swine flu outbreak this year. Astoria has many faces, and one of them is tourism. Many people drive to the coast from inland or come down from Seattle, and the ships help boost that bottom line for many merchants struggling with today's economy.

I took this pic at 8:18 p.m. on May 26. I love the way the water reflects light from the sky on most evenings here.

. Watery Wednesday

. ABC Wednesday, "U" is for "Union Fish Cannery"

. Outdoor Wednesday

. . . and can I include

. Window Views? There are more than I can count if you include the staterooms!

While we're at it, I'll make an additional link back to my friends at City Daily Photo, which is what got me started with this blog. It's such a great way to travel the world when I can't be doing that it real life!

Rain, River, Replica and Rituals on a Watery Outdoor Wednesday

Today I thought we'd look down the other side of Coxcomb Hill toward Youngs River, which hems the south side of Astoria. (See yesterday's post for the view from the Columbia River side of the hill.) Youngs River flows from left to right, entering the Columbia at the new Youngs Bay Bridge. Located only a few yards from the Astoria Column, the canoe is a 1961 cement replica of a Chinook Indian burial canoe. The people who placed it here certainly chose a lovely and reflective setting for it. The two decorated posts on this side are clearly visible. Directly behind them are two posts with plaques on the insides. One plaque says, "Indian Burial Canoe. Symbolic memorial dedicated by Comcomly's descendants April 12, 1961 Astoria's 150th anniversary. Honored guest was Lord Astor of England, descendant and namesake of the city's founder." The second plaque says, "Comcomly, c. 1765-1830. Great chief of the Chinook Nation, known to Lewis and Clark, respected by the founding Astorians, the Northwesters, and the Hudson's Bay fur traders." Although the honored chief is usually referred to as Comcomly, it seems he is more correctly named Chief Coboway.

In her 2008 book, Astoria: An Oregon History, local author Karen L. Leedom notes, "The [North Coast] Indians were superb canoe builders, creating 40-foot vessels hollowed out of single logs that they expertly maneuvered through the tricky waters of the Columbia." She also tells us, "When a high-ranking Chinook Indian died, his slaves were put to death and buried under the posts of his raised burial canoe."

It seems history always gives us something to think about, doesn't it? Today I walked up to the Heritage Museum and met Liisa, the museum's historian. I wanted to introduce myself, because I figure I'll be using their resources fairly often from here on out. The more I translate what I'm seeing into words, the more I want to know. And after talking with Liisa today, I have a hugely-expanded sense of what that could be like.

. ABC Wednesday ("R" is for . . . )
. Watery Wednesday
. Outdoor Wednesday