Shipwreck weekend steams into area

Published 3:55 am Wednesday, October 17, 2007

The Columbia River Maritime Museum and state parks in Oregon and Washington will celebrate “Graveyard of the Pacific” shipwreck weekend Thursday, Oct. 25 through Saturday, Oct. 27. Activities include a sea shanty camp, maritime programs, maritime music, ranger talks and exhibits. The Columbia River bar area earned the name “Graveyard of the Pacific” after more than 2,000 vessels met their end where the river meets the Pacific Ocean.

Columbia River Maritime Museum

2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 – “Mapping the West: 18th and 19th Century Cartography.” Robert Hamm will reveal why the early development maps of the west often contained more fiction than fact. Admission is free.

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 – “An Evening of Maritime Music,” featuring the instructors of the “Sea Shanty Camp of the Columbia.” Admission is free.

Fort Stevens State Park

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25 through Saturday, Oct. 27 – Free ranger-led talks at the Peter Iredale shipwreck: On Oct. 25, 1906, the steel sailing ship washed ashore near Fort Stevens, after attempting to navigate the mouth of the Columbia River through high winds, on its way to Portland.

Fort Columbia State Park

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27 – Sea Shanty Camp of the Columbia, in which students learn about the history and performance of maritime music. Classes are held at the historic theater in Fort Columbia State Park. The Friends of the Columbia River Gateway and Washington State Parks host this free program. Some of the regional instructors for the camp include Hank Cramer, David Lovine, Captain Les Bolton, Mary Garvey and Hobe Kytr. Participants must preregister by Thursday, Oct. 25, by calling (360) 642-3029.

Cape Disappointment State Park

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Daily tours of the North Head Lighthouse. Tours cost $2.50 per adult and are free for ages 7 to 17.

1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26 and Saturday, Oct. 27 – Rangers will give maritime-related talks at Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. The center features ongoing exhibits that include artifacts from Columbia River bar shipwrecks, a lifesaving service boat that is more than 100 years old and a first-order Fresnel lighthouse lens. The center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $5 for adults, $2.50 for ages 7 to 17 and free for ages 6 and younger.

October through December – “The River of Lost Ships” exhibit features shipwreck artifacts, historic images and maps on display at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.

The Columbia River Maritime Museum is located at 1792 Marine Drive. For more information, call (503) 325-2323 or visit www.crmm.org

Fort Stevens State Park is located at 100 Peter Iredale Road, Hammond. For more information, call (503) 861-1671.

Fort Columbia State Park is a 593-acre day-use historical park with 6,400 feet of freshwater shoreline on the Columbia River, located on U.S. Highway 101 between Astoria-Megler Bridge and Chinook, Wash.

Cape Disappointment State Park is a 1,882-acre camping park located at the southern tip of Long Beach Peninsula, southwest of Ilwaco, Wash.