Boats, ships and the Coast Guard were subjects focused on at this museum. The Columbia Gorge has a fascinating history of shipwrecks and folklore. It's nicknamed the Graveyard of the Pacific. There are more shipwrecks there than anywhere else because of the extreme weather conditions and the tricky lay of the land. Even now, with modern technology it's still a dangerous place to be.
In the musuem there's a real Coast Guard boat that's tilted on a (fake) wave during a typical storm - and just being on the ground beside it was somewhat terrifying! I learned a lot about the brave people who go out during storms to save those on shipwrecks and otherwise in dire need. There were several TVs playing footage of being on a ship during a storm...and the kids and I rushed past those. I blamed it on the kids (honey, I just don't want them to be scared) but really I was the one who didn't like it!
Astoria is a beautiful town. There is a romantic feel about it, although I imagine the romance quickly turns to terror during the most stormy times.
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