Trip up the Columbia Gorge post two

View from the road of the Oregon side of the Bonneville Dam. 

 To the right is the Oregon side, the whiter looking side is the Washington side.

 The Dam as we got closer. The feature in the foreground is another fish ladder.

 The gate to get to the Bonneville Dam visitors center is now manned by security guards. Thanks to 9-11.  Back when we were younger you could drive across the Dam to go fish on the island in the middle of the river, no more. He asks you if you have any firearms or ammunition and if you are going to the visitors center. If some terrorist was to get a car full of explosives on to the Dam, it would wreak havoc down river! The Bonneville Dam is the farthest West Dam on the Columbia River, and the water would take out a lot of towns downriver! We drove up and talked to the guard, then turned around to go meet with my cousin and his wife.

 The guys after we had lunch, Hubby, Rick and my cousin Matt.

 We stopped back and went into the fish viewing area inside the Dam, on our way back. This is a beautiful mural inside the elevator tower. The elevator takes you down two floors to the fish viewing windows.

 The fences and gates now in front of the visitors center.

 One of the fish viewing windows. There were only three fish that I seen, couldnt get a picture due to the pack of Russian kids that were there, 6-8 of them!

 This pic looks blurry because it is through the glass door to the fish counting room. See the yellow lines on the window? Someone sits in this little room and counts fish!

 About the fish ladder.

 Fish count for last year.

 Saturdays count. Not to many coming up yet. 70 Chinook and 39 Steelhead. One Chinook Jack. The Shad run in June, there are a lot of them!

 Dog Salmon on top, Sturgeon on bottom and a Choho on the right, most likely a Silver or Jack in the back. These are models in clear plastic, in case you couldnt tell, LOL.

 Another beautiful mural on the wall, I believe of Celilo Falls, which was covered by water when the Dalles Dam was built.

 View from the second floor, looking down at the fish windows.

 Seating area down below. Love the colors of the carpet huh! The floors and seating are very plush and padded.

 There is an exhibit of Native American photos and artifacts on the second floor.

 Model of an old fish wheel. They used to catch fish with these! They still do in Alaska, if you have watched Yukon Men.

 Beacon Rock with a fish wheel below it.

 A 675lb Sturgeon!!!! I dont know if they get this big still, but I bet they are close! If you fish for Sturgeon you can only keep them 44 to 60 inches long, measured from the nose to the v in the tail. It is still a lot of fish! Only open to fishing Thurs Fri Sat, certain time of the year. Must use barb less hooks.

 Another fish wheel.

 Dip netting platform, used by Native Americans.

 Celilo Falls before the flooding of it, a few years ago they dropped the water level to expose the falls, on a commemorative day.

 Migratory patterns of fish in the Pacific.

 Ha ha, I took this one for my kids, they will always remember this place! We went there all the time when  they were growing up!

And we went back up the elevator to the top and you can look down at the fish ladder from above.

 Quite intricate how they have to swim through.

 Lots of places to rest as they head up river.

 More of the fence outside, Hubby thinks the grey lines, which are some kind of PVC are a motion censor.

 The view across the parking lot, over the Highway. There is a parking lot there with a trail head that you can ride up to the Crest trail.

 The old entrance, now blocked by large cement barriers. Still sobering to think of all the changes there are since 9-11. One only has to drive by any government facility to see the change.

We had a nice drive, lunch and spending time with my cousin and his wife again.

Good day wet and NW dreary as it was!! LOL