OPB's Slow TV Astoria Barge
Cameron Nielsen / OPB
Tired of the same old yule log fire on your TV this holiday season? OPB has something a little different for you. It’s a sunset over the Columbia River in Astoria with giant ships sailing by. In other words, a celestial maritime yule log.
It’s the latest in a new experiment we’re trying called “OPB’s Slow TV.” Basically, the idea is our cinematographers take you on leisurely journeys through some of the most beautiful landscapes in the region.
Consider them our end-of-year gift to you. Put them on in the background as you have friends and family over, or if you just need a slice of beauty and blue sky to brighten your day.
Kick back and watch the shipping lane on the Columbia River near Astoria as the sun sets on a calm summer evening.
Follow the course of the Columbia River on a barge as it motors from Vancouver, Washington to the Hood River Bridge, passing iconic landmarks including Multnomah Falls, Beacon Rock and Bridge of the Gods.
Take a gentle ride in a rail speeder car through orchards outside Hood River with stunning views of Mount Hood.
If you want to learn more about rail speeders and see a view of the coast you can only get from freight rail lines, check out the “Oregon Field Guide” story “Rail speeder toy drive spreads holiday spirit along a scenic track on the Oregon Coast.”
Watch steelhead gather in an emerald pool on their way to their spawning grounds in a creek feeding the Umpqua River in Oregon.
Take a break from the day and join OPB on this gentle hike along the final ridge of Silver Star Mountain in Washington’s Cascade Range. The trail goes through wildflower meadows and forests, plays peekaboo with Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood, and finally ends with an epic view at the summit — and the surprising appearance of a red-tailed hawk that happened to be taking in the vista at the same time.
