A boat that floated through the Columbia River Gorge for decades made its return Friday. The Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler began taking tourists on rides for the first time since 2022. Paddle wheeler boats have floated through the Columbia River since the mid-1800's. Some boats were even used to transport gold across the west coast. The 40-year-old boat was recently purchased by JettyLight in July. The company refurbished the boat by refinishing its wood surfaces and adding new furniture to the interior and exterior of the boat. In March, Jettylight plans to refurbish the paddle wheel. The boat will continue to be available to ride until late October. It will then be operational again next spring. Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/c/KGWNews8 Watch the latest KGW newscast: https://www.kgw.com/watch Get the KGW app: https://kgw.com/appredirect