Whatcom County- A Paddler’s Paradise
A guest post from Adrienne Douglass-Scott
I learned to canoe, kayak and row at a fairly young age. I went on to row at the varsity level at a Canadian university, and then compete internationally in outrigger canoe paddling. That lead to surfski and marathon canoe paddling, in addition to kayak- and canoe-touring trips thrown in for fun. With decades of rowing, paddling and canoe racing in the background, I was looking for a community with plenty of people to share my love of getting on the water. I have found that in Whatcom County, Washington.
When I arrived here, I found Bellingham’s paddling community to be very welcoming. Whatcom Paddlers is an informal group with hundreds of members who talk about safety issues, travel to races together, and encourage each other. I helped launch the area’s first outrigger canoe club, and paddled throughout both of my pregnancies. My oldest son now paddles sprint kayak on Lake Padden with the Bellingham Canoe and Kayak Sprint Team, which takes gangly preteens and turns them into Olympians (we are all very proud of Jonas Ecker). The paddling community here is a big part of our family, or “ohana” in the Hawaiian outrigger nomenclature.
Photo by Heather Nelson
Bellingham has numerous clubs and informal groups that help make it possible for people to get on the ocean, lakes and rivers, including Bellingham Bay Outrigger Paddlers, Kai Pana Outrigger Club, Whatcom Rowers, and rental agencies like Kite Paddle Surf, Pacific North Sports, and the incomparable Community Boating Center (CBC) in Fairhaven, which organizes programming and events for paddlers and sailors of all abilities and levels.
Beats on the Bay
Adrienne and kids at Ski to Ski
One of my favorite times of year is the lead up to Ski to Sea, a multisport race with 5 different sports relaying from the Mt. Baker Ski area to Marine Park in Fairhaven. About 500 teams of cross country skiers, downhill skiers, runners, road bikers and cyclocross riders hand off to their canoe and kayak teammates for a 19-mile canoe paddle down the Nooksack River from Everson to Ferndale, and the glory leg of a 6-mile kayak paddle across Bellingham Bay, ending with ringing the bell at the finish line.
Whatcom County is home to countless lovely places to paddle, from Bellingham Bay and Birch Bay to Lake Padden, Lake Whatcom, Lake Samish, the Nooksack River, and other smaller lakes and rivers. The Whatcom Water Trails Map gives basic information on a few interesting spots.
Here are my Top 5 Places to Paddle in Whatcom County, in no particular order:
Larrabee State Park: Towards the southern end of Chuckanut Drive, the Wildcat Cove boat launch is a more remote place to launch kayaks into the Salish Sea and explore the sandstone coastline. Camping is available nearby, the tidepooling is excellent at low tide and the trails into the Chuckanut mountains offer a place to stretch your legs after sitting in a boat. Check out the bioluminescence after dark here.
Kayaker with Chuckanut sandstone as a backdrop
Marine Park in Fairhaven: This Port of Bellingham beach is a hot spot for recreational and competitive paddlers, as well as a great place for a swim and a sunset picnic. Launch here to paddle north towards Squalicum Harbor along the Taylor Street Dock, west to the Lummi Peninsula or south around Clark’s Point for more sandstone sightseeing. You’ll see paddlers launching from Marine Park year-round for winter storm downwinders and summer sunset paddles. This is a popular Southside spot for sunset picnics and paddleboard sessions with friends.
Paddling at Marine Park
Lake Padden is a small but mighty motor-free lake at the south end of Bellingham that attracts flatwater paddlers, SUP yoga classes, open-water swimmers and families It has great trails around it and hosts the aforementioned youth paddlesports team. On hot days, the lake is packed with people on floaties of all shapes and sizes.
Kids paddling at Lake Padden
The Nooksack River flows from Glacier to Bellingham Bay between the Lummi Nation and Bellingham. The class 3+ upper portion is popular with whitewater enthusiasts, but downstream from Everson, the class 1 out to the estuary is just right for experienced canoers. Watch for submerged logs as you paddle with bald eagles, herons, kingfishers and other wildlife. Good launch spots are Everson Riverside Park, the WDFW fishing access point at Guide Meridian in Lynden and Hovander Park in Ferndale.
Paddling at dusk on the Nooksack River
Bloedel Donovan Park: This city park is located on Lake Whatcom, which is the source of most of Bellingham’s drinking water. As such, there are numerous efforts to protect the water quality (yes, while allowing motorized boats). You’ll need an Aquatic Invasive Species permit in order to launch any watercraft on Lake Whatcom, but paddle craft permits are free. On Wednesday nights during spring and summer, dozens of paddlers race an informal 3-mile course that loops around the north basin of the lake. It’s a fun way to get to know the paddling community of all ages, speeds and watercraft.
The variety of water access, mild weather and ohana of water people are what drew me to move to Whatcom County and raise my family, and are what keep people here to enjoy these lifelong activities. If you don’t live here yet, I hope you’ll consider joining us here!