News - Local News

POSTED: Saturday, May. 30, 2009

Whatcom County residents soak in the sun at boating event

Sehome High School students Dylan Furst and Sierra Loveland have been kayaking in the tropical waters of Hawaii and off of the Baja Peninsula in Mexico.

But when Loveland's mother informed them they had a chance to spend Saturday afternoon, May 30, kayaking for free on Bellingham Bay, they jumped on it.

So how did the bay's waters compare?

"They're nothing compared to the waters of Baja," Furst said. "The waters of Bellingham Bay were way more calm."

Their kayaking trip was part of the annual Community Free Boating Day, which was held at the Community Boating Center in Fairhaven.

The event offered free sea kayak, sailboat and rowboat rentals, as well as free kayak tours, rowing demonstrations and sailing lessons.

The bay's calm waters did have a downside, however. The lack of wind meant the sailing lessons had to be curtailed, said Debbie Dempsey, one of the center's founders.

Dempsey said the turnout for the event was up this year from previous years. The center had handed out 400 of its class schedules by 3:30 p.m.

She said the event was a good way to inform the local community of the center's services.

"Certainly the weather brought it out," Dempsey said. "It's been a wonderful response."

For Furst and Loveland, the event offered something different to do on Saturday.

"Usually we just sit around on Saturday," Furst said. "It's a nice day. We heard about this so we decided to do something."