Bellingham boat inspections start as coronavirus restrictions on recreation ease
Mandatory boat inspections will begin at Bloedel Donovan Park on Tuesday, May 5, now that Gov. Jay Inslee has relaxed bans on some outdoor recreation, including boating.
Boats being launched into Lake Whatcom or Lake Samish this boating season must first be examined as part of an ongoing effort to keep harmful shellfish and other non-native aquatic pests out of the lakes.
Inspections usually start sooner but were delayed to comply with Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, which has been extended through the end of May for now to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus.
All boats must be taken to the Bloedel Donovan inspection station, 2214 Electric Ave. in Bellingham, for the required annual inspection before launching. That includes canoes and kayaks.
Inspection stations at Sudden Valley, South Bay and Lake Samish boat launches will remain closed until further notice, the city of Bellingham announced on Monday, May 4, in a release.
New and strict COVID-19 protocols will be in place to keep staff and boaters safe. As a result, boaters should expect delays at inspection stations.
“Things will be different at our inspection stations this year,” Aquatic Invasive Species Program Coordinator Teagan Ward said in the release. “Inspectors will be taking additional steps to maintain appropriate social distance, so please give them space for their health and yours as they do their jobs.”
New steps include:
▪ No cash, checks or credit cards will be accepted at the inspection site. That means required permits must first be purchased online.
▪ Increasing distance from other boaters through new traffic patterns.
▪ Limiting interaction with inspectors to just one person per vehicle.
▪ Regular disinfection of inspection equipment.
▪ Inspectors will wear masks and gloves.
▪ Contact with the public will be minimized.
▪ Asking people to practice social distancing and stay at least 6 feet away from inspectors and other boaters.
Boaters can save time by taking part in a wire seal program, which speeds up the inspection process and reduces interactions with inspectors, the city said.
Inspections will be done 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week for now, with more hours phased in over time.
The boat inspections have been mandatory since April 2013.
The Whatcom Aquatic Invasive Species Program is a project of Whatcom County, the city of Bellingham and the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, which hitch rides on boats from infested waterways, to Lake Whatcom and Lake Samish, which are the sources of drinking water for more than 100,000 people in Whatcom County.
Because they’re not native, such aquatic plants and critters have no natural enemies to control their growth here. That could allow them to reproduce rapidly and crowd out native species, causing millions of dollars in economic and ecological damages.
Non-native zebra and quagga mussels, which grow in masses, have been the greatest concern.
More details about the program and what to expect for the inspection is at whatcomboatinspections.com.
