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Lake Whatcom
Largest of Bellingham lakes, can be good for flatwater and occasional downwind paddles (safer than the Bay if the Bay is too rough, but take care with very cold water in winter). Flatwater paddling is better at the edges of the day in summer or during the off season when there is not as much motorized traffic on the lake. Invasive species stickers are required for paddling on the lake. Whatcom County Invasive Species Boat Inspections. The checking station at Lake Whatcom's Bloedel Donovan Park is closed in the winter, but you should always follow the recommended precautions to prevent invasive species spread.
Photo: Wikipedia user Tomseattle
Downwinding
Reivers Dustin: “Lake (Whatcom) is nice: fresh water, good safety, less cross-chop, waves never get mean. But I've been on the lake in big air when the waves never really got surfable. So it's a direction thing as well as wind velocity….”.
Check the direction of the waves at your take-out to get a good indication of whether they are working in the way/direction you want. On good days the waves close to Bloedel Donovan are often the biggest of a run, although the wave size at BD can change significantly in the time it takes for you to drive to the put-in and paddle the length of the lake to get back to BD.
Can get decent downwind waves when wind is blowing in longer fetch directions - from the east or southeast being some of the better setups. There is less likelihood of motorized traffic on the lake in downwinding conditions.
- L. Whatcom Southerly Boat Launch to L. Whatcom Park Trailhead - approx. 4 miles
- L. Whatcom Southerly Boat Launch to Bloedel Donovan Park - 9.0-9.5 miles Downwindfun (second half bends from going north to going northwest so you probably want some significant E component in the wind, SE & ESE tend to work). You can go inside or outside of Reveille Island depending on which way seems to set up better for the rest of the run, or whether you want more wind protection (going left of the island will generally offer more wind protection in the section near and immediately after the island). The beginning of this run at the launch is pretty protected from the wind and allows you some warmup time before you stick you nose into the wind.
- L. Whatcom Park Trailhead to Bloedel Donovan Park - approx. 6 miles - E may be a better wind for this section but SE can work. Check the wave direction at Bloedel Donovan Park to insure waves are working the way you want.
- Lk.Whatcom Downwind Reports
Video - Southerly Boat Launch to Bloedel Donovan 11/25/2021
Downwind route from Southerly Boat Launch to Bloedel Donovan Boat Ramp
(this path went between Reveille Island and the left shore)
Safety
As mentioned above, downwinding weather will typically mean few if any motorboats to watch out for unless you get a rare warmer season run. Bellingham wind season is Fall and Winter when there is far less motorboat activity than in the warmer months.
Your main concern during wind season is usually going to be water temperature. Lake Whatcom is much more friendly than Bellingham Bay wavewise in all but the wildest winds. But the lake water is considerably colder in the windy season, particularly in January, February and early March, so you have to dress for immersion. And dress for extended immersion if you are testing limits in any fashion - tippier boat, little or no buddy support, first run on Whatcom, etc. There is no Coast Guard or rescue service on the lake. In the Winter you and your party will often be the only ones on the water. Plan carefully and watch out for each other.
If you are doing a full length of the lake from the Southerly Boat Launch and the wind is E rather than SE, it is a good idea to hug the right shore in the calm branch of the lake at the start and first work you way farther across the lake going N or NE when you hit the wind coming from your right from Blue Canyon before you turn left and start to go with the wind. That will make it much easier (and more fun) to either make the gap at Reveille Island or go right of the island. Otherwise an East wind will tend to push you hard left into shore before you can reach the gap between the island and shore (after which the lake turns more to the northwest).
On particularly strong gusty East wind runs you can get a blast of gusts as you go around the right side of Reveille Island (the left side gap is more protected). After the Island sometimes you can get an occasional gust from Sudden Valley on your left. Until you get to the final basin of the lake where you approach Bloedel Donovan, typically there is little unusual turbulence unless you go close to Strawberry Pt. (on the map above this is the point that sticks out on the south side just above and right of the Stimpson Family Nature Reserve icon) where you can get some rebound. Stay farther right if you want to avoid that.
In the last basin of the lake waves typically will build to their largest of the run. It can be a little difficult to identify the old pier support logs and buoy line that you have to cut left after passing to get into the landing at the park. Don't cut too early, but as soon as you identify the turn you need to start going left. Following other experienced paddlers here is not a bad idea for first timers.
Wind
- If you don't want to deal with a lot of beam waves and you are thinking about paddling to/from Bloedel Donovan Park - check the direction of the waves there. If the waves are in line with that section of the lake and the wind is forecast to remain the same then chances are the waves will continue to line up for you in the lake between Reveille Island and the park.
- Wind gauge near Smith Creek this location is a bit protected and might be showing wind speed that is somewhat less than the wind on the lake although we have seen it record high gust speeds.
- Tempest Weather Stations
- These are home gauges and will generally clearly underreport actual wind on lake. If you watch them over time you might be able to come up with an extrapolation factor for some wind directions and relative strength of actual wind on the lake for those directions.
- North Shore Rd North Shore Rd. about half way between Agate Bay and Smith Creek
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Launches
- Bloedel Donovan Park relatively large (for Bellingham) park and parking area. Leave the lower parking available for boat trailers in the busy season. You can stop temporarily in the lower area to unload your boat, then park above. Site of the Wednesday night races during warmer months.
- Lake Whatcom Park Trailhead, map - there is a small parking area close to the water
- Sudden Valley Marina - As of 2020 Sudden Valley Community Association members can get small boat launch access for $22/yr and non-members pay $44/yr.
- AM/PM Beaches, Sudden Valley - small beaches belonging to Sudden Valley sometimes used for downwinding launch with S/SE winds. On the SW side of lake across the lake from Lake Whatcom park trailhead.
- 31 Morning Beach Dr, Bellingham, WA 98229, USA AM Beach is at the east end of Morning Beach Dr facing east. PM Beach is close to the address on this map - facing NW.
- Lake Whatcom Southerly Boat Launch (Wa. Fish & Wildlife) Need Discover Pass to Park
- Western Washington University's Lakewood Facility (For students, alumni, faculty/staff) - you can also purchase seasonal access pass if you participate in senior education program at Western.
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Races
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Video
