Waterfront Wednesday News

September 25, 2024

Bellingham Shipping Terminal Opening for Tours

Bellingham Shipping Terminal. Photo: Port of Bellingham

[Submitted by Port of Bellingham] The Port of Bellingham is pleased to announce a series of free public open houses at the Bellingham Shipping Terminal. The Bellingham Shipping Terminal is one of only eleven deep-water ports in Washington and this unique opportunity will provide an inside look into how the Port is modernizing the terminal to create jobs in one of the most trade dependent states in America.

The Open Houses will be held on:

Saturday, September 28th : 12-2pm

Friday, October 4th : 3-5pm

Location: 661 Cornwall Avenue

Port staff will be onsite to explain and answer questions about operations, best management practices, environmental cleanup, stormwater management and share updates about current and future projects to modernize the terminal. Community members will also learn about the types of cargo and cargo vessels being recruited for the terminal along with the widespread economic benefits of increased shipping activity. The Port is currently conducting a wide range of improvements to the Bellingham Shipping Terminal including removing historic contamination, increasing the navigation depth, strengthening the main dock, installing a state-of-the-art stormwater system and electrifying the terminal. In addition, the Port has secured a $17.9 million federal grant to restore a direct rail connection to the BNSF mainline.

The Open House on September 28th is being offered as part of Day on the Bay, a joint effort of Bellingham SeaFeast, Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County, and Sustainable Connections’ Eat Local Month aiming to shine a light on the vibrant and diverse maritime heritage that shapes our community, fostering a deeper appreciation for the hardworking individuals and innovative enterprises that sustain Bellingham Bay.

The Bellingham Shipping Terminal was recently certified by Green Marine, North America’s largest voluntary environmental certification for the maritime industry. Reservations for the Shipping Terminal Open Houses are not required and additional dates may be added.

For more Information, visit:

Get Ready for Bellingham SeaFeast

Bellingham SeaFeast happens on October 5th & 6th. This year's SeaFeast is shaping up to be the biggest SeaFeast yet!

Bellingham SeaFeast is a FREE celebration on the shores of Squalicum Harbor dedicated to honoring our rich maritime culture, showcasing our thriving working waterfront, promoting the enjoyment and conservation of our precious water resources, celebrating the vitality of our commercial fishing and seafood industries, and indulging in the diverse culinary bounty that characterizes our corner of the Pacific Northwest.

Join us Saturday, Oct 5 and Sunday, Oct 6, 2024.

Activity details to come but you can look forward to:
    - Food and drink vendors
    - Beer garden with the best view in town
    - Lummi Nation traditional BBQ salmon
    - Bellingham Dockside Market - seafood for sale!
    - Musical entertainment
    - Arts & craft vendors
    - Education & outreach booths
    - Boat rides & tours (tickets required)
    - Sunday Speaker Series
    - Whiteswan Environmental presentations & planetarium
    - Interactive maritime and fishing activities
    - And so much more!

Live Panel Discussion on the Waterfront at SeaFeast

What's the future of the Bellingham waterfront? What agencies and organizations are involved in this future planning?

Join the hosts of "Love Your Waterfront" Dan Tucker and Paul Meyer on KMRE 88.3 for a live panel discussion with representatives of the state legislature, national administration, and local government as they answer key questions about our shores, and the role Whatcom plays in larger context. Come out to the SeaFeast Main Stage at 1:00pm on Saturday, October 5th to hear our panelists discuss our waterfront.

Village Books Hosts SeaFeast Speaker Series

Bellingham SeaFeast will host four speaking engagements on Sunday, Oct 6 from 12pm-4pm at the Working Waterfront Offices, 708 Coho Way. We strongly encourage you to purchase tickets ahead of time online; however any remaining tickets will be available at the door. Village Books will be present selling related titles!

Speakers Include:
1:15pm - Tom Crestodina & Tele Aadsen, Working Boats Coloring Book and What Water Holds
2:30pm - Susan Conrad, Seeking Synchronicity: A Solo Kayak Journey Up The Inside Passage
4:30pm - David Neuman, Olive Oil with EVOOGUY

Tickets to these events are on Village Books' website, their event page to purchase tickets is linked below:

Navigating Free Employer Assistance Workshop Coming Up

Love Your Waterfront on Whatcom Watershed Info Network

Cheryl Niles of the Whatcom Watershed Information Network recently interviewed on Love Your Waterfront. Photo: Cheryl Niles

The team of Love Your Waterfront recently interviewed the Whatcom Watershed Information Network on their work with Cheryl Niles, Water Resources Educator for WSU Whatcom County Extension.

Hear this informative interview and learn about Whatcom Water Week (activities were Sept. 14-21) on the latest broadcast of Love Your Waterfront, via the link below. Be sure to catch new broadcasts of the show which tells the stories of the people and places along our shoreline, every 2nd and 4th Thursday, at 5:30pm.

House Committee Hearing discusses
Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Approaches

Recently, a joint hearing of the House of Representatives sub-committee of the Environment and sub-committee of Energy met to evaluate the potential approaches for marine carbon dioxide removal in the marine environment.

This hearing happened on Sept. 19th. If you're interested in knowing how the conversation around our marine environments is developing on a national stage, you can read the agenda, see the notes, and watch the hearing's Youtube video via the link below:

Rum-Running in the San Juans

A mothership rum running vessel, awaiting runners to pick up liquor and transport it south. Photo courtesy US Coast Guard.

A recent article in 48North highlighted the San Juan's history of rum-running by local sailor and historian Lisa Mighetto. Read about how prohibition impacted life in the northern half of Puget Sound in their online article linked below:

National Working Waterfront Conference sets sail for February

The National Working Waterfront Network is hosting the next National Working Waterfront Conference this coming February in San Diego. The conference features waterfront-interested organizations, individuals, government agencies and businesses from around the nation promoting working waterfronts. Panels, presentations, and networking events are scheduled, and the Whatcom Working Waterfront Coalition will be attending the conference.

To learn more about it, or register to attend, follow the link below:

WTA Waterfront Service is now Live

The proposed interim-service waterfront routes. Graphics courtesy WTA

The Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) began waterfront bus service on lines 46 & 47 this past Sunday, Sept. 22nd. The two routes, which service the the areas around Trackside and all the way down to Squalicum Harbor from downtown, help connect Bellingham's downtown to Bellingham's waterfront as it expands with new developments and new residents.

The Coalition helped advocate for the need for this service to begin, and the service enjoyed broad support from a range of interest groups, businesses, and community members. Mayor Kim Lund spoke in favor at an August meeting of the WTA board, highlighting the need in particular for live-aboard residents at Squalicum Harbor to have reliable transportation from the Harbor to Downtown.

The services will be interim until July 2025, when full service is expected to begin. See below photo from our Program Manager, who rode the bus on Tuesday, joining it at the downtown station:

San Juan Cruises offers guided experiences for whale & wildlife watching on Bellingham Bay. Photo courtesy San Juan Cruises

Admission to Bellingham SeaFeast is FREE. However, some activities require tickets to attend including San Juan Cruises harbor boat rides, All American Marine industry tours, Whiteswan presentations and digital planetarium tours, and speaker series sessions. These activities usually sell out early so we heavily encourage you to purchase ahead of time. Any remaining tickets will be at the door for each activity.

Join Bellingham SeaFeast and Ponderosa Beer & Books in welcoming local and regional Fisher Poets as they host a Seafeast After-Hours event. Hear stories through verse and song with actual fishermen and women recounting their experiences, sharing their stories, and singing about one of the most powerful environments to live and work upon - the sea.

When: October 5, 6:00pm
Where: Ponderosa Beer & Books, 1225 Roeder Avenue

Please RSVP to let us know you're coming, as it helps us plan! RSVP/Registering is free, though not required. Follow the event via the Facebook link below:

Fall Issue of On the Waterfront Available

The Fall edition of On the Waterfront is now available on our website, as well as in print at several locations around the harbor and waterfront. Pick up your copy today at a waterfront news stand, or via the link below. 

This edition features Kirk Desler of Corvus Energy, alongside articles about the upcoming Pre-Apprenticeship Program, the 2024 Fisheries Report from Pete Granger, information on the upcoming Day on the Bay, and much more!