Population growth from 35,000 in 1987 (when I first arrived - to 80,000 + in 2016.
A depressed neighborhood is not to be found.
A trail IS found to lead wherever one may wish to go.
Tranquil lakes are fed by tranquil streams of crystal waters in all directions.
Want to meet Indigenous residents ....? We share a common town boundary.
Desire SCUBA DIVING ... SAILING ... SKIING ... KAYAKING ... MOUNTAIN CLIMBING ...
EXCELLENT CUISINE ... TRAVEL BY CRUISE SHIP (10 minutes from downtown) ... BY AIR (10
minutes from downtown) ... BY CAR ( 30 minutes to CANADA)
... GLACIERS ??? Ten Glaciers grace the tops of our nearby OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS
... EXPLORE INLAND SEASHORES ( Begin downtown and keep going for hundreds of miles ...
picking CLAMS, OYSTERS, and how 'bout a few varieties of CACTUS for good measure on theway
TO SAY NOTHING OF BIG GAME HUNTING and EXTREME FISHING in SALT WATER and
FRESH a short WALK from your FRONT DOOR ! and in our DESERT a 2 - hour DRIVE distant.
OH YES, TWO Active VOLCANOES are VISIBLE from our modest in-town hills .
How to find such a bountiful place ???
From ANYPLACE in the LOWER 48 STATES of America ...
- Drive - or walk North to the CANADIAN BORDER ...
- Hang a Left Turn
- Follow the Setting SUN until reaching Salt Water
- YOU HAVE ARRIVED IN BELLINGHAM !
BELLINGHAM is a SEAPORT. We are, in fact, the last undeveloped DEEP WATER SEAPORT on the West Coast of America.
YACHTS - Motor and Sail crowd our constantly improving and expanding Pleasure and Commercial MARINAS ... Yes we have many in various locations.
Not to worry about BOATING SEASON. Boating is a YEAR-ROUND pursuit, with hundreds of miles of uninterrupted waterways and 172 of our own idyllic ISLANDS chock full of Marine Life ...
Marine Life of the kind to EAT and to ADMIIRE up close and personal.
One of our city POLICE Boats. WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON STATE, USCOAST GUARD, and US NAVY are plentiful with latest technological equipment to keep us all protected and tranquil at night.
These Folks call BELLINGHAM "HOME" Too.
Above image is a tiny piece of just one of our local high-tech Marinas.
The shaded distant mountain is our local VOLCANO, Mount BAKER.
Mount RAINIER is 150 miles South and a bit to the right. Three more Washington State Volcanoes, including the recently EXPLODED Mount St. HELENS, lie some 200 miles South of us.
We have some rather classy Hotels gracing our Town, Sea Shore and International Airport.
If you wanna, you can WALK all day in town and our waterfront without covering the same ground more than once.
"ISLE A'HOY "
LUMMIE ISLAND, one of the largest , but by no means the closest to BELLINGHAM. This small Island lying in front of LUMMIE Island sports it's own airport and is a treasure Store for DUNGENESS CRABS (in SEASON, of course)
BELLINGHAM BAY looking WEST and a bit South ... or as we mariners say ..."a heading of South West..."; which just happens to be the direction from which the "Prevailing Wind" blows ... called by locals "...The PINEAPPLE EXPRESS."
Another view of BELLINGHAM BAY. the City extends to include that distant Peninsula of land.
RIP RAP Rock forming the SEA WALL protecting our yacht Marina.
Winds in excess of 100 miles per hour are not uncommon on BELLINGHAM BAY.
MONUMENT Dedicated to BELLINGHAM Commercial Fishermen.
BELLINGHAM Commercial Fishing Fleet.
These "BOATS" are "GILL NETTERS" which spread floating nets around migrating SALMON as they cross BELLINGHAM Bay on their way to local rivers in which they spawn after spending 3 to 5 years in the deep Ocean Waters ... often traveling to waters off the East Coast of RUSSIA's SIBERIA before returning to the river in which they were hatched ... often, to the exact spot they began life.
BELLINGHAM's New FIRE BOAT.
Pile of GILL NETS ready to load aboard the boats.
A Marina Waterfront Restaurant...one of many from which to choose in BELLINGHAM Marina District.
Private yacht fleet in "SLIPS" in front of the two Yacht Club Houses.
SQUALICUM YACHT CLUB HOUSE. BELLINGHAM YACHT CLUB HOUSE is next door.
WELCOME to the FAIRHAVEN District of BELLINGHAM...
FAIRHAVEN is a true HISTORIC villige joining BELLINGHAM over 100 years ago.
FAIRHAVEN is today the WATER and LAND transportation HUB of the City.
The Airport is some 5 miles North of the more "Commercial" district of BELLINGHAM.
Took a few moments to visit one of BELLINGHAM' many Breweries...a good "Old German DARK Beer".
A HAWK Nest along the 3 - mile Marine ( over- the- water)"WALKWAY" connecting FAIRHAVEN with downtown and Marina District of the larger part of BELLINGHAM.
A MASS of BLACKBERRY VINES.
In JULY, one can pick a gallon of delicious Blackberries in as little as 10 minutes OR LESS !
Blackberry Vines grow profusely on EVERY SINGLE AVAILABLE SUN DRENCHED BIT OF HILLSIDE ... literally trillions of berries for any who wish to pick them.
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