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Welcome to WAKE!

Whatcom Association of Kayak Enthusiasts

🎉 Mark Your Calendars! Join our kayaking community for a festive evening of food, fun, and fundraising at our annual Holiday Party! Enjoy a delightful potluck dinner and bid on fantastic items at the silent auction. Friday, December 6, 2024, 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM  See a list of all the fantastic organizations that have contributed to the silent auction on our Sponsors page!

Who we are:


WAKE [Whatcom Association of Kayak Enthusiasts] is a Bellingham based non-profit sea

kayaking and occasional white water group which has been

initiating trips and educating kayakers since 1984. Memberships costs $30 per person per year.


What we do:


Trips

Our leaders initiate single- and multi-day kayak trips, in northern Washington and elsewhere,

including British Columbia, Alaska, even abroad. Some trips may be just a few hours.


Education

We are life-long learners and eager to share our knowledge. Kayaking in our local cold waters

requires some training to do safely, and we are here to help. Education includes physical skills

such as efficient paddling, rescues and maneuvering, and knowledge-based topics such as

safety, predicting currents and choosing proper gear.


Regular events

Monthly meetings during the winter, with topics ranging from slide shows and tall tales about

trips, to knowledge based skills.


Wednesday evening paddles after work, most of the year. Sometimes a straight paddle,

sometimes more of a skill-building session.


The annual fall Four Club Picnic, held in cooperation with 3 other Washington kayak clubs.

This involves several groups paddling off in different directions depending on skill level, then

meeting up for the picnic, a raffle and swap meet.


An annual one day WAKE symposium, held on Lake Padden, for newbies to learn new skills and

old timers to freshen up theirs. We like to be safe.


December Holiday party. Great food and a silent auction.


Not so regular events

Our more experienced members will post trips on our bulletin board. Most are listed just a

few days before the trip, although some may be weeks out. You must be a member.

Pool sessions, held in winter at Arne Hanna Aquatic Center. It sure is nice to learn wet exits,

rescues, rolling- in a warm pool.


When

Kayaking is a year-round activity.