Gone kayakin'

In the past week or two, I've been out in my kayak three times. Sunny days, COLD water, but lovely fun! Here are some pictures:

 Harlequin Ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus) on the boom next to the public boat launch

 Looking west while paddling north

 Looking north

Met Yale on the shore (who was in a class with me during my fall 2011 on campus stint... when I actually BOUGHT this kayak!) He lives on his boat about 400 feet from the boat launch. He kayaks to shore everyday.

My new two new modes of transportation... kayak on the left and Nick's Surly bike (that he has lent me for two months) I LOVE riding my bike around town. Commuting by bike is fun... reminds me of three years in Japan commuting by bike. With Cherry Blossoms recently blooming, I was very natsukashii 懐かしい for Nihon 日本.

Another day, looking northwest, before turning west and then southwest around the ferry terminal towards Marine Park.

Looking North toward the Canadian Coastal Range... an extension of the North Cascades. Whistler is back there somewhere

Yup. This is a coal train... coal dust flying off the top of uncovered train cars. It's gross and immoral and should be illegal. And sending coal to China is downright awful. Stop this environmental and health degradation. NO to Cherry Point Terminal. NO to training Coal from Wyoming to Tacoma and then up the coast to British Colombia. NO to this nonsense.

The railroad should have to build a new line AWAY from water, the coast, people, animals, trees, and everything else... they should build an imaginary train line to send fake coal to their own homes and burn it there. Shame on BNSF, Warren Buffett, sending Coal to China, and everything about this situation. There... that is out of my mind now.

I leave you with one last picture:

Taylor Dock and Downtown Bellingham, from my launch point at the Community Boating Center in Fairhaven neighborhood. It's great to look back at the city from the water... I am so grateful to have this opportunity.