Whoever said "don't rock the boat"? Because I'm not buying it. I suggest you rock the boat, build the boat, polish the boat, and volunteer to help keep that boat on the water.

Furthermore, I'm about to give you the insider's scoop about where to do just that. Drum roll please....Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you…Bellingham Bay Community Boating Center. I'm telling you, it's mecca of Pacific Northwest appreciation, combining outdoorsy zeal with local philanthropy.

On one of record-high days in Bellingham this July (you know the kind…sweat-down-the-neckline-don't-we-miss-the-rain kind of hot), my supervisor Dan and I played hooky from the Volunteer Center to take a tour of the Boating Center and meet some of the water buffs of Bellingham who are working to make the Bay a recreation option for all of Bellingham. Tucked around the Bay just off Harris Avenue in South Bellingham, this little gem of a dock welcomes pro and rook water-skimmers alike to saddle up and ship out. It's also, like I said, a primo place to volunteer. With numerous kayaks, sailboats, and rowboats and a plethora of projects in-the-works, BBCBC is the kind of place where not only do you luck out with a beautiful view and a gung-ho environment, you also reap the benefits of seeing your progress on a day-to-day basis. Boats, sails, kayaks, and rowing shells come in from local donors, and volunteers in the community work to transform them into like-new equipment to be used for classes and rentals.

The BBCBC incorporated as a non-profit organization in the spring of 2006 and opened its doors to the public in July 2007. What prompted this development? Mary Dubrow, one of the key players in creating BBCBC, saw the community need and set to work fulfilling it: “When my partner and I moved to Bellingham, we couldn’t wait to join one…and there wasn’t one. So we had to start one.” Their mission is simple: they want everyone to have affordable access to recreation on the Bay and the education to enjoy it safely. That's why they're offering lessons. Even if you're less coordinated than a baby giraffe and couldn't row your way out of a bathtub (read: me), you still stand a chance. (See photo.) And once you've learned the skill, practicing it at BBCBC is more affordable than anywhere else in Bellingham, with just as many options. As Dubrow puts it: “The wind’s blowing, you rent a sailboat. It’s calm? Get a kayak. Want to go crabbing? Grab a rowboat.”

Volunteering is easily within reach at BBCBC because the options run the gamut from recreation to technical skills. For those who already have experience with water safety instruction, BBCBC has needs for certified sailing instructors, certified kayak instructors, and fiberglass boat repair persons. So far, they have offered the following classes: Sea Kayaker and Wilderness First Aid Class, Essentials of Sea Kayak Touring Instructor Certification Workshop, Beginning Open Water Rowing, Ski To Sea Paddler Rescue Class, and Essentials of Sea Kayak Touring (ACA Skill Level II ).

On the flip side of the coin, the logistical, administrative, and creative facets of the organization could use detail-oriented volunteers for positions like graphic artists, web designers, board members, and fundraisers. Of her volunteers, Dubrow said, “They’ve become sort of a family.”

If there's any doubt in your mind that BBCBC is the ultimate hot spot to volunteer, consider this statement from their website: "[Y]ou are assured a safe and meaningful volunteer experience and your volunteer hours combine with hundreds of other volunteers to make Whatcom County a wonderful place to live. Whatever your talent, we will find a satisfying way for you to contribute to BBCBC's future."

You can't argue with that.

Alllllllllll aboard!

For more information about volunteering, go to BBCBC's website skipaddlerow.org, or call the Whatcom Volunteer Center: (360) 734-3055.