It’s not surprising that kayakers paddle yearround here. After all, Outside magazine in August ranked Bellingham as the best place in the U.S. for paddling. The magazine praised the area’s lakes and sheltered marine waters, as well as kayak-friendly businesses.

And there are plenty of choices for paddlers, be it sea kayaking in the San Juans to kayaking in Washington state rivers such as the Skagit, the Stillaguamish and the Skykomish, as well as the Chilliwack in British Columbia.

Closer to home, there’s the Nooksack and Whatcom Creek, where Janney meets up with fellow kayakers Dawn Groves and Sal Ayob one Friday morning.