Whatcom Falls

What a perfect swimming day.

Lately The Mr. and I have been amazed at the amount of local attractions there are in this area that we did not yet know about. I think I should spend some time researching Whatcom county, because it seems there are innumerable things to do, as we are slowly finding out. Our latest surprise was Whatcom Falls. The Mr. had August 1st off and we packed our swimming gear and headed out the door. The falls are such a beautiful area to spend a day off, swim and relax. It's located by the Bellingham fish hatchery, so it was neat to see that as well. The fish are about 5 inches right now.

Fish Hatchery

The Mr.

The baby fish, swimming against the current.

Old stone bridge built in 1940.

Walking Path

Upper Whatcom falls and a rainbow. So pretty!

At Whatcom Falls there is an area called the Whirlpool. It is home to Whirlpool falls and what is called a punchbowl pool. You can jump off the cliffs around the pool at three different heights between just a few feet, to 50 feet. When we were there, the most popular height to jump off looked to be about 40 feet. On the internet it is said to be 50 or 60 feet high, but we doubt that. I didn't jump at all, but next time I definitely want to. I did swim quite a bit and the water temperature was perfect. At the base of Whirlpool falls, there is an oval shaped hole that it flows into that looks like a whirlpool because of it's shape and frothy water. It has been carved out of the cliffs and the pressure coming out of the opening is quite a lot. The Mr. swam into the pool, and then helped me to get there too, and it was amazing. The sides are all worn smooth and the pressure from the water is crazy. You can lean right into the middle of the pool and it will just hold you against the water at an angle. You can see it well if you watch this video of the area.

Click this link to see a video of The Mr. jumping.

Looking down off the cliff, 30-40 feet from the water.

Whirlpool Falls

Whirlpool falls and the punchbowl pool.