Southerly winds and waves prevail within Bellingham Bay. During the winter, waves up to 1.2 meters (4.0 ft.) are often generated within the bay by southerly winds 30 to 40 knots in velocity. In the sunnner, prevailing southerly wave buildup is smaller as winds are weaker. Southerly and southeasterly waves strike with greatest intensity along the south facing shoreline of the Lummi Reservation. The waves, often armed with drift logs, rapidly erode the bluffs. Occassionally, northeasterly winds create waves up to 0.5 meters (1.5 ft.) that break along piers and wharves on the east side of the bay; however, these waves are largely insignificant.
The mind is furnished with ideas by experience alone.John Locke
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Coastal Processes of the Whatcom County Mainland (dnr.wa.gov)Numerous natural erosional and depositional processes operate upon shorelines to create a diversity of coastal landforms. Waves are among the most important causes of this diversity as they remove, build, and shape beaches and sea cliffs.
