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"The breaking of a wave cannot explain the whole sea.” - Vladimir Nabokov
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This afternoon's gathering & event at the warehouse down at the Port's Deepwater facility definitely warrants some quick mention.
U.S. House Representative Rick Larsen announced he supports NOAA's relocation of it's Homeport to Bellingham from Seattle.
Larsen chose Bellingham because of the benefits NOAA would bring to our area in achieving multiple goals, one of which is providing an anchor tenant for our Waterfront District Redevelopment.
Larsen believes Bellingham would be a better fit for NOAA than Everett, which already has an established Naval Base there, as well as plan for expanding it.
His endorsement is a distinct plus for Bellingham, and we should thank him for it! Now, it's time to ask our other elected officials at all levels to help us attract NOAA to Bellingham.
This latest news, combined with the ongoing Community Master Planning efforts now underway, the recently approved Whatcom Waterway Cleanup Plan and Governor Gregoire's designation of the Waterfront District as an 'Innovation Partnership Zone', are continued signs that progress is being made toward realizing our goal of clean, vibrant and enjoyable waterfront!
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Here are a few thoughts on why Bellingham & NOAA are 'good fits' for each other:
Why Bellingham is a "good fit" for NOAA:
• Our Marine Trades Industry provides support for NOAA's vessel operations
• Good technical labor pool
• Ready to go facilities
• Strong connection to education and research at our Institutions of Higher Learning
• Port is a reliable development partner
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Why NOAA is a "good fit" for Bellingham:
• Economic
- $19 Million generated locally
- 188 permanent full-time jobs created
- living wage jobs
• NOAA's presence will jumpstart the Waterfront Redevelopment and will be a good neighbor
• NOAA's presence will stimulate a multitude of economic, research and educational opportunities thriughout the region
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As a kayaker, I know that surface waves range in size from small ripples to huge tsunamis.
This news rates as more than a ripple and far less than a tsunami, which is good news.
And, it has the distinct potential to become a steady, reliable wave action that can bring very constructive benefits to our area for many years into the future.
Let's work hard to make that happen!
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Breaking Waves - In physics, a breaking wave is a wave whose amplitude reaches a critical level at which some process can suddenly start to occur that causes large amounts of wave energy to be dissipated. At this point, simple physical models describing the dynamics of the wave will often become invalid, particularly those which assume linear behavior.
--- http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Breaking+wave
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