Organizers of Paddle and Flow, a paddling and yoga event, encourage students to step away from the academic grind and into nature on Saturday, May 9. The Lakewood Boathouse event combines outdoor activity and stress relief for attendees.
Attending students can take a 20-minute vanpool ride from campus to the Lakewood Boathouse. Students will then take part in a 30-minute guided paddling experience on Lake Whatcom, designed for beginners and will continue the experience with instructor-led gentle yoga on the dock.
The event is free and will last from 3:15 to 6:15 p.m., with space limited to nine students who RSVP through WIN.
Justice Harmsen, a yoga instructor leading the yoga portion of Paddle and Flow, said practicing yoga beside the water can enhance the experience. Listening to the waves and being outdoors in the fresh air helps students feel more grounded and focused during the session.
“What I hope students take away from Paddle and Flow is that they are the source,” Harmsen said. “Yoga is about returning to yourself.”
“The source” refers to a person's inner sense of calm, balance, and self-awareness. In yoga philosophy, it can also represent a deeper connection between oneself, nature, and the universe.
Lakewood Operations and Community Program Manager Nino Johnson said the event is intended to allow students to visit Lakewood for the first time.
“We are looking to provide opportunities, mainly for students who don't already know that they like the outdoors and don't necessarily have ways to interface with being outdoors,” Johnson said. “And just finding ways to make it really low stakes and low-barrier to come enjoy the lake.”
The emphasis on accessibility is central to the program’s design.
Johnson explained that the “Paddle and” series is an orientation for students to explore the Lakewood Boathouse property, learn how to rent water equipment and explore other activities on the property that aren't water-related. Students can rent watercrafts at the boathouse for free for the first two hours of use.
“It really helps to demystify the water and the notion that water sports are expensive, or they're hard to access, because students have access to the boats here,” Johnson said.
Johnson also emphasized that he hopes students disconnect from their screens and usual campus routine. Instead, take the opportunity to socialize with other students.
“It's a chance to connect with friends or to connect with new friends, and to get out of their normal bubble,” Johnson said.
Jevon Moore, a clinical social worker and counselor at the Western Washington University Counseling and Wellness Center, emphasized the importance of outdoor experiences like this for students’ mental and physical well-being.
“Being back out in nature reminds us of who we are,” Moore said. “Nature essentially helps us co-regulate, and by doing that, we can then start to slow our breathing, check in with ourselves and connect with nature.”
He added that time outdoors can also have measurable effects on the body’s stress response.
“There's some research around cortisol levels; around an hour in nature can reduce your hormone and your cortisol levels by 20%,” Moore said.
Moore added that the mental benefits go beyond stress reduction, citing attention restoration theory.
“It actually rejuvenates and gives us more effective attention again,” Moore said. “We get depth in ways we don’t get with screens.”
Moore explained how time outdoors can help students reset for stressful tasks that require a lot of focus. The time outside gives the brain a moment to let go and relax, which benefits performance on tasks like exams.
“Technologically, we are the most connected we have ever been and also the most lonely we have ever been,” Moore said. “I think that speaks to what's possible when we just get back outside and spend time near and around each other in the Paddle and Flow.”
Piper Jones is a campus life reporter. She is a third-year public relations major and is excited for her first quarter writing for The Front! Outside of school, Piper can be found reading or exploring Bellingham's local trails with her friends. You can reach her at piperjones.thefront@gmail.com.
