Until Sam Bottman moved to downtown Bellingham in the fall of 2020, he wasn’t fully aware of the wonders of the waterway that wends its way from Lake Whatcom to Bellingham Bay.
“A Creek Runs Through It: A Photographic Exploration of Whatcom Creek,” which is on display through March at Mindport Exhibits, is a compilation not only of the natural beauty Bottman discovered as he walked along the creek, but also of the animals that can be found in and around its currents.
“I’d already started doing a lot of bird-watching,” Bottman, 29, said of his pandemic explorations. “I would take pictures of birds through binoculars. One day I was taking a walk; I didn’t really know about Maritime Heritage Park, but I just happened to be down there. I looked over the bridge and saw all these salmon spawning. I didn’t realize that was a phenomenon that still happened there.”
Using a Nikon D750 camera he inherited after his father passed away in early 2020, Bottman began to document what he was seeing. Through the lens, he captured images of everything from various species of salmon (chum, Chinook, pink, sockeye and coho) and the Pacific harbor seals who come to feast on them, as well as mergansers, seagulls, herons and American dippers — a bird known to hunt for aquatic insects by diving into streams and rivers.
As he began to do more in-depth research into the creek, its history and its inhabitants, Bottman realized his project might have wider interest. He’s a docent at Mindport, so he reached out to his bosses there and asked if they would be up for him doing a photography exhibit focused on the creek. They gave him a thumbs-up, and the result is a well-researched compilation of compelling photos, historical facts, maps and observations.
Since Mindport is a venue that aims to encourage curiosity, conversation and connection in a place integrating art and science — its interactive pieces are largely designed and hand-built by staff members, and many of the visual art exhibits are created by people closely involved with the space — they’re asking community members to respond in their own way about how Whatcom Creek has affected their lives.
During informal weekday evening gatherings in February and March, Mindport will be inviting people to tell their own stories about the waterway running through the heart of the city. Firm scheduling isn’t yet in place for these events, but in the meantime, they’re hoping people will drop by to check out the exhibit, see what sparks their interest and contact organizers if they’re interested in telling their story.
If visitors time it right, they can check out “A Creek Runs Through It” and also talk to its creator. Bottman works Thursday and Friday afternoons and all day Saturday, so if it’s a quiet day at Mindport, he’ll be happy to take a few minutes to share his findings.
“Whatcom Creek is a place where so many things intersect,” Bottman said, pointing to the history and geography of the waterway. “In addition to migrations of salmon and other fish, seals come along with that migration. Also, it’s been such an important place for the Lummi people and the Nooksack people. That history intersects with the industrial history of the region. It’s not just like one thing ends and there’s another era that’s totally disconnected.”
While talking with Bottman about the exhibit, you’ll find he’s done his research. He’s talked to scientists at the Marine Mammal Ecology Lab at Western Washington University about the Pacific harbor seals he’s observed and photographed, visited the conservation area that was the site of the 1999 Olympic Pipe Line Company gasoline explosion in Whatcom Falls Park, and discussed bird and fish species with other naturalists and biologists.
He also looked into the remediation and cleanup of the waterway that started in 2005 and led to the creation of Maritime Heritage Park. It’s a public space where people can visit the park’s fish hatchery, take a walk on the Salmon Art Trail, look for native plants and see salmon spawning — typically in November and December.
After moving to Bellingham seven years ago to study biology and archeology at Western, it took Bottman a while to discover the waterfront park. He’s glad he did, because it changed his outlook about the place he now calls home.
“It’s so cool that you can watch salmon spawn in downtown Bellingham,” he said. “The park was right under my nose and I didn’t even know it existed until I moved downtown.”
See “A Creek Runs Through It” from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Mindport Exhibits, 210 W. Holly St. Admission is on a sliding scale, and mask-wearing is required. Info: mindport.org.
