Storm damages Coupeville fuel pier
By NATHAN WHALEN
Whidbey News Times Staff reporter
April 8, 2009 · 8:58 AM
Recent severe weather hitting Whidbey Island caused some damage at the Coupeville Wharf.
Port of Coupeville officials discovered last week that the bolts holding the concrete fuel pier in place had broken loose.
Jim Patton, executive director for the Port of Coupeville, said staff are figuring out the best way to repair the damage.
He said workers may have to move the pier onto the beach to make the necessary fix. He said the repairs would happen during a daylight high tide and during calm weather.
The damage to the wharf’s fuel pier comes as the Mystic Sea is starting to offer whale-watching cruises from the wharf’s pier. The damaged fuel pier means that the charter boat won’t be able to refuel from the Coupeville Wharf. Patton said he recommended that the boat’s owner, Monte Hughes, tops his tanks off in Anacortes before he starts offering the grey whale watching cruises. That way, the damaged pier should be back in place by the time the Mystic Sea refuels.
Port officials recently spent $2,200 to replace the fuel pier’s brackets, which broke away in January. Patton said the brackets weren’t damaged.
Contact Whidbey News Times Staff reporter Nathan Whalen at nwhalen@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360-675-6611 ext. 5058.Comment on this story.
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