The Coupeville Wharf is among several structures damaged in Monday’s wind storm, according to island officials.
Fire departments fielded high volumes of calls as wind gusts reached speeds of up to 61 mph, causing electricity to fail, power lines and trees to come crashing to earth and a semi truck to topple on Deception Pass Bridge. South and Central Whidbey experienced power outages, and service didn’t fully return until Thursday morning.
According to Port of Coupeville Executive Director Chris Michalopoulos, the wharf lost around 25% of its shingles in the wind. Several floats from the dock and a swim ladder were also lost.
“Fortunately, one of the dock floats and the swim ladder washed up on shore so we have a chance to recover them,” he said.
The wharf wasn’t the only nautical structure harmed in the storm. Oak Harbor Marina Harbormaster Chris Sublet said the F dock breakwater sustained damage during the storm, though he wouldn’t know how costly repairs might be until engineers could examine it.
North Whidbey Fire and Rescue Chief John Clark said there was no other significant damage sustained on the North End, beyond the usual incidents of fallen trees hitting houses and vehicles and minor car accidents that often happen during these winter storms.
According to the fire chief, the department took 50 calls between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Nov. 15, with another 10 coming in between 6 p.m. that night and 8 a.m. the next morning.
Central Whidbey Fire and Rescue did not respond to a request for comment by press time, but the department’s Facebook page indicates the mid-island first responders also had a busy day on Monday.
A post on the page said the department received a high call volume relating to downed trees and power lines, including a tree that landed directly on a Central Whidbey home. An unoccupied sailboat was also washed aground.
On the South End, South Whidbey Fire/EMS Chief Rusty Palmer said almost all of the damage was to power lines. From Sunday night to Tuesday morning, the department received 60 weather-related calls — some for fire alarms that went off during the power outage, some for flooding from the intense rains and, as on North and Central Whidbey, many for fallen trees.
