Port warns of steep drop-off at Possession Beach ramp after storms

A partial collapse at the Possession Beach Waterfront Park boat ramp in Clinton has left a steep drop-off that makes launches unsafe at lower tides. The Port of South Whidbey says a series of winter storms undermined the sand under the concrete ramp and recent king tides scoured the beach, worsening the damage.

The Port of South Whidbey issued a statement saying, “A series of winter storms significantly undermined the sand at the Possession Beach Waterfront Park boat ramp. This damage led to a partial collapse of the concrete, creating an unsafe condition. Recent king tides further worsened the situation by scouring the beach and leaving a steep drop-off at the end of the damaged ramp.” The Port added that “the ramp is currently accessible only at a +4 tide or higher.”

For immediate public safety, Port maintenance crews placed curb stops at the end of the ramp “to prevent vehicles from reversing too far into the water,” and additional signage will be installed to warn users and provide guidance for safer use. The park’s seasonal floats have been removed for winter, and the facility continues to operate on a dawn-to-dusk schedule; gates close at sunset, overnight parking is available for a fee, and camping is prohibited. The ramp is unmonitored and is not a port of entry.

Repair work faces regulatory limits and a longer timeline than the Port hoped. “We initially applied for an emergency repair permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; however, the request was denied because the situation was not deemed an emergency. We are now required to apply for a standard permit, which is a longer process,” the Port said. Because the ramp sits within “a sensitive marine environment,” the Port notes that repairs must follow state and federal regulations to protect shoreline habitat and that restrictions during salmon spawning season bar heavy equipment from beach work.

Planning and engineering for a redesigned ramp are already underway, the Port added: “Please rest assured that significant planning and engineering work has already gone into the design of a new ramp to help prevent similar issues in the future. At this stage, we are awaiting the permitting process and will continue to provide updates to the fishing and boating community that relies on this resource year-round.”

Local boaters and commercial fishermen will need to adjust launch windows and vessel recovery plans while the site is constrained by tides and permitting. The port district previously secured a $262,500 grant to replace deteriorated boarding floats that were built in 1987 and have warped over time; that work and the ramp redesign remain separate pieces of the waterfront program.

Expect limited access until the standard permit process advances and seasonal work restrictions lift. The Port has urged users to follow posted signs, use the ramp only at tides of +4 feet or higher, and watch for official updates as permitting and engineering progress.