Did storm damage a SLO County pier? Officials monitor pilings seen floating in the surf
It’s not really a sight anyone wants to see: wooden pilings bobbing in the waves after a powerful winter storm.
On Tuesday morning, two large rods, appearing to be from a pier structure, could be seen floating in the ocean near the Cal Poly Pier — but that pier’s pilings are all made of steel, so where did they come from?
It’s unclear.
Both the Avila Beach Pier and the Harford Pier in that area have wooden pilings, though it will be unlikely district officials can assess which is missing pieces until after the storm has passed.
“Piles coming loose during storms are not uncommon,” Port San Luis Harbor District Facilities Manager Chris Munson said. “It was likely that the pile was already compromised.”
Munson said during storms, the district is usually more concerned about damage to Avila Beach Pier, which is exposed to strong waves and has been closed for years awaiting much-needed fixes to the structure to make it sound.
Meanwhile the Harford Pier is more protected by the breakwater and is repaired on a regular basis, he said.
“We are not as concerned with it during storms,” Munson said.
Munson said the district is monitoring one of the pilings that washed up on shore Tuesday morning and plans to remove it once conditions are safe.
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