SEATTLE — Salmon Bay Marina will soon look emptier after the Port of Seattle announced it will permanently close three of its five docks next year, forcing dozens of boaters, including liveaboards, to find new moorage.
Robert Bowey, who has lived on a 38-foot boat at Salmon Bay Marina for five years with his daughter, said the move is devastating.
“This is my home. This is my community where my other friends live,” Bowey said.
The Port disclosed during three safety meetings last month that Docks A, B and C, built in 1961, will shut down. Officials cited safety risks, including concerns that the aging covered moorage structures could collapse in severe weather.
About 121 customers will be affected, including nine liveaboard boaters and six floating homes. They must leave the docks by Nov. 17 and have their vessels removed no later than March 17, 2026.
Bowey, who has been unable to work the past two years after being hit by a truck on the job, said the closure leaves him few options.
“I have very limited cash inflow because I’m still receiving medical care. I’m on time loss. I can’t make more money, I wish I could,” he said.
Port officials acknowledged the hardship.
“It’s a decision we do not take lightly. We are making it to address our safety concerns,” said Stephanie Jones Stebbins, managing director of the port’s Maritime Division.
The Port said it is offering support, including priority slips at Shilshole Bay, towing reimbursement up to $10,000 for floating homes, and covering lodging for displaced customers during severe weather. A relocation coordinator has also been assigned to help boaters find alternatives.
But Bowey said the solutions fall short.
“To be in uncovered salt water out there is a cost for me to keep a boat undercover from rotting. I don’t view it as a viable option. It’s not as safe of a neighborhood,” he said.
Docks D and E at Salmon Bay will remain open, but port officials determined they cannot serve as relocation sites. The slips are already under lease agreements, and engineers found the docks lack reliable power, fresh water and the structural support to handle larger vessels or full-time liveaboards.
Bowey said losing his moorage feels like losing the closest thing he has ever had to owning a home.
“This was the closest I got to having my own place. I’ve never owned a home. So this is really frustrating. I don’t know what to do,” he said.
Community members created a petition in hopes of saving the docks that are set to close at Salmon Bay Marina.
트위터 공유: 시애틀 살몬베이 마리나 부두 폐쇄 위기 집 잃는 라이브보드들