Shelter Island boat launch re-opens after 2023 damage from sand build-up

The Shelter Island Boat Launch File photo courtesy of Port of San Diego The west side of the Shelter Island boat launch ramp was again open to the society Wednesday following a lengthy delay in construction Damaged in June the west floating dock began bottoming out at low tide due to vital sand accumulation beneath it causing damage and necessitating its closure The east side remained open In October the Board of Port Commissioners approved a contract with Harbour Construction to clear the sand and make the dock useable again The project began in January and involved pumping cubic yards of sand from underneath the damaged floating dock and placing it onto the nearby beach as well as installing sleeves and wedge anchors along the seawall Work also included removing the damaged floating dock and installing a new one Last year Port of San Diego leaders apologized for the delay in getting the project underway The port recognizes the impacts on the boating district We apologize for the inconvenience and we appreciate continued patience a port announcement announced The delay between summer and October came from a multitude of causes including an research to determine why it failed in the first place To begin work engineers had to accommodate complex in-water work acquire permits from the U S Army Corps of Engineers and wait for the custom-made floating dock designed to serve the large size and high use of the facility but also to withstand and function efficiently in the local marine ecosystem The Port directly negotiated with Bellingham Marine to build a new custom-designed dock to replace the damaged one Additionally so as to not disturb the eelgrass near the boat launch no sand removal equipment was allowed in the launch basin All reported the project cost nearly