SOUTH WHIDBEY: Port to increase fees for harbor, campground
Kira Erickson reports from the Port of South Whidbey board meeting of Tue., Feb. 10, 2026 for the South Whidbey Record. Read the whole story.
Summary by Perplexity AI
Campers and boaters using Port of South Whidbey facilities in Langley will pay higher fees starting May 1. Premium RV campsites at the fairgrounds will rise to $50 per night and regular sites to $40, while tent sites stay at $25. Transient moorage rates will increase for all vessel sizes during the summer season, and day-use and long-term moorage fees, including dinghy and live-aboard charges, will also go up. Executive Director Jim Pivarnik said the hikes align with market rates and are needed because both the harbor and campground are underperforming financially. Port commissioners unanimously approved the increases.
They Said It
Pivarnik noted in his memo to the port commissioners that there’s an urgency in getting the new rates approved soon, because many boaters are starting to make reservations for the summer season.
In the board of commissioners meeting this week, Pivarnik said both the harbor and campground have been underperforming. The harbor was projected to generate $239,000 in revenue but only generated $224,000. The campground, on the other hand, was expected to provide $80,000 in RV sites, but only generated $40,000.
“I don’t feel like they were exorbitant increases, and I feel like we need to trust our staff, you and the staff,” Commissioner Curt Gordon said to Pivarnik.
