February 10, 2025 3:20 a.m. 

Covering coastal Douglas County:

The Douglas County Parks Department has announced that the Windy Cove Crab and Fishing Dock on Salmon Harbor Drive in Winchester Bay has re-opened.

A county release said the crab dock, considered to be a beloved coastal recreation destination, has undergone extensive repairs after suffering structural damage following a storm in 2024, and is now open for public use.

Windy Cove County Park sits at the confluence of the Umpqua River and the Pacific Ocean. In addition to the 900-foot dock, the park includes a protected beach, ocean view parking, restrooms and day use picnic facilities.

The Windy Cove Crab and Fishing Dock was originally built by the United States Coast Guard in 1939 and was primarily used as a Coast Guard mooring and shipping dock until 1959. At that time, operations moved to the newly built Coast Guard Station located at the mouth of the Umpqua River. Douglas County acquired and repurposed the old Coast Guard dock for recreational opportunities in the 1970s.

For more information about the Douglas County Parks Department, go to its website: https://douglascountyor.gov/802/Parks