Damon Point closed after DNR flags safety; city to remove sign and keep beach approach closed

A city staff member told the Ocean Shores Public Safety Committee that the Washington Department of Natural Resources had formally closed Damon Point "as of today" after reviewing videos showing dangerous, fast-moving channels. The staff member said the city will remove the damaged Damon Point sign "tomorrow" and donate it to the Coastal Interpretive Center as a historical artifact.

"They recognize it as a danger," the staff member said, adding that the city will "keep our beach approach closed for the time being." The speaker warned that Damon Point becomes an island at high tide and that the channel can deepen quickly; "at some point, it will be well above my head," the staff member said, urging residents and visitors to stay off Damon Point for safety reasons.

The announcement noted the city has been coordinating with multiple parties, including the Department of Natural Resources and the Quinault Nation. The staff member also directed listeners to a video posted on the city website and YouTube that shows the channel cutting Damon Point off at high tide.

This was an informational announcement to the committee; no formal council vote was recorded during the meeting. The staff member said the city is exploring "alternatives to finding a way to at least get people down on the beach," but that access to Damon Point itself will remain closed while conditions continue to change.

City officials asked the public to heed the closure for their safety and noted the risk of becoming stranded or worse on the shifting sand and channels that surround Damon Point.