Naval Air Station (NAS), Whidbey Island Seaplane Base (Oak Harbor, Washington)

USA / Washington / Oak Harbor / Oak Harbor, Washington
 island, navy, aviation, historical layer / disappeared object
 Upload a photo

The facility was initially constructed to accommodate the many seaplanes that were stationed at NAS Whidbey Island in the 1950’s. This base is the only World War II seaplane base on the west coast in Alaska or Hawaii that has not been extensively altered since the war. The entire base, especially the Victory Homes housing area, appears nearly as it did in the mid-1940's. The pier was used as a mooring for a seaplane tender that was stationed on Crescent Harbor to service the seaplanes. With the phasing out of seaplanes, the pier is now used primarily as a mooring facility for visiting US Coast Guard cutters and buoy tenders, and minesweepers of the Canadian Armed Forces.

The Seaplane Base Pier is approximately 550 ft (168 m) long. The west end of the pier extends approximately 50 ft (15 m) over the shore line, so the usable, mooring portion of the pier is less than it's total length. The pier extends into Crescent Harbor on an orientation of roughly 080°T. Charted water depths on the north side of the pier are 25 to 26 ft (7.6 to 7.9 m). Depths on the south side are 18 to 24 ft (5.5 to 7.3 m), with the shallower depths near the west end of the pier. Deck height of the pier is 17 ft above mean lower low water. The decking on the pier is in poor condition due to weathering and general deterioration. As of May 1996, funding has been allocated for replacement of the decking, but the completion date for the project had not been established. There are no specified anchorage areas in Crescent Harbor or northern Saratoga Passage. NAS Whidbey Island does not have a tug boat complement.

Until the mid-1960s, this area was devoted to the operation of true seaplanes (i.e. the type of aircraft built without landing gear) for the U.S. Navy. During World War II and beyond, seaplanes served as an excellent platform for ocean surveillance. Because they needed only open water to operate, seaplanes served very well in forward areas which lacked facilities for the operation of land-based aircraft.
The seaplane base in Oak Harbor, WA was home to the PBY, the PBM and P5M Marlin.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   48°16'36"N   122°38'0"W

Comments

  • For history and photos past and present: www.airfields-freeman.com/WA/Airfields_WA_NW.htm
  • I was stationed there in AOSB division from 1965 to 67. The Seaplanes were already gone.
This article was last modified 12 years ago