From the Port San Luis Harbor District:
"Harbor officials are currently in the process of closing the Avila pier "out of an abundance of caution."
The Port San Luis Harbor District told KSBY late Friday afternoon the harbor patrol is currently advising people to leave the pier and is not letting anyone else on it.
Officials say they have been monitoring the pier for some time and decided to contact a structural engineer after noticing the large crowds gathering on the pier. Together they decided the closure was the right thing to do.
Harbor officials say the pier will be closed indefinitely until an underwater survey of the piles can be completed and the structural condition of the pier evaluated.
Once that evaluation is complete, harbor officials say they will come up with a repair plan.
They say the decision to close the pier was made out of an abundance of caution and was the right thing to do at this time.
Many people have been flocking to the pier and Avila Beach this month to check out whales that have been seen in the area recently. The beach and all other piers in the area remain open."
