Last winter’s storms damaged the famed sea lion docks in Newport. But when the barking and blubbery mammals return around August, they’ll encounter a long-awaited gift.
Janell Goplen of the Newport Sea Lion Docks Foundation said things haven’t been the same for locals or tourists over the past five months.
“We had so many people come to the docks and really be upset by not seeing them,” she told KLCC. “And as soon as they saw the signs asking for donations, they donated. It was $1 here, $5 there, $20 here, $100 there. It was a real group effort of people who love to come to Newport, love to see the sea lions, and don't want to lose that tradition.”
Goplen said that love has sunk over $79,000 from more than 200 donors towards brand new docks, which have been ordered and will arrive in roughly a month.
“It's been pretty quiet and less smelly,” laughed Goplen. “But they'll be back and we'll have docks for them to come back from their migration and it will all be very entertaining once again.”
A celebration is being planned sometime this summer in Newport, possibly in late June or July. Goplen says people can keep up by visiting newsportsealions.com.
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