Portion of Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier closed

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has closed the last 145 feet of the 1,300-foot Cape Henlopen State Park fishing pier. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation decided to close this portion of the World War II-era pier as part of an ongoing structural analysis. The annual engineering review is proceeding and will produce a detailed evaluation of the entire structure once complete. This study includes an underwater review of the pilings by a dive team. 

The extent of repairs needed or when this portion of the pier will reopen is unknown at this time. Multiple pier repair projects have been completed over the past 15 years, including removing a portion of the structure in 2012. The most recent large project was in 2021, when pile jackets were added to several selected pilings. The pier is well beyond its expected usable time span.