'It's a nuisance': Container ships anchored in Puget Sound causing headaches for neighbors Full ports all along the West Coast are forcing ships to drop anchor in places they normally wouldn't, and it's upsetting some residents on nearby islands. Author: Eric Wilkinson Updated: 6:04 PM PDT June 3, 2021 FREELAND, Wash. — The view from Robin Charlwood's Whidbey Island home is usually filled with water and wildlife. Now, the landscape is what some call a manmade monstrosity. "We see these ships and we've never seen them this close before," said Charlwood. Three huge container ships -- up to four football fields long each -- are anchored aimlessly off the coast of Charlwood's Whidbey Island property.