The sinking of a crab boat in Penn Cove turned into an unexpected windfall for the Port of Coupeville.

The Deep Sea, a 128-foot crab boat, sank in mid-May near the shellfish farm in Penn Cove.

Jim Patton, executive director, said the port sold more than 2,000 gallons of gas in May, which gave the port a profit of more than $1,000.

The boats from Penn Cove Shellfish are the port’s most consistent customer when it comes to fuel sales. Patton said the increase in fuel sales came from Coast Guard and state vessels that spent days in Penn Cove working to remove the vessel and clean up the area.

The Port of Coupeville also enjoyed a spike in moorage fees for May, up to  $3,115, compared to $844 in May 2011.

Patton said the port saw an influx of pleasure craft owned by people who visited Penn Cove to witness the action surrounding the Deep Sea’s sinking and eventual removal. It was towed to Seattle for sale as scrap metal.