The Areeta-Las Arenas pier has had a variety of structures throughout its history. The first was built in 1880: it was perpendicular to the dock and was built of wood. The first news about the pier appeared in the local press on July 28, 1882, and related: "...An accident suffered by a blind man while descending its stairs, which caused a contusion to one eye, requiring him to be transferred to the Bilbao Civil Hospital..."
Despite being made of wood, in October 1882, it was able to withstand the onslaught of a rough swell with a strong wind from outside the bar and a heavy sea from the northwest. That afternoon of October 9, “El Noticiero Bilbaíno” wrote about the violent storm surge: “...It was so powerful that the people of our marshes had never experienced anything like it, and it caused considerable damage. The square and the town of Las Arenas were flooded, and the tramway's livestock had to be removed from the stables. The tram, as is well known, has wooden piers or docks for passengers, both on the Portugalete and Las Arenas sides. Two of the piers were torn away, and another was damaged. The water also swept away the platform of the Las Arenas Spa and one of the police cabins, also causing damage to buildings near the sea. In the Arenal de Bilbao area, the tide reached five meters...”