The support structure damping of a 3.6 MW pitch controlled variable speed offshore wind turbine on a monopile foundation is estimated both in standstill conditions and in normal operation. The net substructure damping is identified from the parameters of an exponential curve fitted to the relative maxima of an impulse response caused by a boat impact. The result is used in the verification of the non aerodynamic damping in normal operation for low wind speeds. The auto-correlation function technique for damping estimation of a structure under ambient excitation was validated against the identified damping from the decaying time series. The Enhanced Frequency Domain Decomposition (EFDD) method was applied to the wind turbine response under ambient excitation, for estimation of the damping in normal operation. The aero-servo-hydro-elastic tool HAWC2 is validated with offshore foundation load measurements. The model was tuned to the damping values obtained from the boat impact to match the measured loads. Wind turbulence intensity and wave characteristics used in the simulations are based on site measurements. A flexible soil model is included in the analysis. The importance of the correctly simulated damping in the model is stressed for accurate load prediction. Differences in the identified damping between the model and the wind turbine are detailed and explained. Discrepancies between simulated and measured loads are discussed. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.