Our Story

Captain's Cove Seaport is a family-owned and operated marina, restaurant, bar, and boardwalk located in southwestern Connecticut along historic Black Rock Harbor. The Cove began as the dream of former commercial lobsterman and fisherman Kaye Williams. In 1982, Kaye, his wife Vivian, family members, and friends began the transformation of a vacant weed-choked lot into one of Connecticut’s premier tourist attractions and marina complexes.

There’s no admission fee here. We’re casual. Pack up the kids, forget about the lawn, leave your high heels at home, and come on down to The Cove!

Captain’s Cove Seaport is committed to becoming one of Connecticut’s largest “green marinas”. We work hard to help preserve our beautiful backyard-Long Island Sound.

We are proud to have been chosen by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection as one of four “Coastal Public Access” sites in Connecticut. This award is based upon the availability of public shore-side access, handicapped accessibility, transient slip availability, and free pump-out services.

Kaye Williams

Captain’s Cove Seaport is proud to announce the release of the biography of Kaye Williams, the founder of Captain’s Cove. Man of the Waterfront: The Story of Kaye Williams and Captain’s Cove was written by Ralph Harvey, and is available on Amazon.com and Kindle. The roughly 470-page book includes over 40 historic images.

The biography includes the development of Captain’s Cove Seaport, along the many projects that gathered international attention. Significant among these was the restoration of the Rose, a replica of an eighteenth century British frigate, along with its subsequent use as a sail training ship.

The Rose appeared on both sides of the Atlantic, and was prominent in several Opsail events. Also covered was the role of the Rose in displaying the Magna Carta, and its subsequent use by retired-chief justice Warren Burger during the 1991 bill of rights bicentennial tour. The creation of a replica of Gustave Whitehead’s 1901 airplane is detailed, along with historical controversies involving the original aircraft, also captured international attention.

And there is much more. “Being Kaye’s biographer has been a great honor,” Harvey noted. "Kaye has shown the world what a huge difference one person can make. That difference is his legacy”. The biography is dedicated to Kaye’s late daughter Jan, an official of Captain’s Cove and a promoter of area charities. One of those causes was the “Swim Across the Sound” event in which participants swim across Long Island Sound to raise money for cancer patients and their families. This popular fundraiser which continues today is sponsored by Hartford Healthcare and St. Vincent’s Medical Center.

Employment

Interested in joining the Cove Crew?

We run a tight ship, but we love our employees. Join the Cove Crew and be a part of the busiest waterside restaurant in Connecticut!

We are hiring for the following positions:

• Bartenders

• Cocktail Servers

• Bar Backs

• Bar Security

• Bussing Staff

• Line Cooks

• Cashiers

• Dishwashers

Boardwalk Shop Rental

Are you interested in renting one of our Boardwalk Shops? Our shops are available for rent for the following purposes:

• Craftspeople

• Second-hand/antique sellers

• Studio artists

• Service providers

• Retailers

• Non-profits

• Business offices