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

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of the founder of Captain’s Cove and the patriarch of the Williams family, Kaye Williams (1929 - 2024).

Kaye was born during a snowstorm on April 11, 1929 in the attic of a house on Howard Avenue in Bridgeport's West End. He spent his childhood years living on Fayerweather Island where he enjoyed an idyllic life of swimming, fishing and sailing on Black Rock Harbor.
In 1948 he married Vivian (LaBorde) Williams. He joined Local 424 of the Ironworkers Union but soon gave up a life ashore to seek adventures at sea. Along with another young couple, Kaye and Vivian bought an aging 65' oyster schooner. They renamed it the "Bora Queen" and set sail for the island of Bora Bora in the South Pacific with infant son Bruce in tow. Financial considerations forced the crew to end their voyage in Jacksonville, Florida where Kaye found employment building shrimp boats.

Eventually returning to Bridgeport, Kaye established his first marine store, Fayerweather Marine Supply on Fairfield Avenue in Black Rock. In 1968, he sold Fayerweather Marine and launched a new career as a commercial lobsterman. During his decade long career as a lobsterman, he became known as a "high liner", a term used in the trade to describe the most successful and productive fisherman.
In the early 1980's with the help of Vivian, his daughters Jan and Jill and his son-in-law Rob Burlinson, he embarked on a series of building renovations in Black Rock. He restored two old houses in the section's historic district and purchased and renovated the "Quarterboard Row" block on Fairfield Ave., adorning it with name boards of historic Black Rock ships.

In 1981 Kaye and family launched their biggest project, Captain's Cove Seaport. Built on the remains of the old city marina, the construction of new docks, a 400 seat restaurant, service buildings and gift shops gradually transformed the seaport into one of the largest marina/tourist attractions in the state. The "Cove" became the home of the famous tall ship HMS "Rose", the Gustave Whitehead airplane project, and the home of the Hartford Healthcare/ St. Vincent's Foundation "Swim Across the Sound".

Kaye was also instrumental in the formation of the Bridgeport Regional Aquaculture School and development of college and high school sailing and crew programs. He was honored in 2023 when the Aqua School's new research vessel was christened the "Kaye Williams".

To learn more about Kaye’s life, read Man of the Waterfront: The Story of Kaye Williams and Captain’s Cove by Ralph Harvey. The biography includes the development of Captain’s Cove Seaport, along the many projects that gathered international attention.

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 Waitstaff

• Bar Backs

• Bar Security

• Line Cooks

• Cashiers

• 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