Mosquito Cove to Elfin Cove

Back to the Boardwalk

It’s a quick hop—less than an hour—from Mosquito Cove to Elfin Cove, but we were excited to return. This tiny boardwalk village tucked into the coast has always left a lasting impression.

As we cruised past the sea lion haul-out just outside the cove, the usual suspects were doing their thing: some barking and bellowing like they owned the place, others sunbathing in a lazy pile of whiskers and flippers.

an endless game of king of the hill

the bachelors are chill on the other side of the rock

We lucked out on arrival. The west side of the public dock was wide open, with only the RIB from Hanse Explorer temporarily tied up. Their crew couldn’t have been nicer—they offered to shift the tender so we could snug in at the head of the dock, leaving maximum space for anyone coming in behind us. Class act.

elfin cove public dock and seaplane float

elfin cove is one of the most unique harbors and towns in alaska

After tying up, we wandered the boardwalk—still one of the most charming features of any Alaskan town. We chatted with the postmistress about changes since our last visit, then grabbed lunch at Coho’s Pub. Nothing fancy, but it was nice to let someone else do the cooking for a change.

the boardwalk is the artery that connects all of elfin cove

bob enjopys the local cuisine at the Coho Pub

We also checked on the channel into the inner harbor, known locally as “The Gut.” It was dredged a few years ago to ten feet at zero tide, but it’s tight. For first-timers, we’d recommend waiting for at least a five-foot tide before threading that needle. Inside, you’ll find two public floats with decent room and shore power available—though you’ll need to track down the “powers that be” to get it turned on. We didn’t dig too hard for the backstory on that one.

the Gut to the innerharbor is on the right

at low tide the gut looks narrow