Port Protection is nestled in a quiet cove three miles south of the northern tip of the west side of Prince of Wales Island. Access is by boat or floatplane. A gravel boat launch at Labouchere Bay, a little more than a mile from the community, provides access to the road system.

In the early 1900s, Wooden Wheel Johnson gave the cove its name. A trading post established in 1946 ran for a quarter of a century, growing into a warehouse, rental cabins, dock facilities and fuel sales. The permanent community of Port Protection was established in 1981 through the state’s land disposal program.

Commercial fishing is the principal industry; gillnetters and trollers homeport here. Local artists produce drawings, paintings, carvings of wooden boxes and writing. Full-service and self-service lodging is available nearby. A boardwalk in the forest provides charming access to residents’ homes. Most services are seasonal in Port Protection. Call Wooden Wheel Cove Trading Post for updated information: 907-489-2222.

For remarkable photographic and narrative perspectives on this community and the area,
see an island resident's blog at www.alaskafloatsmyboat.com.