Category: On the Water
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Weekend Weather Wizard: The Benefit of Not Checking the Weather
Jack fell into my office with all of the bumbling urgency of Kramer. Jack: “I know a guy.” Me: “What kind of guy?” “A fishing dude,” he said, with his southern drawl. “OK…” I said. “Any other particulars?” Jack explained, “Well… I met him by chance at his place of work, and talked to him […]
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Coast Guard Concludes Chambers Island Wake Incident
After a nine-month investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard has decided not to charge anyone in the Sept. 5, 2015, incident in which wake from the USS Milwaukee damaged a number of recreational vessels off Chambers Island. “The marine casualty investigation determined that enforcement action against any of the parties involved would not forward the integrity […]
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Sister Bay Kicks Off Summer with Beach Bash
The Village of Sister Bay has undergone a dramatic transformation and can’t wait to show it off with Beach Bash, a community-wide celebration on June 25. Experience Paddlefest, the first annual co-ed volleyball tournament, music at the Waterfront Park Performance Pavilion, and fireworks over the bay. Sister Bay has plenty to celebrate this summer. The […]
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Festival Tours Showcase Peninsula’s Lighthouses
The Door County Lighthouse Festival will take place June 10-12, and tickets remain for a variety of the land-based and boat excursion offerings. This year marks the 23rd annual event in which the Door County Maritime Museum (DCMM) spotlights perhaps the heaviest concentration of lighthouses in the country. Two different daylong, land-based tours visit the […]
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Steel Bridge Songfest, Pork Fest & More Weekend Plans
This weekend there are plenty of opportunities to learn about the various elements that make Door County so special. Explore historic lighthouses, interact with artists, and get up close and personal with the peninsula’s diverse flora and fauna. Friday, June 10 Steel Bridge Songfest Kick off the summer music fest scene with the 12th annual […]
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Commentary: Be Cautious on Lake Michigan during Swimming Season
Lake Michigan is beautiful, but is considered by far the deadliest of the Great Lakes. It is responsible for more than double the drownings and rescues of the other four Great Lakes combined. The 307-mile length of Lake Michigan has long and uninterrupted east and west shores that can feature rapid river-like currents, and […]
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Ephraim Yacht Club Sailing Lessons
Women’s Sailing Class (July 18-22): The focus will be on beginner and intermediate skills. This would be the perfect way to brush up and prepare for the women’s regatta the following week. Laser Clinic (July 16 & 17): Do you have a Laser sailor in the family? Take advantage of Bobby Collins’ excellent coaching […]
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Two Vessels Christened at Bay Shipbuilding
With high praise for the business relationships that made it happen and the workers who built them, two new vessels were christened at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay on May 20. Both vessels were built for Moran Towing Co., but will be leased to CF Industries, a major fertilizer company. The Barbara Carol Ann […]
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Maritime Tower Project Receives State Approval
This past fall, the Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay announced its intent to expand its facilities with an 11-story tower. The tower is intended to serve as an observation platform and to provide additional space to house new exhibits. Since then, the project has been quietly moving forward. On May 18 the project […]
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Sunset Cruise Through Death’s Door
The Friends of Plum & Pilot Islands (FOPPI) are hosting a Sunset Cruise through beautiful Death’s Door Passage. This is a critical fundraising effort to assist them with the important work of protecting and preserving Door County landmarks. The cruise is scheduled for July 16 at 6:30 pm, leaving from the Island Clipper dock in […]
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By the Numbers: National Maritime Day
May 22 is recognized as National Maritime Day in honor of the May 22, 1819, voyage of the American steamship/sidewheel/sailboat Savannah, which set sail from Savannah, Ga., for the first transoceanic voyage fueled by steam (although part of the voyage was made under sail). The Savannah was actually supposed to set sail on May 20, […]
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Practicing Sonar Search Techniques on Lake Michigan’s Shipwrecks
When Keith Cormican of Black River Falls took his boat Bruce’s Legacy into the waters of Baileys Harbor, it was the most fun he has had pushing off of a dock. Cormican and his torpedo-like sonar were searching for shipwrecks, namely the F.J. King, still undiscovered after going down in 150-feet of water back in […]
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Increase in Cargo Transportation by Great Lakes Freighters in April
U.S.-flag Great Lakes freighters moved 7.3 million tons of cargo in April, an increase of 9.7 percent compared to a year ago. The April float was also 7 percent above the month’s 5-year average. Iron ore cargos for the steel industry totaled 4.4 million tons, an increase of 30 percent compared to a year ago. […]
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Cana Island Tours Offered during Blessing of the Fleet Fest
The Door County Maritime Museum will participate in the Blessing of the Fleet event in Baileys Harbor on May 21, highlighted by special restoration tours of Cana Island. “Tours of Cana Island Light Station include admission to the island, a climb up the historic lighthouse tower and a special detailed overview of our current and […]
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Blessing of the Fleet: Baileys Harbor Debuts Maritime Fest
Baileys Harbor will host the very first Blessing of the Fleet Festival this weekend, May 21-22. The town seeks to celebrate its maritime heritage with festivities located at or near the marina, including a traditional blessing ceremony, maritime tours, historic programs, music and food. The maritime industry has played a crucial role in the establishment […]
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Rockabilly, Young Eagles Rally & More Weekend Plans
This weekend offers the chance to get on the water, in the sky and on the dance floor in Door County! Check out our top picks for the weekend ahead. Friday, May 20 Death’s Door Tours Learn about the history of the islands, lighthouses, and shipwrecks that are scattered across Death’s Door. The tour departs […]
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Hickey Brothers Open Shop Selling Fresh Fish in Baileys Harbor
Dennis Hickey likens his job as a commercial fisherman to that of a family farmer. Just like a family farm, Hickey’s fourth generation business is weather dependent and largely misunderstood by those outside the business. Like farmers, commercial fisherman must always be concerned about the sustainability of their operation, both in what they harvest and […]
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Baileys Harbor Hosts Blessing of the Fleet Festival, May 21-22
Baileys Harbor is celebrating its maritime heritage with a weekend of historic programs, maritime tours, and culinary specialties at the very first Blessing of the Fleet Festival, May 21 – 22. The maritime industry has thrived on Lake Michigan since the mid-1800s, and was central in the growth of Baileys Harbor, a lakeside town located […]
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Door County Maritime Museum Introduces the “John Purves” Float
The Door County Maritime Museum’s Tug John Purves has opened its doors for another season of tours in Sturgeon Bay but its new likeness will also be touring the peninsula following a formal christening in Sturgeon Bay. The “new” Purves is a stunning replica of the immaculately restored 149-foot tug. Built on a truck chassis, […]
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Tug Tours of “John Purves” Have Resumed
The Door County Maritime Museum resumed tours of the Tug John Purves in Sturgeon Bay on May 1, while facing a continuing problem with securing enough volunteer guides for the famed vessel. The immaculately restored 149-foot tugboat has proven to be an extremely popular attraction since opening to the public in August of 2008 following […]