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Category: On the Water

  • Door County Sail & Power Squadron

    Water Rat, the friendly little extrovert in The Wind in the Willows, said, “There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” It’s a shame he didn’t live in Door County, so he could have joined the Door County Sail & Power Squadron (DCS&PS) and found […]

  • Joe Fischer

    Door County’s Naval Architects

    Taking a stroll through the Sturgeon Bay shipyards can be a humbling experience. The immensity of the ships alone can leave one awestruck with veritable wonder at how such behemoths were constructed, let alone how they even float. For nearly 100 years, the assembly and maintenance of barges, freighters, ferries, and sailboats in Sturgeon Bay […]

  • "PBI Continuing Excellence, 1983-1993"

    Peterson Builders and The Avenger Class Minesweeper

    Sitting in the room of his home dedicated to Peterson Builders’ history, Ellsworth Peterson can point to any of the relics from his career with the company and tell a story. The work permit he obtained to help his father in the shipyard hangs in a frame on the wall. His hard hat rests on […]

  • Behemoths of the Great Lakes

    Have you ever stood on shore and spied a massive Great Lakes vessel making its way across the horizon? If so, you may have wondered what type of ship it is, what cargo it carries, and from whence it hails. In the pages here, you’ll find at-a-glance answers to these questions along with resources for sleuthing […]

  • Making Waves

    With its reputation for brats, beer and frigid football games, it’s hard to believe that the Midwest – Door County included – is gaining notoriety for stand up paddle surfing, a water sport that conjures images of bikini bods, washboard stomachs and sunny, surf culture. While surfing can be traced back to Polynesian roots, it’s […]

  • Givin’ a Boat a Lift

    It’s doubtful that many of the millions of annual visitors to the Door Peninsula, with vacation and relaxation on their minds, would pay much attention to the businesses that call the Sturgeon Bay Industrial Park home. They, along with many Door County residents, would be surprised to learn that the park is home to a […]

  • Even a Big Boat’s Small: Palmer Johnson Craftsman Rusty Lardinois

    Down on Shiloh Road, a few miles outside the city of Sturgeon Bay, there sits an old barn. Non-descript and a bit worse for wear, it’s built snug into a slope behind an old farmhouse, and nothing of its exterior hints that inside is the home workshop of one of the finest carpenters Door County […]

  • Family-Operated Fun on the Water

    People visiting and people working in Door County have one key similarity:  we all value our days (or even our few precious hours) off. So, when I was offered a chance by Captain David Graves to come aboard his Harbor Lady cruise boat on a sunny Fourth of July afternoon, I gladly jumped at the […]

  • Time to Leave the Lakes Alone

    After a century and a half of trying to control the Great Lakes, is it time to concede to Mother Nature? Bryan Nelson stands on his wooden boardwalk over Lake Michigan, about 100 feet from shore. Well, 10 years ago he’d be standing over Lake Michigan water. Today, he’s surrounded by tall grasses growing from […]

  • Riding the Waves of the Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Industry

    Bay Shipbuilding Company has made it through tough economic times before, something it will have to do again to return to prominence.

  • Door County Land Trust. Shoreline, Dunes and Forest Walk.

    Door County’s Growing Shoreline?

    Somehow, Door County’s shoreline is growing. Well, at least that’s what you can infer from trends in articles.

  • A Maritime Forerunner: Past & Present

    2009 was the most successful year yet for Roen Salvage in Sturgeon Bay, and 2010 is looking up as well. Earlier this year, Roen received the Industry of the Year award from the Door County Economic Development Corporation in recognition of the company’s long-standing impact and accomplishments in the community. They also recently announced they […]

  • Pottawatomie Lighthouse. Tim Sweet.

    A Prize Worth the Journey: Pottawatomie Lighthouse on Rock Island

    Imagine, if you can, a time nearly 200 years ago when Green Bay and Prairie du Chien were the only two major towns in Wisconsin. When the Erie Canal was completed in 1825, the already thriving shipping trade between Green Bay and cities on the eastern Great Lakes increased dramatically. Troubled by the number of […]

  • Spring Cleaning on the Lake Floor

    The Door County maritime community grinds to a wintery halt save the few hearty souls that shore up ships, break icy water routes and haul gill nets laden with fish. In order for much of this activity to go on, a small but hardened labor force works to dredge channels, boat basins and harbors, from […]

  • Opening the Door Wider to Kayakers

    With its ample shoreline and waterways, Door County makes for a natural destination for paddle sport enthusiasts. From Cave Point to Kangaroo Lake and from the Sturgeon Bay canal to the Mink River, Door County holds wonderful treasures for those who like to explore the great outdoors via canoeing and kayaking. In fact, the kayaking […]

  • East Coast Commuter Yacht Undergoes a Midwest Refit

    While many boat yards throughout the country are morphing into private marinas, Yacht Works of Sister Bay has expanded its services to accommodate larger scale restoration projects. One such project underway is the restoration of the classic motor yacht Sea Spray. Rolling full steam ahead last winter and spring, Yacht Works has been rebuilding much […]

  • World-Class Competition Sails Into Ephraim

    It isn’t a stretch to see why Door County is a huge attraction for sailors. Pristine waters and a constant supply of good winds keep salty dogs from all over the United States coming back year after year. One place these sailors gather is at the Ephraim Yacht Club (EYC) which is just coming off […]

  • Emotions High as Egg Harbor Discusses Marina

    Emotions were on full display at the Thursday, May 28 joint meeting of the Egg Harbor Village Board and Harbor Committee as a defensive village board discussed what to do in the aftermath of Tuesday’s vote against building an expanded marina in the tiny village.

  • The Big Ones That Don’t Get Away: The Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament

    “The Small Mouth Bass,” said fisherman Don Hewkin of Zion, Illinois, “are what bring me.” He and his fishing partner Dave Davis have entered the Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament every year since 1994. The contest is an annual event on the weekend following Mother’s Day. Hewkin likes the number of fish in the bay […]

  • Sherwood Point Lighthouse

    Sherwood Point Lighthouse: The Keeper of the Ship Canal

    Known for its uncharacteristic red brick and for its double distinction of being both the last Door County lighthouse to be automated and the last manned lighthouse on the Great Lakes, Sherwood Point Lighthouse is perched at the end of a serene country road, near Sturgeon Bay’s Idlewild area. The story of Sherwood Point is […]