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Category: On the Water

  • WILD THINGS: Bass Fanatic Hooks the Trout of a Lifetime off Door County

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    Door County’s spring sport fishery is among the most impressive in North America. Five-pound smallmouth bass, 10-pound walleyes and 20-pound northern pike aren’t out of the question.  But a 32-pound, nine-ounce brown trout that Ben Otto of Pulaski caught while casting for bass April 24 near Sand Bay turned the world-class potential up a notch. […]

  • Fish Tales Lecture Follows Fish Movements

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    Crossroads at Big Creek (crossroadsatbigcreek.org) will continue its virtual Fish Tales Lecture Series on March 4, 7 pm, with “Where Fish Wander in Green Bay: Tracking the Movements of Walleye and Whitefish,” a presentation by Dan Isermann of the Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Unit of UW-Stevens Point. Isermann will discuss the results of his research on […]

  • Fish Tales Lecture Series Returns Virtually

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    Crossroads at Big Creek will share the science of Great Lakes fisheries through the Fish Tales Lecture Series, in partnership with the Door County Library. To participate in the presentations via Zoom or Facebook Live, visit doorcountylibrary.org/event to connect. All presentations will start at 7 pm. The series will begin Feb. 18 with “The Science […]

  • TOPSIDE: A Relaxing Ride aboard the Quo Vadis

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    The Quo Vadis moves through the water with great dignity — unhurried, unfazed, unperturbed — and the heft of the boat’s sturdy, steel-framed construction makes for a smooth ride. Having carried passengers through the waters surrounding Fish Creek since its construction in 1962, it’s as if the boat has earned the right to such composure.  […]

  • DCMM Presentation: Circumnavigating Peninsula in a Kayak

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    Join Mike McCarthy on Jan. 7, 7 pm, for his Door County Maritime Museum (DCMM) Speaker Series virtual presentation, during which he’ll share tales of his quest to circumnavigate the Northern Door peninsula in his sit-on-top pedal kayak. The presentation will also be available on DCMM’s YouTube channel and Facebook page afterward.​​​​​​​ The presentation will […]

  • Hike This: Hemlock Trail in Potawatomi State Park

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    Tucked into the southwest edge of the City of Sturgeon Bay is Potawatomi State Park, a wilderness often overlooked by visitors flocking to Peninsula State Park to the north or the beaches of Whitefish Dunes and Cave Point to the east. This less-traveled park should not be underrated.  Get a taste of it on the […]

  • Topside: Aboard the Norra Dörr

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    On a beautiful July Tuesday, I sailed out of Sister Bay aboard the Norra Dörr, the newest — and largest — addition to Door County’s many options to get on the water. Measuring 24 feet wide and 63 feet long, the double-decker Norra Dörr began offering cruises out of the Sister Bay Marina in 2017.  […]

  • Restoration Finishes at Riverview ATV Park

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    The Kewaunee County Land and Water Conservation Department and the Kewaunee County Promotions and Recreation Department have finished restoration work at Riverview ATV Park to address water quality, erosion and habitat improvement. Federal, state and community partners who worked to construct a pollinator buffer and wetland basins helped to make this initiative possible. The restoration […]

  • Jacksonport Polar Bear Plunge Postponed until 2022

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    Because of health concerns regarding large gatherings, the Jacksonport Polar Bear Club has postponed its 35th annual plunge into Lake Michigan. The next plunge will be held Jan. 1, 2022. The event started with just one swimmer in 1986 and now regularly attracts hundreds of swimmers and hundreds more spectators to Jacksonport’s Lakeside Park beach.

  • Wild Things: It’s the Final Countdown: Gun Deer Opener Is Nov. 21

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    If ever there was a year to escape to the outdoors, this is it. COVID-19 and political bickering have tarnished 2020, filling the airwaves and social-media feeds with conflicting and misleading information. There’s no escape. Or is there? Some of the best social distancing on the planet is taking place in fields and forests up […]

  • Merry-Time Festival of Trees Returns

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    The Door County Maritime Museum (DCMM) will again spread the holiday spirit with the Merry-Time Festival of Trees, Nov. 14 – Jan. 3, when the museum will become a winter wonderland of decorated trees, wreaths and displays that businesses and individuals have donated. Visitors and supporters may purchase raffle tickets for chances to win a […]

  • Carving Liquid: Windsurfing and kiteboarding in Door County

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    The breath of life is in the sunlight, and the hand of life is in the wind.  — Kahlil Gibran Wind, in myriad ways, defines this county. It has shaped the shorelines, facilitated economic booms over the centuries and created a playground for visitors and locals alike. The wind — elusive or steady, both sweet […]

  • Beach of the Week: Otumba Park Beach

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    In our final installment of this summer’s Beach of the Week, we’re highlighting a favorite park in the middle of it all in Sturgeon Bay. Otumba Park is near the heart of Sturgeon Bay’s west side, and it’s a favorite place to play, swim and picnic.  The three-acre park features a sandy beach connected to […]

  • Learning How to Sail in Sturgeon Bay

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    By Tim Sweet Although many summertime activities were canceled this year because of the pandemic, a group of young community leaders figured out a safer way to offer sailing lessons to youth and adult students in Sturgeon Bay. Sail Training Foundation (STF) lead instructor Frank “Frankie” Pudlo, 19, has been sailing since he was eight. […]

  • Wild Things: Bonus Deer, Turkey Permits Go on Sale Soon

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    Hunters hoping for a bonus wild turkey tag or an antlerless deer permit for an up-north getaway had better stay vigilant during the coming days. Only 2,000 bonus turkey permits are available for Zone 2, which includes Door and Kewaunee counties. They’ll go on sale Saturday at 10 am at a cost of $10 per […]

  • Beach of the Week: Newport Beach

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    Stretching along 11 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, Newport State Park offers beachgoers the opportunity to work up a sweat before taking a break on the beach or in the cool, calm waters of the lake.  From Parking Lot 3, the walk to the water is brief. This part of the beach, located near the […]

  • Wild Things: Visiting Anglers Net Lifetime Memories Fishing Kewaunee/Door Waters

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    With a record 3,290 participants in the recent Kewaunee/Door (K/D) County Salmon Tournament, there’s bound to be a few fish stories, right? Trophy-size chinooks certainly play a role in those tales, but it’s not just the big catches that create lifetime memories. Bryan Sheets of South Dakota said his group of eight includes three generations […]

  • Youth Coalition to Host Show & Tell Aug. 7-8

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    Door County Youth Coalition will host a Show & Tell – a set of free, family-based, COVID-friendly activities – on Aug. 7-8 at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 1756 Michigan St. in Sturgeon Bay. Activities include a family movie night Aug. 7, 9 pm, in the parking lot; a mini Vacation Bible School on Aug. 8, […]

  • Stand-Up Paddleboarding: What to Know Before You Go

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    According to a report conducted by the Outdoor Recreation Association, stand-up paddleboarding was the outdoor activity with the most first-time participants in the United States in 2013. If you take a look at the waters of Door County on any summer weekend, you’ll notice that its popularity doesn’t seem to have dwindled much since then.  […]

  • Beach of the Week: Sand Bay Town Park

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    Tucked away on the lake side of Liberty Grove in Sand Bay Town Park, Sand Bay Beach is both a versatile and relatively low-traffic beach. Depending on the day, it could be a great place to participate in an energetic beach scene or take a summer beach read and relax.  A large, grassy area contains […]