Explore the Door

Cruising Green Bay

Our Cruisers Yachts 330 Express knifed northwestward through Sturgeon Bay. Leaving Dunlap’s Reef and Bay Shipbuilding’s famous gantry crane behind us, we breezed past the pristine Potawatomi State Park shoreline and the entrance to Sawyer Harbor.

Soon, we spotted the 1883—and allegedly haunted—Sherwood Point Lighthouse standing sentinel on the Niagara Escarpment bluffs to port. Green Bay lay before us, a shimmering blue millpond with just a slight silvery haze hovering above the water.

Since we had time, we hit the throttles and roared 11 miles across the bay to see the 1934 Peshtigo Reef Lighthouse. Although the 330 tops out around 52 miles per hour, we kept her comfortably within her 3500-4000 rpm sweet spot. She ran surprisingly flat, matching her rpm to speed over ground, and we were within spitting distance of the light before we knew it.

More than three miles off the mainland Wisconsin shore, Peshtigo Reef is an otherworldly spot. Cormorants spilled off the tower in waves, like bats, and I could see the dangerous mustard-colored shallows just on the other side.

“When the light was manned, keepers stayed here for 30 days at a time,” Viestenz told us.

I couldn’t imagine life in such a lonely place, eerie in its almost forsaken beauty.

From there, we cruised north to Green Island, where the ruins of a lighthouse that burned decades ago, and stories about someone buried there, continue to fuel beach-bonfire ghost stories. Looking back, I could still see the Bay Ship gantry hovering over the water like a mirage. And ahead of us, on the island, we spotted an intriguing, empty sand beach and the silhouette of a solitary white pelican bobbing offshore.

Next we investigated Chambers Island, where a dive boat already had dropped anchor. I looked at the depth gauge and was surprised to see that, while we could’ve hit the beach with a rock, we were still in 90 feet of water.

Slowly cruising along the island’s western shore, we examined the 1868 Chambers Island Lighthouse and marveled at the serene anchorage, home this morning to just one trolling fishing boat and a cruising sailboat on its hook.

While we explored these “back roads” northward, most cruising boaters will prefer to hit the regular harbors that scallop the peninsula’s Green Bay coast. Traveling north from Sturgeon Bay, you will first reach appropriately named Egg Harbor, where the village recently completed a year-long, $6.5 million marina renovation project. This is a great spot to tie up, as it’s a short (though steep) walk up the bluff to charming downtown.

In town, you will find some of Door County’s best food and shopping at Liberty Square.

You also can pick up provisions—from certified Angus beef, homemade bakery, fresh produce and specialty cheeses to fine wines and beers from around the world—at the well-stocked Main Street Market, voted Door County’s No. 1 food store in Door County Magazine. Then enjoy a locally crafted beer and a sandwich on the patio at Shipwrecked, a restaurant and microbrew pub with legendary mob connections and its own resident ghosts.

A footnote: If you’re a golfer, you won’t want to miss the Alpine Resort’s Blue Nine. Make sure you have your camera for the mesmerizing 9th hole. This is one view you’ll never forget.

Next is Fish Creek, nestled beneath the escarpment bluffs south of Peninsula State Park. Tie up at the Fish Creek Municipal Dock or the Alibi Dock, and allot plenty of time to wander the celebrated shopping district.

Take in a traditional Door County fish boil at the 1896 White Gull Inn. Or maybe you’d rather have breakfast; the inn’s cherry stuffed French toast recently won the national Best Breakfast Challenge on “Good Morning America.”

Fish Creek also is a great place to become acquainted with some of the many talented artists who live and work on the peninsula—and with the world-class galleries that showcase their work. Perhaps the best known is Edgewood Orchard Galleries, located south of town on Peninsula Players Road.

Founded in 1969 by Irene Pamperin Haberland and her daughter, Anne Haberland Emerson, the gallery earned “Most Intriguing Art Gallery/Studio” honors in Door County Magazine. Anne’s husband, Minnow, crafted an exceptional gallery space in Edgewood Orchard’s 1918 apple barn. Visitors marvel at the leaded glass windows, glassed portico, carved doors, bricked courtyard with bistro tables and the light, airy gallery spaces overflowing with works from approximately 140 featured artists.

Now in the hands of Anne’s daughter, Nell, and her husband, J. R. Jarosh, the property also includes a sculpture garden. And it continues to overflow with warmth, joy and creative passion.

While in the area, you may also want to check out a performance at Peninsula Players, the American Folklore Theater or the Door Community Auditorium, which hosts the Peninsula Music Festival each August. The Peninsula School of Art and its free Guenzel Gallery also are nearby.

Please note, however, that many of these locations are not easily accessible to cruising boaters who don’t have ground transportation. If you’re a cruiser rather than a trailer boater, you might want to considering renting a car, at least for a day, so you can better explore the area or enjoy an evening out. Young Automotive in Sturgeon Bay has the county’s largest fleet of rental vehicles; in addition to Harley Davidson motorcycles, it offers cars, minivans, full-size vans and pickup trucks.

Moving north from Fish Creek, boaters will find two of Door County’s most popular spots for dropping the hook: Nicolet Bay—known locally as Shanty Bay—and Horseshoe Island. Tucked behind Peninsula State Park’s Eagle Bluff, these anchorages are routinely filled with kayakers, windsurfers, PWCs and raft-ups of both sail- and powerboats, while the beaches explode with towels, umbrellas and frisbees.

On this weekday morning, we found five anchored sailboats within Horseshoe Island’s embrace. Four PWCs raced across our diminishing wake as several kayaks paddled past, and a lone parasailer drifted past the Pen Park lookout tower. Laughter rang across the water from children perched on a cheerfully colored raft, each smiling face aglow as the pale morning gave way to noontime’s more vivid blues and greens.

“I wonder how many days like this are left?” I mused, feeling fall lurking around the corner.

“Oh, they’re numbered!” Viestenz responded with a chuckle.

Although we opted not to enter Eagle Harbor, the village of Ephraim is another popular stop for cruisers. Voted the “No. 1 small-town getaway destination” by Midwest Living magazine, Ephraim was settled in 1853 by Rev. Andreas Iverson and 40 Norwegian Moravians, and it features five special historic properties: The 1854 Iverson House, the county’s oldest frame house; the 1880 Pioneer Schoolhouse; the 1853 Goodletson Cabin, once located on Horseshoe Island; the 1880 Anderson Barn History Center and Svalhus; and the 1858 Anderson Dock, a National Historic Landmark that is now home to the Francis Hardy Center for the Arts.

Boaters may tie up at the Anderson Dock, Ephraim Yacht Harbor or the Ephraim Municipal Dock. Ephraim Yacht Harbor offers all the amenities you could want, including internet access. After touring the historic sites, refuel at Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor, a peninsula institution that opened in 1906.

We decided to stop for lunch at Fred & Fuzzy’s Waterfront Bar & Grill, located at the Little Sister Resort south of Sister Bay. Colorful umbrellas adorned the open-air restaurant on Pebble Beach, and even this early in the day, the signature Bloody Marys and margaritas were flowing.

I’d highly recommend the wraps, and you’ll want to upgrade the chips to homemade sweet-potato fries. I chose a fish wrap, tangy with the bite of cilantro, coleslaw and a chipotle sauce.

A couple of additional tips: If you want to tie up at Fred & Fuzzy’s, go early, as day dockage disappears quickly. And make sure you’re tying up at the restaurant dock, not one of the Little Sister Resort piers. Those spots are reserved for guests.

Many boaters will also want to stop in Sister Bay. This is Sturgeon Bay’s northern counterpart when it comes to serving the boating community. Transient dockage is available at the Sister Bay Marina, which offers 35 transient slips, restrooms, showers, a recently remodeled dockmaster’s office and lounge area, and an easily accessible launch ramp. You also may dock at the full-service Yacht Works Inc. Marina; the company offers Tiara and Pursuit new boat sales, a service department and a ship’s store. In addition, the YWI team sells engines, generators, inflatables and dinghies.

If you’re interested in boat sales and are eager to see more, nearby Cal-Marine represents Cobalt and Back Cove in Door County. The Cobalt lineup includes bowriders and cuddy-cabin models from 20 to 32 feet, while the limited-production, hand-built Back Cove models include 26- and 29-foot open day boats and a 33-foot hardtop.

The Sister Bay waterfront is as ideally suited to public gatherings as it is to boats. Settled in 1857, Sister Bay reveals Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and even Finnish influences; in keeping with the Scandinavian tradition of hospitality, it allows everyone to participate in community life with the Festival of Blossoms in May, the Door County Folk Festival in July, Marina Fest on Labor Day weekend and the Fall Festival in October.

After the outdoor fun, visit Al Johnson’s restaurant for Swedish pancakes and pictures of his famous rooftop goats, or try the Sister Bay Café for such Norwegian treats as Norsk Torsk and lapskaus.

The last Green Bay port is Ellison Bay, where boaters may tie up at the Ellison Bay Safe Harbor or the Cedar Grove Resort. Make sure to visit the Pioneer Store, which reopened in July 2007 after the devastating 2006 propane explosions that destroyed the original 106-year-old structure. And definitely stop at the Viking Grill next door for a cup of coffee, breakfast or an authentic Door County fish boil. This beloved restaurant, prominently featured in the recent independent film “Feed the Fish,” reopened its doors this spring after a devastating 2010 kitchen fire.

If you choose to cross the Death’s Door passage with your own boat, Washington Island has four marina facilities for visiting boaters: Island Outpost, Krueger’s Kaps Marina and Shipyard Island Marina in Detroit Harbor; and the Town Dock at Jackson Harbor. If you’d rather leave your boat in port, however, the Washington Island Ferry Line is a great alternative.

Island highlights include a meal at the Washington Hotel, Restaurant & Culinary School, built in 1904, and joining the Bitters Club at Nelsen’s Hall, an 1899 island mainstay.

Experienced boaters and kayakers may want to visit Rock Island to the northeast. This veritable wilderness is home to Rock Island State Park, the 1836 Pottawatomie Lighthouse and the onetime estate of Chester Thordarson, a wealthy Icelandic inventor. Boaters are welcome, but be cautious: These waters are known for dangerous reefs and rapidly changing weather, plus overnighters should note the island’s dock isn’t fully protected if the wind shifts.

On Lake Michigan Shores

Although the wind picked up during lunch, seas remained manageable as we cruised past the commercial fishing operations at Gills Rock. A distinct fish smell wafted on the breeze as we admired the weathered shanties and nets drying on the docks.

From there, we examined uninhabited Plum Island, home to the 1897 Plum Island Range Lights, where the Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands organization is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore the historic life-saving station. We also took a peek at sad, remote Pilot Island, where the 1858 lighthouse and keeper’s dwelling are slowly crumbling into ruin.

As we motored around the Door Peninsula’s tip, the swell gave way to choppier, two-foot seas on Lake Michigan. Heading south, we swung around hard-to-spot, almost-a-reef Spider Island and entered the channel to Rowleys Bay—gateway to the Mink River Estuary and southern boundary of Newport State Park, Wisconsin’s only formally designated wilderness park.

This particular harbor is a lot like a Bahamian anchorage; the water is skinny and littered with shoals. Even if you trust your electronics, you’ll want to make sure the sun is still high when you enter. That way someone can keep an eye on the channel, winding like a ribbon of blue through the shoals, to avoid unexpected surprises.

Although this can be tricky, it also makes Rowleys Bay a trailer boater’s haven. The big guys can’t get in here, but if you have a boat 30 feet or less (yes, we were pushing it at 33 feet), you have the keys to the kingdom. And it’s worth it, to see the unbroken, pristine shores and broad stretches of open water with virtually no boat traffic.

We docked at the 1948 Rowleys Bay Resort, known in years past as the Wagon Trail. The resort manages the small marina for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; there’s a new public launch as well. Transient slips include electric and water; gas and diesel are available at Baileys Harbor, approximately 15 miles to the south.

According to resort manager Jewel Ouradnik, whose family has owned Rowleys Bay since she was 8 years old, Rowleys Bay recently earned the Safe Harbor designation. Four slips are reserved for vessels seeking refuge.

Once you’ve docked here, you’re a resort guest and can enjoy all the amenities. And there are quite a few, as this is an authentic, old-time family resort. Rent a kayak or join a kayaking trip to explore the estuary or state park. Try Door County’s only zipline. Go for a bike ride or try your hand at charter fishing. Stroll the nature trails, or challenge friends and family to a game of tennis, volleyball or basketball. Take the kids to the playground.

The recently renovated resort also features a swimming pool, whirlpool, fitness room and game room. And when the time comes to refuel, you won’t want to miss the restaurant, pub and bakery.

We certainly didn’t. Our first stop was the new Rowleys Pub, which opened last year. Colorfully decorated and adorned with an antique bumper-pool table, this was the perfect spot to sample one of the resort’s signature umbrella-topped tropical drinks.

Then we headed outdoors, as we happened to be in time for a Door County fish boil. At Rowleys Bay, that means we joined the other guests on the resort’s front lawn and listened to a master storyteller share bay history while we waited for the dramatic boil-over. Then, inside Rowleys Bay Restaurant, we tackled Door County’s longest buffet and salad bar and savored fresh, flaky whitefish, red potatoes and onions dripping with hot butter.

Then, of course, there were the sinful cinnamon rolls in Grandma’s Swedish Bakery for breakfast.

“My mother was the grandma,” Jewel told us with a smile. “The bakery’s become a real hangout over the years.”

Indeed, as we sipped our morning coffee and licked frosting off our fingers, we listened to the easy banter of old-timers as they swapped news, dealt cards and played dominoes.

I couldn’t shake the feeling of being a kid again, spending summer vacation at a vintage Wisconsin resort. We ate three meals a day there, and we rarely had a reason to ever leave the property. It was the definition of relaxation.

When I mentioned this to Jewel, she nodded.

“The retro feel here is deliberate,” she said. “People want to feel at home, that they know us. So we want to give them an affordable waterfront destination that has everything right here, with a view that will never change.”

All too soon, our own stay came to a close. We carefully wound our way through the channel back to open water, where we were greeted with steep, breaking seas and a stiff wind that had been building overnight. It looked like it was going to be a slog back to Sturgeon Bay.

We weren’t able to stop in Baileys Harbor, the last port of call before the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal. But it’s worth the visit if you have the time; transient dockage is available at the municipal marina or at the Baileys Harbor Yacht Club & Resort.

This area is home to what may be the most well known of Door County’s 10 lighthouses: The Cana Island Lighthouse, built in 1868 on an 8.7-acre island. The Door County Maritime Museum has maintained the buildings and grounds for nearly 30 years, while the United State Coast Guard oversees the tower and light with its French-made, third-order Fresnel lens.

Stroll the causeway and explore the grounds, keeper’s quarters, octagonal-shaped oil house, storage building and privy. You may even climb the tower’s circular, 102-step, cast-iron staircase to visit the watch and lantern rooms.

Also along this section of Door County coastline is Lawrence University’s 425-acre Björklunden estate. This magnificent property is home to a variety of adult continuing-education courses as well as Door Shakespeare, a theater company that presents classic performances in an outdoor garden setting.

It was lunchtime when we slipped through the ship canal and beneath Sturgeon Bay’s three bridges, returning to our dock at Stone Harbor. We opted to end our cruise with shepherd’s pie and a pint of Guinness at Kitty O’Reilly’s, a popular Irish pub on the city’s west side. And so our adventure came to a close.

“Ah, that’s what it feels like to be a tourist,” Richard joked, craning his neck to look back at the waterfront. “We should do that more often.”

I had to agree. We moved to Door County in 2002, yet it took us eight years before we had our first alfresco meal at Fred & Fuzzy’s; got an up-close look at Peshtigo Reef, Green Island and Chambers Island; and cruised into timeless, magical Rowleys Bay.

There’s an important lesson here for all of us who call the Great Lakes home. We might dream of lower-latitude cruises and exotic explorations, but really, one of the world’s top cruising grounds is right here.

So cast off the docklines, and look at your own waterways with fresh eyes. Who knows what you might discover?