Door County

For the last two years, we'd planned to settle in at Sturgeon Bay after completing America's Great Loop. Delays cost us dearly. By the time we were ready to stay there, the marina had been sold to a conglomerate and was no longer an option for us. We ended up across the bay at Nestegg, a small marina on the Menomonie River. If we had docked at Sturgeon Bay, we would have been able to explore Door County from our marina. Instead, we took several day trips by car this summer. 

Calm day at Nestegg Marine

Always beautiful sunsets

Rainbow over Green Bay

Our first visit to Sturgeon Bay was to pick up bottom paint for S/V Mystic at West Marine. After grabbing our paint, we headed north up the peninsula. The drive was beautiful, taking us through tiny towns and vast farmland. Door County is a rural, destination community that offers a glimpse into the past, of a place that hasn't changed a ton over the years. The eastern coast is on Lake Michigan, the western on Green Bay. Each side has it's draw but everything about Door County is rustic and beautiful, from the apple and cherry orchards to the tiny coves with gorgeous shorelines. It reminds us of other attractive popular coastal areas like the Apostle Islands, downeast Maine and Traverse City, Michigan. There is something for everyone! 

We stopped in Jacksonport and walked out on a very blustery Lake Michigan beach. The park was full of families enjoying the beautiful weather. The temperature was 30 degrees colder on the lake side than it was on the Green Bay side. It was refreshing!

Dave walking across the dunes

Beautiful Lake Michigan

Dog walking and beach combing

Jacksonport shoreline view of cave point

Wisconsin Maritime Shipwreck Sanctuary

Back on the road, we drove to Bailey's Harbor a quaint town that was busy but not overcrowded. We walked to the marina and found that the harbor is shallow. Mystic would not be able to enter this port. Door County Microbrewery was on Main street. We stopped in for a beer and a stamp in our Wisconsin Hop Passport. Mike, the General Manager came over to say hi. Before we left, he gifted us a four pack of an experimental IPA, unavailable to the public, to enjoy on the boat. In addition, he gave us wooden beer coins for free brew on our next visit.

Door County Brewing Co.

DCBC Stage

DCBC Sticker Wall

DCBC Brew List

Enjoying a brew at the bar

Bailey's Harbor Marina

Lupine growing in someone's garden

On our way home we drove through Egg Harbor and stopped at Shipwrecked Microbrewery. It was more of a modern restaurant style craft brewery. We prefer the smaller breweries where the bartender is also the brewer, like Door County Brewing. 

On our second visit to Door County, we drove up the west side of the peninsula, along Green Bay, making stops at every port to check out the facilities. Sturgeon Bay, Ephraim and Sister Creek we're our favorites because they were less crowded but still had lots to explore. Fish Creek was crowded; tourists we're wandering through the shops and enjoying lunch on the patio of cute restaurants. We followed highway 42 until it dead ended at Northport where you can take the ferry to Washington Island. We didn't have cell service for most of the drive but we found our way to the east side of the peninsula to Bailey's Harbor where we stopped for at Door County Brewing. Before heading back to Marinette, we explored Sturgeon Bay. 

View of Sister Cliffs at Sister Bay

Sister Bay

Looper Tug Boat docked at Sister Bay

We've been working on filling up our Wisconsin Hop Passport all summer. Bridge Up Brewing is located at the south base of the lift bridge, in front of Skipper Bud's Marina in Sturgeon Bay. We enjoyed a great cold microbrew at the outside patio overlooking a marina. We took a walk around Sturgeon Bay, over the Michigan Street lift bridge then around and back over the Oregon Street bridge. I found a rubber duck with an Instagram link that indicated the duck was meant to go on an adventure. We took it with us to make that happen.

Bridge Up Brewing

Bridge Up Brewing Patio

Sturgeon Bay, Door County Wisconsin

Wisconsin Ice Age Trail

Next year we'll take Mystic across Green Bay and pass through the Sturgeon Bay canal leading to the big lake. We have enjoyed exploring the area and recommend it as a stop for cruisers. We found dockage ranging from $2 to $2.50 per foot in Door County which is pretty typical for Lake Michigan ports. There is so much to see and do. Every one of the towns along the peninsula has a fall festival. Who knows, maybe we'll make a third visit this season!

Life on Stephenson Island

We've settled into a routine aboard Mystic. Life slows right down when you live on a boat. Our greatest concern each day is the weather and what to explore on the rainy days. One difference between cruising and sitting at the same dock all summer is that we have a car. Our road trip adventures can be farther from the boat than bikes would take us. We've enjoyed exploring the area!

We have a few younger local sailors on our dock. They are Yoopers; born and raised in the upper peninsula. Oh boy can they drink! Their beer of choice is Bush Light and I swear they carry a 30 pack on board daily! We can't keep up. They each have a huge dog, one a German shepherd named Judas; the other a beautiful black lab named Apollo who wants to play catch 24/7. He visits our boat throughout the day with a stick in the ready; probably because I have "sucker" written across my forehead. Apollo understands that I can't say no. Across the docks is a sailor named Jeff on a beautiful Shannon. We can't keep up with him either because he likes the hard stuff! They're a nice bunch though, and they keep things interesting in this quiet marina. Once in awhile everyone joins us for cocktails in our saloon. It takes a couple days to recover from those gatherings!

Apollo visits Mystic daily

Judas, Dennis and Apolla aboard Mystic

Apollo begging to play catch

Waiting patiently

Jeff and Judas live on a Catalina 22 just a few slips away from us. He upgraded from a 17 foot O'Day this year. Dave went out sailing on the Bay with him. This is Jeff's first year on a boat bigger than a daysailer. Someday, he'd like to cruise. He mainly goes out solo with Judas and wanted to hear from someone with experience that he's got the basics down. Dave was able to point out pit falls to watch for while sailing solo on a smaller boat. They had a great time which I was able to capture from shore. They came back a few hours later, outrunning a big front that was chasing them home. Two other sailboats from our dock went out later in the day and had to turn back. You don't mess with Neptune on these Great Lakes!

Menomonie Marina view from the breakwater

Pelicans are on the move

Carol Jeannie coming under the Ogden St Bridge

Heading out the river

Passing the breakwater

Menomonie North Pier Light

Passing the lighthouse

Safely back at the dock

There are a lot of places to go for walks and runs nearby. Menomonie Michigan is just over the interstate bridge and the Bay is only a mile away. We visit St. Vinny's Thrift Store weekly, finding great deals almost every time we go! We cook most of our meals on the boat but have tried a few local spots for their fish fry and pizza. Our favorite is still Brothers Three in Marinette.

The season is winding down. We have warm days but often it gets cool at night so we close up our hatches and add layers to our bedding. It's almost time for us to return to work but we'll keep Mystic in the water through September and visit on the weekends until haul out early October. Our season at the dock will be remembered as a quiet getaway from everyday stresses. We made some great new friends and got several boat projects completed. When we wrap Mystic up for the winter and walk away, we'll be smiling.