Sturgeon Bay

We like to eat out once in a while at Apple-bee's in Sturgeon Bay. It's right on the waterfront of the bay. It's not too expensive and a lot less crowded than the waterfront eateries in the upper part of Door County. You can see the big ore carriers from your seat in the restaurant. If you look closely at the name on the ore carrier to the far right -- it is the Arthur M Anderson -- this is the ore carrier that was the closest to the Edmund Fitzgerald when it sank in the storm. You can also look out at the docks and see the small yachts and sailboats as well as the old steel bridge that is no longer in service. They are trying to "save their bridge" because it is an historic landmark. If you own one of these pleasure boats docked in Sturgeon Bay, from what we've observed, you sail or motor up to Fish Creek -- about 20 miles --and dock there for a few days and then go back to your Sturgeon Bay mooring.

We ventured farther out into the bay to try our luck fishing and went all the way around Chambers Island. This is a fairly large island about half way out in the bay -- maybe about 15 miles out from shore. The island is owned by a catholic archdiocese. There is also a lighthouse on the island. The picture shows it and you can picnic on the grounds if you can figure out a way to get your boat to shore.

We caught more huge rock bass and a sheepshead (a type of sucker fish) and more Gobie (one of several exotic species that is ruining the fisherie). We also fished closer to Sturgeon Bay and found other walleye fishermen -- a good sign-- but no one was catching any. Jim caught a clump of Zebra mussels fishing along the bottom. They clump together and one of them in the clump latched on to his bait ( a leech) and wouldn't let go. Zebra mussels are another exotic species.