Nautical Sunday

We were looking to get out and do something last Sunday since the weather was February-decent and we have been either cooped up or busy lately.  I suggested that we head up to Sturgeon Bay for the afternoon to see the Door County Maritime Museum.  On the way, we stopped at Brown County's Wequiock Park (pronounced WE quee ock) to see Wequiock Falls based on a recommendation we got from a fellow wine club member at the last wine pick up.  Apparently the waterfall is pretty impressive right after a big rain event and in the winter time when it freezes, but slows to just a trickle in summer.  It was partially frozen and running, so it was definitely worth the stop.  Wequiock Creek falls over the Niagara Escarpment (the Ledge) that I mentioned in some of our other adventures, to make its way into the Bay of Green Bay. 

Wequiock Falls

Bonus:  we also got to see the Jean Nicolet (pronounced nic oh LAY, French-Canadian) statue that is visible from the road to Door County.  Nicolet is supposedly the first European to arrive in Green Bay (and present-day Wisconsin) in the year 1634.  Many locations and businesses in town are named in his honor- Nicolet Drive, Nicolet Bank, Nicolet Area Technical College...you get the idea.  Interesting anecdote:  He thought he was in Asia when he made landfall in the Green Bay area (honest mistake, especially without Lambeau Field as a landmark), so he put on Asian robes before coming ashore to impress the natives.  Every depiction has him walking ashore with handguns a blazin' and all the Ho-Chunk wondering what in the world is up with this guy.  I am a little surprised his statue isn't striking the same pose.



Nicolet Memorial, Wequiock Park

The Maritime Museum was excellent (museums are so well done here) and kept us busy for over 2 hours.  They had exhibits on the shipbuilding history of Sturgeon Bay and the Great Lakes, including a 40th anniversary display on the sinking and loss of all crew members of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald in Lake Superior (yes, a massive cargo ship sank in the Great Lakes as recently as November 1975).  There is even a song ("The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot) about the tragedy.  The museum has tugboat tours, so we will have to check that out next time.

Door County Maritime Museum window

 

Tugboat John Purves

 

 

The Fred A. Busse Chicago fire boat provides scenic tours of Sturgeon Bay in the summer

After all that knowledge acquisition, rousing conversation with the locals ("Islanders") at Starboard Brewing Company completed a pretty nautical winter day.

Teddy's DNA test is in...he is shih tzu, bichon frise, and miniature poodle. 

Snow daze

Winter update:  Overall, this winter has been much "warmer" (20s-low 30s F) than last year, leading to more snow and fewer painfully cold days.  We have had snowpack on the ground since the first significant (and biggest- 14 inches) snow on December 28, but a few days above freezing here and there melt some of it before another 4-6 inch storm replenishes it (actually, it's snowing right now, although only predicted to be a 2 inch-er).  Every house has a snowblower of course, all running in concert together when it snows, but we are hoping to avoid buying one (another thing to move around) and just tag team the shoveling.  We have the longest driveway in the neighborhood, and I'm sure they think we are nuts out there shoveling instead of snowblowing.  Teddy has been loving the snow this year- he loves to eat it and roll around, especially in fresh powder.  Last week we had a downgraded blizzard that came on quickly at noon on a weekday with very heavy snow resulting in poor road conditions.  The kids here actually got a very rare snow day even though it didn't start until early afternoon!  Our front yard is about chest high with the shoveled and plowed snow now.  Will give an update when the iceberg finally melts for the season.

 Winter hike at Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve

Geese taking advantage of the feed and open water

Since it has been pretty quiet on the adventure front, I haven't had as much exciting material to write about.  We were hoping to try ice fishing sometime this winter, but the ice has been slow to freeze up, and every night on the news someone else falls through the ice on their snowmobile or car (there are ice roads over Lake Winnebago that people use for fishing access and even to cross to go to work- crazy!).  No such thing as safe ice!  Northern Wisconsin definitely has an abundance of winter sport opportunities (aside from downhill skiing- few and far between!), but really, who needs more than playing in the snow and then cuddling by the fireplace like this....

Teddy's DNA swab test is at the lab- can't wait to get some more evidence for his breed ancestry!