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.