In the late 1980s, when Trek ‘n Trail began renting kayaks at the
Wagon Trail Resort on Rowleys Bay, the sport was just beginning to gather
its strength and popularity. In just under a decade, Door County would
become a Midwestern hotspot for paddling. The Outdoor Industry Foundation’s
2006 Outdoor Recreation Participation Study found that “during 2005,
the number of Americans participating in kayaking grew significantly over
previous years.” The number grew by 25 percent from the previous
year, to be exact, with over 12.6 million participants going on some 86
million outings. A whole new generation of paddlers is being introduced
to the sport, and what’s more noteworthy is that almost a third
of the participants from the study are over the age of 45. For paddlers
of all ages, kayaks are a comfortable, secure, and stable way to see some
of the most pristine areas that many other boaters just don’t have
access to due to boat size and water depths.
Many newcomers to kayaking were introduced to canoeing first, and though
kayaks and canoes have some structural similarities, a kayak has a covered
deck and is powered by a double-bladed paddle while a canoe has an open
deck and is powered by a single-bladed paddle. When paddling, the kayaker
sits in the hole, or cockpit, of the boat, putting the paddler close to
the waterline and making the boat quite stable. The cockpit of the kayak
can be sealed with a spray skirt in order to keep water and waves from
splashing into the paddler’s lap and filling the boat with water.
Although new to the county 20 years ago, kayaking itself is certainly
not new. Kayaks were invented thousands of years ago by the Inuits. Made
with wooden frames and seal skins, they were initially designed for hunting
and fishing. Over the centuries, kayaks saw many shifts in material and
design, and today kayaks come in all shapes and sizes to fit people of
all ability levels. Paddlers interested in anything from the gentle pace
of flat-water paddling to the adrenaline-pumping experience of a whitewater
kayaking adventure can find a kayak to fit their needs.
According to makers of Perception Kayaks, one of the industry’s
leading manufacturers, the boats can be divided into five general categories:
whitewater, recreational, sit-on-top, day touring, and long-range touring.
Recreational kayaks are best suited for paddling in the springtime around
Door County. Rick Wylie, owner of Bay Shore Outdoor Store in Sister Bay,
suggests, “Recreational kayaks are ideal for spring paddling because
they are highly maneuverable and also very stable.” In recent years,
recreational kayaks have seen the greatest proliferation in versatility
and design. They generally range from nine to thirteen feet and are ideal
for beginners, families, and folks wishing to explore smaller inland lakes
and slow-moving creeks and rivers. The cockpits of these boats are larger
and wearing a spray skirt is not usually necessary. Unlike the sea kayak,
recreational kayaks are short and wide. The trade-off, however, is that
they aren’t as fast as longer, thinner boats. For most kayakers
this is not a concern as the paddling is meant to be slower paced and
laid back.
When asked why Door County is such a draw for paddlers, Wylie stated,
“The geography of the county covers the entire gamut of paddling.
In Door County, we have everything from streams and small lakes to freshwater
estuaries, rugged shorelines, and even deep water passages.” Door
County has more than 300 miles of shoreline and more state parks than
any other county in the entire country, making it extremely attractive
to boaters of all kinds.
Another reason that Door County is such an exceptional place to kayak
is that paddlers have access to one of the area’s most prized and
valued resources: protected lands and waters. Each year, more and more
land around the peninsula has come under the stewardship of such organizations
as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Nature Conservancy,
the Door County Land Trust (DCLT), and the Ridges Sanctuary for permanent
protection. “Door County is uniquely blessed with outstanding natural
areas,” said Mike Grimm, conservation ecologist with the Nature
Conservancy. One of the best ways to experience these areas is by water.
“Water is a public trust and a public resource,” Grimm stated,
“and paddling is a quiet way to move through a stream and across
the earth.” Kayaking, then, brings together two wonderful worlds:
a sport growing rapidly in popularity and access to some of the most ecologically
diverse and exciting places in the county.
The open waters and beautiful coastline of Green Bay and Lake Michigan
have obvious appeal to sea kayakers and recreational kayakers alike, but
being out on the open water in the springtime can present adverse paddling
conditions. Water temperatures still hover in the 30s and 40s and unpredictable
weather conditions can turn kayaking into a challenging and even dangerous
venture. Therefore, taking advantage of the high water and the slightly
warmer temperatures of inland lakes and creeks on the peninsula is the
safest and often most enjoyable way to kayak in the spring.
On the list of easily accessible and scenic locations for spring paddling
is the Reibolts Creek and Mud Lake area. The entrance to the creek is
located off Highway Q north of Baileys Harbor. Mud Lake Wildlife Area
was designated a State Natural Area in 1975 and is protected by the Wisconsin
DNR. The area consists of the 155-acre lake which is surrounded by a large
timber swamp. Reibolts Creek runs from Mud Lake to Lake Michigan and,
come mid-summer, the creek is difficult to paddle due to reeds, downed
trees, and decreasing water levels, so taking advantage in the spring
months is suggested. The Reibolts Creek and Mud Lake area has a truly
untamed and isolated feel. Twisting and turning along the creek and breaking
out into the gradual panorama of Mud Lake makes a kayaker completely forget
that just a few miles away the busy tourist towns are filled with people
and activity. Stepping into a kayak is often like stepping back in time.
To Terrie Cooper, Land Program Director with the Door County Land Trust,
the appeal of kayaking is “the balance of land meeting water and
creating so many natural indentations and so many miles of coastline that
create amazing natural communities and new places to explore.” Raised
in Door County, Cooper was first exposed to kayaking through Trek ‘n
Trail at Wagon Trail in the early 1990s. “I instantly fell in love
with kayaking,” she remembers. She went on to attend sea kayak symposia
all over the Midwest and paddled in exotic locations like Baja, Honduras,
and the Virgin Islands, as well as waters a bit closer to home in Lake
Superior, the Apostle Islands, and Isle Royale – though her heart
was always back home in the Door.
For Cooper, North Kangaroo Lake and Peil Creek is a familiar spring paddling
spot. Peil Creek originates from various smaller springs located in the
40-acre basin two and a half miles above Kangaroo Lake. The Nature Conservancy
and the Door County Land Trust protect 500 acres of land surrounding the
North Kangaroo and Peil Creek area. The creek flows southeast through
the woods before reaching the lake and is surrounded by sugar maple, white
birch, ash, and oak. “Bald Eagles, osprey, and Caspian Terns feed
on the lake,” Cooper explains. “The area is also home to the
federally-endangered Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly.” A kayaker
can launch from the causeway that runs across Kangaroo Lake on County
E and tour the north end of the lake, enter the mouth of the creek comfortably
and, if desired, climb out to take a walk around the surrounding protected
lands.
For those kayakers who are interested in really getting off the beaten
path, they’ll need to take a boat – a ferry, that is –
to get to this next paddling spot: Washington Island. In recent years,
the Door County Land Trust has increased their protected areas in this
northernmost part of the county. The island is home to a vibrant year-round
700-person community and rich cultural and maritime history. Exploring
the waters around the island is usually best done in summer, but there’s
one spot in particular, the Richter Bayou, that revels in the beauty of
spring. Actually an estuary, the Richter Bayou (called such by the islanders)
was donated by Arni Richter and his family to the DCLT. The 180-acre area
protected by the DCLT supports the most productive smallmouth bass nursery
in northern Green Bay according to the Wisconsin DNR. The Bayou is a beautiful,
winding estuary that leaves the kayaker at the mouth of Detroit Harbor
and is filled with white cedar, quaking aspen, and sugar maple. “These
lands are incredibly important,” Grimm states, “and we hope
people appreciate and respect them.”
Exercising mindfulness, as with all outdoor activities, is essential when
it comes to exploring these protected lands. “Even something as
simple as grinding your paddle into the creek bottom to shove off can
be disruptive,” Wylie points out. All of these locations are home
to nesting birds, aquatic plant life, and insects that use the water and
surrounding areas for habitat. “Especially when you’re in
soft-bottom, slow-moving systems, even if you’re not pushing off
bottom, you can still stir it up,” explains Grimm. For example,
on Kangaroo Lake, marl from the bottom is stirred up by motorboats and
high amounts of activity. “Marl substrate is precipitated calcium
carbonate, like chalk, and when stirred up it stays in suspension and
impedes the regeneration of plant life, which in turn, affects the whole
ecosystem of the lake,” Grimm states. This notion is highly evident
south of the causeway where a person can see approximately twelve inches
down from the surface, but on the north side three feet is visible due
to less marl disturbance.
Cooper probably said it best when she simply stated, “Tread lightly,
visit quietly. Don’t travel in large groups and stay on the trails,
land and water alike.” It is also important to be mindful of invasive
species and practice techniques like scrubbing the hulls of boats and
wiping feet between trips so as not to spread any non-native species.
After all, the central concept to preserving land and water is to protect
those plant and animal species that make Door County so beautiful, so
diverse, and so very unique. For a kayaker, being mindful and aware of
surroundings will also help them to prepare for a safe trip.
Kayaking Door County in the spring is very beginner friendly because people
don’t need to be pros, they just need to be prepared and smart.
“It is best to dress in synthetic, quick-dry layers of clothing
to maintain comfort,” Wylie suggests. Experience is talking as he
explains appropriate clothing and equipment for kayaking. Wylie is a long-time
paddler himself, and his knowledge and experience make him one of the
county’s most excellent resources on the sport. “Also, choosing
waterproof or neoprene socks and gloves will help to keep kayakers comfortable,”
he explains. Kayakers always need to exercise caution when heading out
and should dress as if they are going to be getting wet. Even in shallow
water, getting wet can be detrimental to safety. Paddlers should always
leave a float plan behind with a schedule either in their vehicle or with
another person. To ensure the happiest, driest adventure, all kayakers
should carry along a cell phone, a safety whistle, a waterproof light,
and a sponge to keep out excess water. Even better, going along with a
paddling buddy or a kayak tour service is the best way to experience a
new sport and a new location.
It is difficult to put words around what draws people to certain places
and activities. For many in Door County, it’s the draw of the unique,
the natural, and the wild. It is the notion that in some places in our
country, you can still step off the back porch into adventure. The naturalist
John Muir often spoke of “throwing a loaf of bread and a pound of
tea in an old sack and jumping over the back fence.” Here in Door
County, there are miles and miles of “fence.” Standing in
the middle of one of our busy towns, it’s easy to forget that there
are tangled backwoods and twisting, untamed creeks just off the highway.
With buildings and roads slowly creeping onto the landscape, sometimes
it’s even easier to forget. But for some, the water is where it’s
at – as is the case for Terrie Cooper, who reminds herself that
“the bays, the streams, the channels between the islands, the water…that’s
the true wilderness of Door County.”
INFORMATION:
Door County Kayak Sales, Rentals, and
Tours
Bay Shore Outdoor Store
655 S. Bayshore Drive
Sister Bay, WI 54234
(920) 854-7598
www.kayakdoorcounty.com
Sales, Rentals, & Tours
Kayak Tours, LLC
3655 Peninsula Players Rd. (Hands
On Art Studio)
(920) 854-9292
www.doorcountykayaktours.com
Rentals & Tours
Door County Living Classrooms
5880 Cedar Creek Place
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
(920) 746-0056
www.doorcountylivingclassrooms.com
Tours
Team Leadership Center
4497 Ploor Road
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
(920) 746-9999
www.teamleadership.com
Tours
Ephraim Sailing Center
South Shore Pier
(920) 854-4336
www.kayakdoorcounty.com
Rentals & Tours
Wagon Trail Marina
1041 County Road ZZ
Ellison Bay, WI 54210
(888) 250-7666
www.wagontrail.com
Rentals
DC Bikes Campstore
20 N. 3rd Avenue
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
(920) 743-4434
www.doorcountybikes.com
Rentals
Kayak Types
Whitewater
Length: 8-9 feet
Design: Small cockpit, tight fit
Types of water: Fast moving rivers, whitewater rapids
Composition: Roto-molded plastic
Sit-on-Top
Length: 8-17 feet (single or tandem)
Design: Open hull concept, sat
upon instead of inside
Types of water: Slow moving, flat
water. Best in warm water and
tropical climates
Composition: Roto-molded plastic
Recreational
Length: 9-13 feet (longer for tandem)
Design: Wide, flatter hull. Large
cockpit for comfort and ease
Types of water: Flat water, coast
lines, inland lakes. Not designed
for long trips.
Composition: Roto-molded plastic,
hybrid plastic
Day (or Light) Touring
Length: 14-16 feet
Design: Medium cockpit, entry
level sea kayak
Types of water: Flat, open water,
coastlines, and inland lakes.
Capable of going out in less-
than-ideal conditions.
Composition: Roto-molded plastic,
hybrid plastic, fiberglass, Kevlar
Long Range Touring (Sea Kayaks)
Length: 15-17 feet (longer for tandem)
Design: Smaller cockpit, thin beam,
rounded hull, often will have
a rudder or skeg for turning and
tracking.
Types of water: Oceans, lakes,
deep-water passages
Composition: Roto-molded plastic,
hybrid plastic, fiberglass, Kevlar,
wood, skin
