Door County Wisconsin
- Thread starter SwimJim
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Titletowndiver
Contributor
Jim-
There are a ton of shore dives in Door County- but be prepared to freeze!
Any specific place your looking to go? Many of the dives are very shallow, 15-20 ft with very rocky entries/exits. There are a few wrecks accessible from shore as well as an old station wagon further north in Gills Rock.
If your near the Green Bay area, stop in to Green Bay Scuba. They have a really detailed guide to 25 or so dives in the DC area.
Tim
There are a ton of shore dives in Door County- but be prepared to freeze!
Any specific place your looking to go? Many of the dives are very shallow, 15-20 ft with very rocky entries/exits. There are a few wrecks accessible from shore as well as an old station wagon further north in Gills Rock.
If your near the Green Bay area, stop in to Green Bay Scuba. They have a really detailed guide to 25 or so dives in the DC area.
Tim
Bob3
Contributor
Right in the Sturgeon Bay - Little Sturgeon area there are all sorts of shore dives. The place was a big shipbuilding center in the 1800s. The 2 stone quarries both have wrecks right off of them.
There is a dive shop in Little Sturgeon that can fix you up with several shore diveable wrecks in that area too.
If you can find the book "Hollow Pits & Sunken Ships" there will be a map with over a dozen shore diveable wrecks right in the immediate Sturgeon Bay area.
There is a dive shop in Little Sturgeon that can fix you up with several shore diveable wrecks in that area too.
If you can find the book "Hollow Pits & Sunken Ships" there will be a map with over a dozen shore diveable wrecks right in the immediate Sturgeon Bay area.
Titletowndiver
Contributor
I didn't know there was a shop in Little Sturgeon?!? Do you happen you know where it is located? Often we get stuck driving for air all the way to Gill's Rock or back to Green Bay. Depending where were at that may turn out to be super convenient!
Thanks for any info
Bob3
Contributor
It's been several years since I've been there, but it's right in "downtown" Little Sturgeon. Joe Weldon's "Sport & Dive", 8667 Hy C, across from Mini Mart. 824-5815.
Hope he's still there, still has one of my regs.
The saloons there usually serve good food, too.
:mean:
Hope he's still there, still has one of my regs.
The saloons there usually serve good food, too.
:mean:
Titletowndiver, thanks for the reply. I don't know the area well enough to be too specific. It seems to me though the closer you get to the tip the clearer the water gets, hence the interest in going up that way.
During my misspent youth back in the early sixties we used to launch our 14 foot Thompson cedar strip at Gills Rock and go camping on Rock Island. It was really cool back then. I was on the Island this summer and thank goodness it hasen't changed too much.
Cold for me is not too much of a problem. I live near Port Washington and one of my buddies and I did a shore dive on Sunday. I don't see where a rocky shoreline would bother me, a little slippery maybe. As long as I don't have to climb down a cliff to get to the waters edge.
Now if we start getting big ole iceburgs, thats where I'd draw the line.
I don't get up to Green Bay at all, although I met some of thier people at the Pearl Harbour day dive at Fish Creek. I'll give them a call and have them send me a copy of that guide.
Thanks again
Jim
During my misspent youth back in the early sixties we used to launch our 14 foot Thompson cedar strip at Gills Rock and go camping on Rock Island. It was really cool back then. I was on the Island this summer and thank goodness it hasen't changed too much.
Cold for me is not too much of a problem. I live near Port Washington and one of my buddies and I did a shore dive on Sunday. I don't see where a rocky shoreline would bother me, a little slippery maybe. As long as I don't have to climb down a cliff to get to the waters edge.
Now if we start getting big ole iceburgs, thats where I'd draw the line.
I don't get up to Green Bay at all, although I met some of thier people at the Pearl Harbour day dive at Fish Creek. I'll give them a call and have them send me a copy of that guide.
Thanks again
Jim
Titletowndiver
Contributor
Rock Island is a really awesome place! Have you ever heard of anyone doing any diving up there? About 12 years ago I snorkeled a few locations around the island and it was really fun. Im wondering if no one is diving it due to the fact you cant bring vehicles onto the mainland. My thought was to just load four tanks on a modified wagon and just lug 'em!
Getting back to Door County- Here are a couple of dives I can direct you too from memory
- Coast Guard Station- Sturgeon Bay, Take a right turn off Hwy 42 (right after you cross the bridge) and just follow the signs. Drive down to the breakwater and unload your gear and then re-park the car back up in the lot. Stay North of the breakwater and head straight out towards the Lighthouse. It shallow until you get out pretty far.
- Shoreline Resort- Gill's Rock Go all the way North to GR. Turn left into the Shoreline resort. You can stop into Dinosaur Divers (onsite) and get the ferry schedule. They can direct you towards the car that fell off the ferry back in the 60's. Its pretty covered in zebra mussels but still worth looking at. Its only in about 35 ft of water and on a sunny day its a fun dive.
- Porcupine Bay Rd- Sister Bay Just North of Sister bay turn left on Pocupine Bay Rd. Follow it for about 1½ miles- It will run right into the Bay. From shore, enter the water and head right at about a 45 degrees. You can find good rock formations and if memory serves correct you can get about 70ft of depth (which is pretty uncommon on these shoredives)
- The Fleetwing- Ellison Bay This is a shallow wreck dive in Ellison Bay. Go North on 42 thru Sister Bay. Take a left turn on Garret Bay Rd. Follow it until you get to the water. You'll see a small gravel boat landing area on your left. From shore just head slightly to the right and you cant miss the wreck. I think it's in about 3 pieces. There is also a fish crib nearby.
Sorry I dont have compass headings!
Hope this helps!
Tim
Thanks Titletowndiver
Well, if I can get the weather to cooperate I'm in business. In reguards to diving Rock Island. When I was young we used to take the boat around the Island and tie up here and there and basicly free dive. As I recall we didn't have snorkels but we did have masks. I think that would still be the best way to do it. You could concieveably get your equipment across on the ferry, but most of the good spots are at the bases of cliffs which you really can't get to from on the island.
I went out to the island this summer. I happened to stuff my mask and snorkel in a day pack along with a swim suit. We went to the light house on the north end. There is a long stairway down to the beach. The beach is basicly stones at the base of the cliffs. We found a sheltered area, changed and went snorkeling. There was alge on the rocks in the water making it slippery getting in. But we were rewarded with 70 degree water and fifty plus foot viz. This was the first week of august by the way. There were alot of fish present as well. Bass, small trout and sunfish. It was great.
I guess if I was to aquire a proper tow vehicule and rebuild my boats trailer I could launch at Gills rock just like the old days. It would be really interesting to spend a few days up there diving and seeing what I could find on the graph. Well thats another mission.
Thanks again
Jim
Well, if I can get the weather to cooperate I'm in business. In reguards to diving Rock Island. When I was young we used to take the boat around the Island and tie up here and there and basicly free dive. As I recall we didn't have snorkels but we did have masks. I think that would still be the best way to do it. You could concieveably get your equipment across on the ferry, but most of the good spots are at the bases of cliffs which you really can't get to from on the island.
I went out to the island this summer. I happened to stuff my mask and snorkel in a day pack along with a swim suit. We went to the light house on the north end. There is a long stairway down to the beach. The beach is basicly stones at the base of the cliffs. We found a sheltered area, changed and went snorkeling. There was alge on the rocks in the water making it slippery getting in. But we were rewarded with 70 degree water and fifty plus foot viz. This was the first week of august by the way. There were alot of fish present as well. Bass, small trout and sunfish. It was great.
I guess if I was to aquire a proper tow vehicule and rebuild my boats trailer I could launch at Gills rock just like the old days. It would be really interesting to spend a few days up there diving and seeing what I could find on the graph. Well thats another mission.
Thanks again
Jim
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