I live in Madison, Wisconsin where we have water to paddle eight months of the year, but no real sea kayaking conditions. If I jump in my car for a quick weekend trip it’s usually to head for Door County…
Door County is a peninsula of limestone that juts out into the north end of Lake Michigan, forming the bay of Green Bay. This peninsula is closely linked to the maratime heritage of Lake Michigan and is known for the notrious Death’s Door passage which claimed dozens of shallow draft lake schooners in the 19th century. Fickle winds and contrary surface currents made the passage challenging in the age of commercial sail, but for experienced kayakers, the Door is a perfect day paddling destination.
There are several islands off the tip of Door County, which form the Wisconsin portion of the Grand Traverse Island Chain. The largest of these is Washington Island, which has a town and permanent year-round residents. Other islands, like Plum and Pilot, are owned by the US Government, and administerd by the Coast Guard. These islands are off limits to visitors without special permission.
Shoal waters in Death’s Door near Plum and Pilot Islands can produce good kayak surfing conditions on a south wind, and are within reach of the mainland for experienced paddlers. South winds produce the best surfing waves, but sustained winds from any direction will set up lumpy conditions.
Door County is a popular, even crowded summer vacation destination, but the best winds for surfing come in September and October when most of the crowds have disappeared.
