Door County Navigator

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Charter Fishing, Scenic Cruises, Boating and Other Boating Activities

Shoreline Charters / Scenic Cruises
Departing from Sister Bay Village Marina
or Gills Rock
PO Box 946
Sister Bay, WI. 54234
920- 854-4707

If you want to have some genuine Door County fun, see Door County from the water – with a knowledgeable crew aboard The Shoreline Charters / Scenic Cruises boat.

Running out of the Sister Bay Village Marina, and sometimes from Gills Rock, you will get a first-rate tour of the Door County waters, while you sit comfortably aboard their U.S. Navy boat.

Who isn’t intrigued by lighthouses, sunsets and shipwrecks? Well, take one of their Lighthouse Cruises and see Peninsula State Park from the water, along with its Eagle Tower; then you’ll see Horseshoe Island and Eagle Bluff Lighthouses.

Or take an evening sunset cruise, which heads out to Little Sister Bay, then the Sister Islands (which is why Sister Bay is called Sister Bay by the way!) where The Meridian sank in October of 1873. At times, the Captain can position the boat right over the Bow of the wreck and the passengers can see the outline on our sonar graph. From there the cruise continue to the "Gold Coast" where some of the beautiful houses are, and turns back towards the Sister Bay Marina while you enjoy a leisurely ride back as the sun sets sinks into the Green Bay waters!

People do seem to enjoy the cruises. Captain Jim tells us that he gets a lot of complimentary comments from those who are aboard with him and his staff. For example, just recently, two cruisers with him said:

“The narrator was a wealth of knowledge on the area and history".
"We have been coming to Door County for years and this is the best thing we have done".

The Boat and Crews

Captain Jim has been cruising these waters since 1990, so has lots of experience. The boat is a US Coast Guard Inspected Passenger Vessel, and provides a higher rating allowing the boat to carry more than six passengers. The Shoreline is licensed for 14 passengers and 2 crew, which is a rarity in Door County – the only other vessels we know of that are similarly licensed are the Island Clipper ferry boat, and the Fire Boat! Captain Jim, and well as all of his Captains, are US Coast Guard Licensed Masters (the license required to operate an inspected boat).

In addition, Captain Jim tells us that they also have the off-shore license, allowing them to run the Out Island Cruises, Dive Charters, Casino trips to Escanaba, Fayette State Park etc. – all due to all the safety equipment they carry aboard. Being an off-shore inspected vessel, they carry all the latest electronics and safety equipment such as, radar, 2 sonar's including a color graph, 2 VHF marine radios, GPS and Loran navigational units, auto fog signal device, hailers, PA system, underwater diver recall system, and of course a good compass and all the latest charts for Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

You must see Door County from the water – it is a unique perspective that every visitor should experience, and aboard The Shoreline is one great way to do it! Put their experience to work for you as you enjoy your Door County cruise!

Private Charters and Specialty Tours!

Have your own group and destination in mind? Well, Shoreline Charters /Scenic Cruises will provide the Captain and crew, and you provide the destination! You can charter the boat and crew by the hour, with discounts for the hourly fee when you book multiple hours. They’ll work with you on a route or help prepare a custom cruise to accommodate passengers’ interests.

Want more? Well, they even work with a caterer if anyone wants food and beverages catered for a private cruise – how cool is that?! Captain Jim tells us that this has worked great with family reunions, weddings, wedding parties, business groups, and just groups of friends.

They even offer dinner and luncheon cruises if one wants to cruise to a different town or Washington island or even across the Bay and have lunch or dinner and come back. The boat does have a head (bathroom) and a forward cabin with a couple of bunks which some take advantage of on the longer cruises. And you must make reservations ahead of time for this!

You can bring food and beverages, of course, and don’t forget the camera. Captain Jim also recommends that you bring some warm clothing because it can get cool out on the sparkling bay waters.

You can even book a private 6 hour specialty cruise that will bring you to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, or take an “out island” adventure cruise (departing on Thursdays, weather permitting) and see spectacular waterways, limestone cliffs, and the rugged shorelines, and islands like Poverty Island and Saint Martin Islands. You might even hear the legend of the “Poverty Island Gold!” Very cool! Their specialty tours include:

Fayette Michigan (State Park Ghost Town).
Escanaba, Michigan: Overnight casino trip.
Out Island Trip: See 5 to 6 lighthouses and 8 islands.
And the private charters, as we mentioned above, from as little as one hour to all day or anything in between.

We know you will enjoy your scenic cruise aboard The Shoreline! So check out their website for additional information, and when you book your reservations, please tell Captain Jim that the crew at DoorCountyNavigator.com sent you!