Aug 8-9, Ephraim, WI

Raining and windy this morning in Menominee. We waited for the front to pass through and finally left Menominee about 9:30 and motored the 15 miles across Green Bay to Ephraim, Wisconsin. Waves were 2 feet and no white caps but the weather was threatening. Rain all around us. It was a 'dark and stormy morning'.

Eagle Bluff as we enter Eagle harbor and approach the
Village of Ephraim.

Ephraim Yacht Club.

We are docked at the Ephraim Yacht Club in the small village (pop. 350) and have 50 amp power and intermittent Internet at the dock. We see a large number of 'Flying Scott' class sailboats here and find that the 'Nationals' were held here earlier this summer. A sailing center for the "Flying Scotts'. Looks like a fun boat to sail.

The town of Ephraim is a very pretty spot with consistent architecture (white clapboard colonial) pretty flowers, open spaces and quiet streets. There is no crush of tourists here and the few shops are very spread out. There are several restaurants nearby. The town was settled by Moravian from Norway about 1850. One reminder of the religious past is that no alcohol can be served or consumed in the restaurants even today, although we are told that this policy does come up for discussion at the town meetings every year.

Cookie and Ted Snyder joined our crew today. We will discover the Door Peninsula together. Cookie and Ted are vacationing in the Midwest from Stuart this summer and have a car. The car is a rare treat for us as we can see all the sights in the towns and not just the ones we can walk to from the boat.

We take the car and visit Baileys Harbor, a small community on the east side of the Door Peninsula, as we are not going to visit by boat as originally planned. We like the hardware/general store here. It is much larger than it looks from the outside and has a full basement. They have most things found in a Wal-Mart.

Cookie and Ted at Cana Lighthouse.
One of the most photographed lighthouses on the great Lakes.

Owen and Linda wade in Lake Michigan below the Cana Lighthouse.

The nearby Cana Island Lighthouse is advertised as one of the most visited in all the Great Lakes. We take a drive in the country north of Baileys Harbor and find the lighthouse is busy the day we are there.

Downtown Ephraim.

Ephraim Village Hall.

Painters with their easels waiting for the sunset at Ephraim.

Sunset as seen from our dock at Ephraim Yacht Club.

The weather is hazy and has turned warmer today and will reach a high of almost 90. The radio is full of 'heat warnings' telling residents to take it easy, drink lots of fluids and not over exert themselves. As Floridians, we are somewhat amused. The heat wave is supposed to be over tomorrow with the forecast high of 79. Water temperature here is still about 65 and the breeze from the water keeps things reasonably cool without air conditioning.