Experience Natural Waters

The Schooner Coast was born from the waters of Lake Michigan and the area’s five rivers. One hundred years ago, bodies of water were transportation hubs and employment centers that gave birth to the cities of Manitowoc, Two Rivers, Kewaunee, Algoma and Sturgeon Bay. Today, the waters are wonderful natural jewels to explore and enjoy!

Lake Michigan Beaches

The Schooner Coast delivers miles and miles of freshwater beaches that range from rolling dunes to stretches of soft white sand to smooth pebble shorelines.

Five Rivers & a Shipping Canal

The free-flowing Manitowoc, East, West, Kewaunee and Ahnapee rivers provide hours of quiet relaxation in natural surroundings. Fish along their banks, wade into their refreshing waters or throw in a line.

Harbors, Marinas & Waterfronts

Take in the sights and sounds of each community’s harbor. Enjoy the comings-and-goings of sleek pleasure boats and hear the stories of those returning from sport fishing charters.

Sport Fishing

Reel in a big one! Lake Michigan boasts fantastic sport fishing, including large trophy fish like Chinook and coho salmon, lake, rainbow and brown trout and many others that will put up a fight and bend your rod!

Added in 2026

The water has not changed much since this page was written, but a few numbers help when planning:

The Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal runs about 1.3 miles across the Door Peninsula to Lake Michigan; it was open to large vessels by 1890 and taken over by the federal government in 1893 (Wikipedia). The canal page covers the lights at each end.
The Point Beach Ridges inside Point Beach State Forest are a designated National Natural Landmark (Wikipedia).
The Manitowoc River runs 35.8 miles to the lake at Manitowoc (Wikipedia), and the Kewaunee River 27.9 miles to Kewaunee (Wikipedia). More on river exploration.
Coho salmon were first stocked in Lake Michigan in 1966 and chinook in 1967, to control the alewife (Michigan DNR report); that is where today's charter fishery comes from. See sport fishing.

Questions visitors ask

How long is the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal?

About 1.3 miles, from Sturgeon Bay to Lake Michigan. It has carried large vessels since about 1890, and recreational boats use it too.

Where are the dunes on the Schooner Coast?

The biggest stretch is Point Beach State Forest north of Two Rivers, with about six miles of Lake Michigan shore and the Point Beach Ridges, a National Natural Landmark.

Are the salmon in Lake Michigan native?

No. Coho were first stocked in 1966 and chinook in 1967, and the fishery is still kept up largely by stocking. Lake trout are the native trout of the lake.

Original text restored from the Wayback Machine capture of July 7, 2015. Typos and dead links were tidied; nothing else in the original section was rewritten. How this archive works.