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Love Our Lakeshore: Touring the islands takes teamwork
During this challenging time of change for our nation and for our national parks, Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore wants to shine a bright light – a lighthouse beacon if you will – on this very special place and on the people dedicated to protecting the national lakeshore for future generations. That’s the goal of our series entitled “Love our Lakeshore.” (You can tell us why you Love Our Lakeshore by filling out our simple form at this link.)
In this report Friends board member Neil Howk sits down with Bayfield business community member Shannon Major, General Manager of Apostle Islands Cruises, to explore the importance of relationship between the lakeshore and the local community, as an economic engine and as a special place worthy of our attention and protection.
I am Shannon Mager with Apostle Islands Cruises.
Neil: When did you get involved with the business?
Shannon: I started here in 2022 after working at the (Madeline Island) Ferry line for about 18 years.
Neil: Do you know how far back the history of the cruise service goes?
Shannon: I don’t have the exact date, but I know that Laurie Nourse started it in the 60s. Then Dave Strzok came along and bought the company in the 1970s. Then the current owners purchased it in 2009.
Shannon Mager, Apostle Islands Cruises – Neil Howk photo
Neil: Why did you get involved with Apostle Islands Cruises?
Shannon: I’ve always been on boats. I started with the ferry line right out of high school, selling tickets and working my way up to earning my captain’s license. I love what I do but it was time for a change in the company that I did it for.
Neil: What does having a thriving Apostle Islands National Lakeshore with all its visitors mean to your business?
Shannon: It is my business! If that doesn’t exist, we have no reason to run. We take the people out to the islands. I want to see the park thrive and also preserve the nature of the islands and the history of the islands. So, if we don’t respect that and bring people to see it, we don’t exist.
Neil: Can you talk a bit about the importance of the summer season to your business?
Shannon: The summer season is huge, obviously, in the Bayfield area in general. We operate six months out of the year. June, July, August, and I would say the first half of September is our busy season. It has a huge impact on the year-round operation. If that doesn’t happen, we don’t survive.
Neil: What is it that you love the most about Apostle Islands National Lakeshore?
Shannon: I just love…you know people don’t picture islands in northern Wisconsin. We have a pretty unique area up here. I love water. I lived on the west coast a little bit when I was a child, and so parts of it (the Apostle Islands region) remind me of that area. It’s home and I feel comfortable, and I love it. I don’t know how else to… it just is. When I’m gone, I want to come back.
Neil: With all the changes happening in the federal government, what’s your hope for the future of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and the park service staff who operate the park?
Shannon: That’s a hard thing. You know government is not something I like to play around in because it is far outside my realm of understanding. It’s huge and it affects everybody, and it sucks that we are where we are at right now. I hope that… they are not just park staff, they are people I know. So, I hope that they can maintain their jobs and government can get their act together and stop threatening those that we need.
Neil: and the park itself?
Shannon: The park itself… I mean we can’t go to the islands if we don’t have the staff. The park staff on the islands, they meet all the visitors. (Without them) we just stop sharing that asset and that information and that history and the beauty. If we can’t have the people out there working.
Neil: OK. Thanks for your time Shannon.
Neil Howk began working as a park ranger/interpreter for the National Park Service in 1978. He worked at a number of different parks over the years and served as the assistant chief of interpretation at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore from 1993-2016. He now serves as a board member of Friends of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.
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