Boating, Fishing, and Travel Information for Green Bay, WI

Green Bay Harbor, at the mouth of Fox River at the south end of Green Bay, serves the cities of Green Bay, WI, and De Pere, WI. The major commodities handled at the port are coal, limestone, wood pulp, cement, aggregates and agricultural products.

Prominent features:

The most prominent objects in the approach to Green Bay are a tank 4 miles east-southeast of the mouth of Fox River, a lighted stack 1.1 miles south of the river mouth, a stack 2.1 miles northwest of the river mouth and a tank 3.5 miles northwest of the river mouth at the town of Howard.

Green Bay Harbor Entrance Light (44°39’11″N., 87°54’05″W.), 72 feet above the water, is shown from a white conical tower on a cylindrical base on the west side of the entrance channel 9.3 miles northeast of the mouth of the Fox River. A mariner-radio-activated sound signal at the light is initiated by keying the microphone five times on VHF-FM channel 83A.

Channels:

The dredged entrance channel leads generally southwest through the shallow water in the south end of Green Bay for about 11.5 miles to the mouth of Fox River and thence upstream for about 7.2 miles to a turning basin at De Pere. Other turning basins are on the east side of the channel 1.4 miles above the mouth, at the mouth of East River and on the west side of the channel 3.6 miles above the mouth, just above the Canadian National Railroad bridge. For detailed channel information and minimum depths as reported by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), use NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts. The entrance channel is well marked by lighted ranges, lights and lighted and unlighted buoys. The river channel is marked by buoys from the second turning basin to the turning basin at De Pere. East River empties into the east side of Fox River 1.3 miles above the mouth. The river is navigable to Baird Street bridge, 1.3 miles above the mouth. A depth of about 5 feet can be carried through the narrow and tortuous channel.

Caution—Grassy Island, on the east side of the entrance channel, 1.3 miles northeast of the Fox River mouth, and Cat Island on the west side of the channel opposite, partially cover during periodic high-water conditions. Grassy Island is marked on the northwest end by a light. In the approaches to Fox River, outside the limits of the dredged channel, numerous uncharted fish nets and stakes make navigation hazardous, particularly for strangers. A crescent-shaped spoil area is about 1 mile east of the mouth of Fox River. Fluctuations of water level—Changes in wind direction or barometric pressure occasionally cause temporary water level fluctuations of up to 2½ feet above or below the prevailing mean lake level.

Currents:

Currents in Fox River attain velocities to 3 mph and may run in either direction. Vessel captains are cautioned that the data from the velocity gage at the US Oil Dock (44°31’43″N., 88°00’36″W.) is invalid.

Towage:

Tugs to 1,200 hp are available at Green Bay. Arrangements are made through Selvick Marine Towing Corporation’s dispatch office in Sturgeon Bay at 414– 743–6016 or Great Lakes Towing Company’s dispatch office in Cleveland at 800–321–3663; at least 4 hours advance notice is requested.

Green Bay Coast Guard Station, seasonally operated, is on the east side of the mouth of Fox River.

Quarantine, customs, immigration and agricultural quarantine:

(Quarantine is enforced in accordance with the regulations of the U.S. Public Health Service. (See Public Health Service, Chapter 1.)

Green Bay is a customs port of entry.

Harbor regulations:

Local harbor regulations are established by the City of Green Bay and enforced by the Port Director who can be reached at the Brown County Board of Harbor Commissioners, The Port of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Courthouse, Green Bay, WI 54301. Copies of the regulations can be obtained from the Port Director. A 4 mph (3.5 knots) speed limit is enforced in the harbor.

Supplies:

Limited marine supplies and adequate foodstuffs are available. Water is available upon arrangements at Anamax Corp. Wharf, Leicht Transfer and Supply Co., North Dock Nos. 1 and 2, Lafarge Corporation Terminal and James River Dock. Bunker C and diesel oil are available by truck.

Repairs:

Marine radio and radar repairs are available at Green Bay.

Small-craft facilities:

Most of the facilities along the shores of Fox River offer all or some of the following services: transient berths, gasoline, diesel fuel, water, ice, electricity, marine supplies, launching ramps, pump-out service, a lift and / or a marine railway. Demasting service is available on the east side of the river at the mouth, about 3 miles above the mouth, and on the west side about 0.9 mile above the mouth.

Information from Coast Pilot: https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/coast-pilot/files/cp6/CPB6_WEB.pdf. Chart reference: 14918