By Steve Weisman
Outdoor Editor

So, what can a person do when waiting for a special hunting season or in the case right now, when the ice isn’t safe to ice fish and there is no snow to snowmobile or cross-country ski?

I’ve got an idea for you. This past week I was looking for something to do, so I went down to the park and visited the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum.

At least twice a year, I will go there…it takes me back into the incredible history of water and the Iowa Great Lakes area going back to the 1800s!

Entering the museum, the past opens up and gives a glimpse of the life and times of another era. Artifacts abound and give a good look at the history of the Iowa Great Lakes.

That era became the era of the wooden boats, and the premier wooden boats were crafted right here in Spirit Lake. History shows that from 1896 to the 1960s, Hafer Boat Works handcrafted wood boats that were the most sought-after wood boats on the Iowa Great Lakes from rowboats to sail boats to runabouts to racing boats! The Maritime Museum is home to many of these boats and tells their colorful story. Even a replica boathouse is in place.

At the same time, some of the history comes from the depths of West Okoboji with boats that have gone down. Several of these boats have been recovered and are on display at the Maritime Museum. Near the front is “30 Boat,” a 1939 (19-foot) Chris Craft Barrelback Custom Runabout boat that sank in 1946. When recovered from over 60 feet of water, it was amazingly intact.

One of the most recent was recovered from Haywards Bay in late winter of 2020. The 17-foot wood boat is now in a separate room of the Maritime Museum with a pictorial look at the underwater recovery and a summary of what people know about this 1940s boat.

A special section remembers Steve Kennedy and his legacy in the Iowa Great Lakes. He was a major force behind the founding of the original Maritime Museum in 1991, and the subsequent move to its current 6,000 square-foot location. Fondly known as Captain Steve Kennedy, he was the captain of the Queen II.

Sailboats galore, all kinds of old outboard motors, TVs that share stories of yesteryear and even a replica Okoboji Store.

Looking for something to do? Give the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum a shot. There is no set fee; a goodwill donation is recommended.