Put-in-Bay Diary November 2018

Thurs,. Nov 1st – There’s an ATV/Quad party at the Bird’s Nest for those who are anxious to get back on island roads with their favorite vehicles. Rob Hard was on hand to serve hot chili and hotdogs from his famous Chili Wieners fish shanty. Bell Choir practice resumes at St. Paul’s for the season.

Fri., Nov. 2nd – The annual Harvest Dinner takes place at Tipper’s in the evening. There’s a pretty good crowd there to enjoy the turkey dinners with all the trimmings.

Sat., Nov. 3rd – The annual closedown takes place at Heineman Winery in the afternoon. There’s a good crowd there to enjoy the deep-fried turkey and all the really delicious side dishes.

Sun., Nov. 4th – In the morning the Goodyear blimp flies directly over Put-in-Bay harbor headed in an easterly direction. Fall colors on the island are in their glory.

Mon., Nov. 5th – Miller Boat Line’s M/V South Bass arrives in downtown Cleveland heading to Great Lakes Shipyard for her 5-year hull inspection as well as getting a bottom cleaning and a fresh coat of hull paint. The Put-in-Bay High School Sailing team is out in the harbor with empty sails. It’s so calm you can almost hear the fish swimming below the surface. It’s their last on-the-water practice. They will begin practice again in April.

Tues., Nov. 6th – About 250 votes are cast at the Put-in-Bay Senior Center on this mid-term election day. The ferry boats are halted in the afternoon due to strong southwest winds clocked at 46 mph at the South Bass Island Lighthouse. The last ferry from the mainland in the morning goes around the east side of South Bass, stops at Middle Bass and then ends up at Miller’s downtown dock. Gordy Barr from Middle Bass flies to the island from the mainland to cast his vote. In the evening, it’s Pizza and Game Night for the elementary students. After downing three large pizzas, ten children played checkers, chess, Jenga and Pictionary. Two even played UNO for the first time!

Wed., Nov. 7th – At the Put-in-Bay Village Workshop meeting, water plant consultant Darryl Blanchard recommends the Village look at waterline from the mainland. Euchre is off to a good start for the winter as players head to the Reel Bar.

Thurs., Nov. 8th – Caiti Bolyard is the fill-in ticket person at the Lime Kiln Dock. The home of the late Bob and Winnie Schmidt on the water at the end of Toledo Ave. is demolished. That makes for three old island homes torn down this year.

Fri., Nov. 9th – The American Legion post hold its annual Feather Party. When it comes to the prizes, more people want cash rather than a turkey.

Nov. 10th – At 1 a.m. the temperature dips below freezing for the first time this fall. By 6 a.m. the temperature is 25.5 °F with winds at 32 miles per hour out of the WSW. That‘s a windchill of 7.3 °F. The ferries are halted for the day. Christine Ontko is attending the Sandusky Art Walk with her helper Anne Singler and is stranded on the mainland. Over on Middle Bass, there’s a Thanksgiving gathering at Middle Bass General Store for those on the island.

Sun., Nov. 11th – The island’s veterans enjoy a Veteran’s Day dinner at the Senior Center.

Mon., Nov. 12th – Topsy Turvey’s hosts the PIB Chamber of Commerce meeting and the Martini Monday ladies in the late afternoon and early evening.

Tues., Nov. 13 – Kenny Fox is working on the seawall in front of the Crew’s Nest. Mark Wilhelm is in Toledo to get some work done on the fire department’s pickup truck only to find they had the wrong part. Mark had to have a friend drive him from Toledo to the ferry.

Wed., Nov. 14th – At St. Paul’s Church, the Safeguarding God’s Children workshop takes place. Workshop participants join the youth for the Diner Day lunch. In the evening, there’s a group at the fire station taking a training course.

Thurs., Nov. 15th – There’s a snow/rain mix in the morning. The Island veterans are at the Senior Center for their and Kenny Fox continues to work on the seawall near the Crew’s Nest. In the afternoon, there’s a meeting at the home of Renee Market for those interested in the 2019
Green Week event.

Fri., Nov. 16th – Village fiscal officer Courtney Blumensaadt is in Elyria attending a conference about records retention, Roberts Rules of Order and sunshine laws. Bayview Avenue is busy with activity. The eyesore, unfinished bistro framework in front of the white house is being removed.

Sat., Nov. 17th – Jake Dunfee from Rescue Marine is with Capt. David Dress and crews on Miller Boat Line ferry Islander west of the islands pulling Camp Perry Firing Range Buoys and Davis Besse Security Zone Buoys out of the water for winter. The always-popular Ladies Night takes place at Island Hardware. In the evening, there’s a birthday party for Pat Thwaite and Mary Parker at Tipper’s. Mary hits a milestone year.

Sun., Nov. 18th – The Put-in-Bay Fire Department holds a pancake/French toast fundraiser breakfast with sausage, eggs, orange juice and coffee at the fire station. In the evening, the Community.

Mon., Nov. 19th – The Rec Committee is decorating the park in the afternoon. A crew is installing bubblers on the Crew’s Nest docks to keep them ice free. Thanksgiving Service takes place at St. Paul’s.

Tues., Nov. 20th – The brightly-lit Christmas decorations are up in DeRivera Park and on the poles along Catawba Ave. Bobbi Dobos from A Moment in Time Photography gathers a group of island youngsters for a photo shoot for the cover of this month’s Gazette. The winner of the Junior Class raffle for a season pass on Miller Boat Line is drawn and is won by Jon Scarpelli and Kristen Stanford.

Wed., Nov. 21st – Island kids have no school thanks to Thanksgiving. This is the last day of the regular Miller Boat Line Schedule for 2018.

Thurs., Nov. 22nd – Shaena Kowalski (PIBHS Class of 2004) celebrates her birthday this Thanksgiving Day. There are only two ferries today –
one in the early morning and one in the late afternoon. If you drove by Danny Drake’s Getaway Inn on Concord Ave., you would have thought he had the place rezoned for a used car lot. It turns out he was having a variety of the French, Drake and Boag families over for the holidays.
Dianne and Bob Smith hosted a group of friends at their home on the South Shore.

Fri., Nov. 23rd – There’s a bit of ice on the ferry docks, but the temperature goes up in the afternoon and it turns out to be a pretty nice day. Workers are unloading concrete blocks in front of Mr. Ed’s Bar on Delaware Ave.

Sat., Nov. 24th – The island’s biggest UofM fans, Monk Nemec from Mitchell Rd. and Aaron Schroeder from East Point Construction, weren’t happy with OSU winning the big game 62 to 39 today!

Sun., Nov. 25th – Agnes Uszak from Chapman Rd. is getting a jump on things and putting up her outside Christmas lights.

Mon., Nov. 26th – It’s a rainy morning with plenty of wind switching from the east to the west. The island children are back in school. “Miss Christie” Ontko is substituting for Linda Rence.

Tues. Nov. 27th – It’s Giving Tuesday at the Nature & Wildlife Center. Every dollar donation is tripled. Bird bander Tom Bartlet captures a baby owl to show everyone. What a hit.

Wed., Nov. 28th – The home of Amanda and Elizabeth McCann on Put-in-Bay Rd. is all lit up for the holidays.

Thurs., Nov. 29th – The Put-n-Bay  Panther Basketball Team hits to road to play in a tournament on Beaver Island in the middle of Lake
Michigan.

Fri., Nov. 30th – The Panthers arrives on Beaver Island to play in the tournament with teams from Beaver Island, Washington Island in Wisconsin, and Mackinac Island in Michigan. The games are broadcast live by Patrick Myers on WPIB.com