Put-in-Bay Diary September 2018
Sat., Sept 1st – Put-in-Bay Yacht Club Members had the opportunity to participate in shaping club leadership with their votes at the Annual Membership Meeting. Reports from the Bridge and Committee Chairs were followed by the election of two trustees. Barry Koehler (Put-in-Bay High School Class of 2000) is called to put down a fox with severe mange at the putt-putt golf course in the morning.
Sun., Sept. 2nd – The antique car pre-parade is sponsored by the Gonzalez family from East Point. After the parade, everyone heads to the Goat Biergarten to enjoy the live polka band playing there.
Mon., Sept. 3rd – The antique car paraders gather at the Crew’s Nest Pavilion for food, drink and live music after the Labor Day parade. The last ferry send-off is a bust as the weather with very threatening skies forces the event at the Lime Kiln Dock to be canceled.
Mon., Sept. 4th – Mayor McCann meets with officials from the EPA in Bowling Green. The island kids are back in school on this hot day. Wow! The Crew’s Nest is closed for the day, the first time in several months.
Wed., Sept. 5th – It is so hot out that Melinda Myers opens the Crew’s Nest pool for island kids after school. We don’t know how they do it in the heat, but there are grape pickers busy harvesting the island vines.
Thurs., Sept. 6th – The Reel Bar hosts a “Reel Fine Wine Tasting!” event with five wines picked by rockstar winemaker Dave Phinney and paired with food by Chef Terry Galvin.
Thurs., Sept. 6th – Island museum receptionist Cheryl Butera reports one of the busiest Thursdays of the season for visitation at the Museum in spite of the seasonal slowdown of tourist traffic. Tent trucks arrive on the island and start setting up commissary tents for the Boy Scouts who are expected to be coming to the island for the Put-in-Bay Historical Weekend.
Fri., Sept. 7th – The weekend weather forecast spreads like wildfire around the island. Looks like a blowout. Fortunately, the Boy Scouts cancel out, otherwise, they would have been camping in a sopping wet lawn at the Monument. Perry’s Monument cancels all its Historic Weekend Events due to incoming inclement weather. The auctioning off of the wood chunks from the DeRivera stump statue in the park takes place at the Crew’s Nest. The painted, carved and other artistic pieces bring in more than $10,000 for the island museum. A big thanks goes to Melinda Myers and her crew for hosting this event.
Sat., Sept. 8th – It’s a blow out for Historical Weekend as all events were canceled for the weekend. But if you are into waterspouts and monarch butterflies, you were in seventh Heaven. Several waterspouts along with windy and rainy weather keep thousands of monarchs nesting in trees all over the island including Middle Bass. Today is one of those rare days where with the migration and weather, we
have hundreds and hundreds of monarch butterflies in the trees at the South Bass Island Lighthouse. The Jet Express is chartered to take about 140 wedding guests to Sugar Island for a Kenny family wedding. The weather isn’t bad enough to keep the ferries from running, but Miller service is abbreviated late in the afternoon.
Sun., Sept. 9th – Bob Engel, Put-in-Bay’s oldest islander, turns 99. All Miller Boat Line Put-in-Bay and Middle Bass Island trips are canceled for the day. There are plenty of people driving all over the island seeing the monarchs in the trees. There’s a power outage on Mitchell Road when a tree falls in the wind. Terry Jenkins from Ohio Edison takes care of it. Bob Bahney’s big tower with his wind gauge on it buckles and lands in his driveway. As Bob says, “No more wind reports!”
Diary September 2018 – Sept. 10th – The Chamber of Commerce holds its monthly meeting late in the afternoon at Frosty’s. The Ford Trimotor rides at the Put-in-Bay Airport are canceled due to weather. Actually, the wind is gone and it’s a beautiful day. The DeRivera Park Trustees hold their regular monthly meeting at the Put-in-Bay Town Hall. The Lake Erie Island Conservancy continues to work with the Trustees on the purchase of Coopers Woods, but there is no need for public input at this time. The Conservancy recently announced that it has received a Conservation Fund grant to fund part of the purchase. Watch for updates on this important project. At Put in Bay Winery, the Wine Club is celebrating Mary Lou Ramsbottom’s birthday.
Tues., Sept. 11th – Spectrum spends a second day at the Perry Peace Memorial Monument stringing a fiber optic cable to East Point. A maintenance crew is working on the ferry ramp on the east side of the Lime Kiln Dock that was damaged by the waves in the weekend storm. Maybe it’s time to simplify! Years ago the dock help would lift wooden planks from the dock to the boats so the cars could be driven off. The Erie Islands Library sponsors a petting zoo event at the ball field across from school. There’s a pizza party in Duff’s vineyard. There’s plenty of Cameo pizza and a variety of wine to be sampled. Thanks, Kelly Faris for the pizza and Sue and Walt Duff for the shady spot in their vineyard. Rich Hahn from Mitchell Rd. was the guest speaker at the Middleburg Heights Library in the evening. He spoke about the Put-in-Bay Road Races.
Wed., Sept. 12th – The Put-in-Bay High School Sailing Team is practicing in the harbor and Rudy Cooks is the designated parent watch person.
Thurs, Sept, 13th – The Ida Rupp Library Board comes to the island to experience the StoryWalk in the Dodge Woods Preserve. Several summer island employees are painting the old Stoehr house, the one with the flag painted on top, at Harbour Square. At the Boardwalk, there’s also a little painting being done along with some deck rail repair work. St Paul’s Church is getting much-needed repairs to the
roof and the steeple. The Garden Club meets for the last time this season at the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club. .Jody Frimel from Pinky’s Pond discusses fall containers and demonstrates how to arrange a colorful container.
Fri., Sept. 14th – At PIB Yacht Club is serving baked Ziti with Italian sausage, mixed vegetables, salad and roll & butter at its Friday night dinner. A meeting is held regarding the Christmas In July task Force with Pizza Delivery from the Put-in-Bay Pizza Company
Sat., Sept 15th – It’s one of those really busy Saturdays Island Diary September 2018 days at Put-in-Bay. The Miller Boat Line 5K Run to benefit Mother of Sorrows takes place in the morning. Among the runners are Put-in-Bay School students Elora Hubner and McKenna
Stacy. Up at the Put-in-Bay Vol. Fire Dept. the annual clambake is taking play. They’re sold out of 300 dozen clams by 1 p.m. Over on Catawba a bus pulls up to the Catawba Dock and begins unloading. The bus is an Ohio State University bus filled with about 50 students who are heading to Gibraltar Island for the weekend. In the evening, New Years at the Bay is celebrated with Monte Carlo night on the main street. At the Yacht Club, Eric Kirchner and Kate Portman from North Olmsted, OH, are married at the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club. . Over on Middle Bass Island, they’re stomping grapes at J.F. Walleyes.
Diary September 2018 – Sun., Sept. 16th – It’s a really busy day at the Bay! There’s a first birthday party for Aurora Jackson, a 99th birthday
celebration for Bob Engel at his home on Langram Rd., a 50th wedding anniversary party at the Boardwalk for Mark and Mary Myers, and a Museum and Resale Shop volunteer potluck and party at Heineman Winery. The post-Mass Hospitality in the Cornerstone Room at Mother of Sorrows Church was a hit thanks to Woody Widmar who made sausage gravy for everyone. Rose Kahler reports she sat on the Round House porch and had a drink for the first time ever. She’s only been on the island since 1976. Accompanying her for support while they watching the antique cars parade by was Reni Miller.
Mon., Sept. 17 – Roger Parker celebrates his 60th birthday and enjoys a day off on the island away from his mainland job. Trucks deliver prefab pieces for Seven Gables house site. Based on satellite imagery, the NOAA Lake Erie Harmful Algal Bloom Bulletin on the internet shows zero cyanobacteria around the islands.
Tues., Sept. 18th – A new big sign is going up on the front of the building at Put-in-Bay Brewing Co.
Wed., Sept. 19th – Kendra Koehler calls her son Barry to come over and get a baby water snake out of the washing machine in her basement. Barry reports it appeared the snake survived even after being run through the machine with a load of laundry.
Thurs., Sept. 20th – Chip Duggan takes the tour train to North Bass Island via a chartered Miller ferry to provide transportation and a tour of the island those who are there for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’s Lake House Dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony. The Lake House is what the islanders call “the Lodge.” It’s located on the east shore and has been used for VIPs who visit the island. ODNR Director Jim Zehringer is on hand to dedicate the newly-renovated Lake House at North Bass Island State Park. Plans call for the Lake House to be available as a vacation rental. Dale Burris provides the narrative for the visitors who tour Isle St George on the Tour Train.
Fri. Sept. 21st – The Village Council holds a special meeting in the afternoon to consider the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion or compensation of a public employee and to approve spending for materials for the daily operations at the Water Plant and the payment or a loan for the water plant. It’s World Peace Day at Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial and flags from many nations surround the three main flagpoles in a peace symbol shape visible from the top of the Monument. Over on Middle Bass, the crew from the Sonny S enjoys their employee party.
Sat., Sept. 22nd – There are lots of people wearing green for the Halfway to St. Patty’s Day parade. Hooligans is the scene of the green and orange activity. Last Sonny S trip of the season It’s a “Fee Free Day” at Perry’s Monument so visitors can go to the top for free. State Representative Steve Arndt speaks at the Put-in-Bay Property Owners Meeting at the Senior Center in the morning. Kris Hodgson from East Point spots a lingering Mayfly. Evan Hart Eagle Project, Evan Hart, an Eagle Scout candidate from Middle Bass, is installing his prothonotary warbler boxes he built for the Middle Bass Island Forested Wetland Preserve and the Petersen Woods Preserve. There’s a gathering of friends and family of the late Chuck Craigs at the Boardwalk in the evening.
Sun., Sept. 23rd – Round House entertainer Mike “Mad Dog” Adams enjoys a delicious bowl of Boardwalk lobster bisque and a grouper sandwich before doing his afternoon show. Jackie Taylor is out tagging Monarch butterflies. Sports cars from the Road Race Reunion join in the antique car parade in the afternoon. There a lot more muffler noise, tire squealing and speed than the normal parade. The Lake Erie
Islands Conservancy holds their annual meeting/party at the Heineman Winery.
Diary September 2018 Sept., 24th Members of the Put-in-Bay Village Council meet in the morning and vote to dismiss Glenn Basting from
his Village Administrator position. It takes five votes but fails 4 to 1. Tom and Paula Bartlett are banding birds at the Middle Bass Island East Point Preserve. The Road Race Reunion cars are on display at Heineman Winery. The Road Race Reunion drivers drive ceremonial laps using the old race route that ran from downtown, out Airport Rd. to Meechen, headed to Joe’s Bar and then back downtown past the winery and caves on Catawba Ave. Fans particularly enjoyed sitting on the Reel Bar porch watching the race cars make the corner there. Afterwards, the Road Racers enjoy a get together at the Crew’s Nest Pavilion.
Tues., Sept. 25th – You can hear the race cars at the Put-in-Bay airport all the way downtown. They’re racing against the rain that’s coming in. Perry Monument Ranger Kathie Holbrook is the guest speaker at a Road Race Reunion women’s luncheon at Put-in-Bay Yacht Club.
Wed., Sept. 26th – Jaime Mendoza and Chris Ladd from the village water department are going around handing out lead and copper collection bottles to a few customers to provide required samples for the E.P.A. The weather turns perfect for a great day of road racing at the airport. Patrick Myers is broadcasting live from the races on WPIB Radio. Annie Parker is at the Road Races and sings the national anthem as members of the American Legion raise the flag at the airport.
Thurs., Sept. 27th – The second annual Taste of Put-in-Bay Fundraiser takes place at the Put-in-Bay Vol. Fire Dept. station in the evening to benefit the department. There is also a bourbon tasting and food pairing at the Reel Bar.
Fri., Sept. 28th – It’s the last day for weekday bus service from the Lime Kiln to downtown.
Sat., Sept. 29th – It’s a sunny, but cool day on the island. Marty Harayda is running water taxi service between Middle Bass and Put-in-Bay. The Crew’s Nest closedown party takes place. When the party is over, it looked like a confetti fest in the clubhouse. The Reel Bar celebrates owner Ray Fogg’s 30th anniversary of playing at Put-in-Bay. Congratulations, Ray! Ray has entertained thousands of island fans over the years and contributed to the great entertainment venue Put-in-Bay has become.
Sun., Sept. 30th – The Browns Backers head to the Round House to watch the game. The antique car paraders head to Heineman Winery after the parade. In the evening, there’s a party for the Heineman Winery crew at the Goat.
