August 2018 Diary

Put-in-Bay August 2018 Diary

Wed., Aug. 1st – The August 2018 Diary marks the arrival of Hanna Gottlieb from Steyr, Austria, for a summer visit with Scott and Caroline Jackson. Steyr is where many islanders have visited and it is where Joe Suttmann, Erika Suttmann Crossley (Put-in-Bay Class of 2001), and Caroline Jackson (Put-in-Bay High School Class of 2004) attended school. Kendra Koehler is busy passing out Green Week posters.

Thurs., Aug. 2nd – The 125th Inter-Lake Yachting Association Annual Sailboat Regatta is about to start as feeder races to the Island from Detroit, Toledo, Sandusky, Port Clinton, and Cleveland take place. The actual regatta begins Friday morning and runs through Sunday. They call it “Bay Week” … and have for years. On this date in 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an Executive Order which established
the West Sister Island Migratory Bird Refuge.

Fri., Aug. 3rd – The August 2018 Diary marks the official start of the Regatta officially begins. I-LYA sailors start at Green Island, sail around the east side of South Bass and then north, going between Middle and North Bass Islands and the back to Green. There’s a vodka party at the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club in the evening.

Sat., Aug. 4th – The 2018 I-LYA Sail/Tea for the ladies takes place at Put-in-Bay Yacht Club in the afternoon and a rum party takes place in the evening to invigorate the sailors.

Sun., Aug. 5th – Over on Middle Bass Island, there is a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony for the Middle Bass Forested Wetland Preserve off Fox Rd. just north of the Middle Bass General Store and the Town Hall. There is a cake reception following at the Middle Bass Island State Park Pavilion. Renee Market is giving tours of the Lonz Winery cellars on Middle Bass.

Mon., Aug. 6th – Renee Market is busy painting rocks to sell on the stargazing cruise that takes place in the evening. The Ford Trimotor from Liberty Aviation is at Put-in-Bay giving rides. The historical plane gives 16 tours. In the evening, the Stargazing Cruise becomes one of those memorable events.

Not a single star is seen as Captain Glenn Cooper dodges lightning storms in the area. One last big squall forces
him into the Lime Kiln where most of those on board got wet before busses came to take everyone back to the downtown dock where the cruise started. A big thank you goes to Chip Duggan and his helper for leaving the comfort of their homes to run the packed buses. It was
a memorable event, to say the least.

Tues., Aug. 7th – For some fun downtime, the Round House crew enjoys dressing up in red and eating strange concoctions in the afternoon. Island Green Week’s lantern tour of the Hotel Victory ruins at the South Bass Island State Park is led by the park naturalist Renee Market.

Wed., Aug. 8th – Village Council votes to give raises to many of the utility workers at the water and sewer plants. There’s concord grape jelly and habanero jam for sale at the weekly Artisan Fair which is taking place at the Town Hall instead of in the Village Park. It’s the last Wednesday night for BINGO at the Town Hall. Last night for Bingo.

The Village Planning Commission meets to discuss a variance for the golf cart on top of the rental booth just north of the Boathouse. Renee Market is in charge of the corn and also serves meat at the Lake Erie Islands Nature & Wildlife Center’s hog roast fundraiser. There are 600 desserts for those who still have a sweet tooth after the delicious meal. Some of them are gluten-free. Thanks, Amy Huston for making all the treats.

Entertaining at the event are Jamison Charles and Drew LaPlante. A block away at the ball diamond, the Reel Bar bests a feisty Heineman Winery team by a score of 6-4, while the strong Kelleys Island comes back with two runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to beat the Boardwalk team by a score of 10-9.

Thurs., Aug. 9th – The Put-in-Bay Ladies Auxiliary enjoys a wine pairing with Ed Heineman from Heineman Winery at the Goat in the late afternoon. At 5 p.m. bidding starts at the Lake Erie Islands Historical Society’s annual auction at Heineman Winery. Renee Market stops by to help out. More than $30,000 is raised to help fund the society’s museum.

Fri., Aug. 10th – In the afternoon, Pat Dailey tiptoes out of retirement to join Mike “Mad Dog” Adams on stage at the Round House for a few tunes. Did you know that Pat Dailey was hired at the Beer Barrel Saloon after being turned down to play at the Round House?

There’s another Island Green Week event at the Massie Cliffside Preserve. It’s a night hike led, of course, by State Park Naturalist Renee Market. The
event starts at the entrance to the preserve on the paved road (Route 357) and goes all the way to the lake where participants venture out on the dock there. Renee reports everyone was accounted for when the tour was over.

Sat., Aug. 11th – Power goes out for about two hours around lunchtime. State Park Naturalist Renee Market is on Middle Bass Island giving tours of the cellars under Lonz Winery. Lake Erie Island Conservancy board member and naturalist Paula Ziebarth meets with people at the Aquatic Visitor Center to view the migrating chimney swifts as they roost for the night.

The Biergarten at the Goat is packed in the afternoon at the 20-member Deutscher Musik Verein plays polka music for the beer-drinking crowd. Bob and Dianne Smith host a potluck gathering at their home on the south shore for three foreign university students who will be studying in the U.S. this coming school year.

Sun., Aug. 12th – Sponsors for the Sunday Antique Car Parade are the McCrackens, Smiths, and Spaydes. The post-parade gathering is at the Put-in-Bay Villas . The Reel Bar softball team heads to Kelleys Island for the first game of a best two-out-of-three series to determine this year’s Lake Erie Islands Men’s League Softball champions. Unfortunately, the Reel Bar loses the important first game according to the August 2018 Diary

August 2018 Diary Mon., Aug. 13th – The Put-in-Bay Village Council meets in a special session to review the Village budgets and to take action to correct an incorrectly paid salary to a former village employee. The 4:30 p.m. Miller ferry jogs from its normal route to Catawba to avoid Tom Thanasiu who is leisurely sailing through the South Passage with guests on his sailboat “Timeless.” The Kelleys Island softball team wins the second of the best-of-three-games series to take the 2018 Lake Erie Islands Men’s League Championship.

Tues., Aug. 14th – Dave and Jill Warga from East Point is spotted visiting Pelee Island. The staff from Joe’s Bar heads to Kelleys Island on the Jet Express for a Christmas party. Ten island firefighters are in a class to learn about foam systems for putting out fires.

Wed., Aug. 15th – There’s a ribbon-cutting and dedication for the new Put-in-Bay Twp. Port Authority hangar across from the Put-in-Bay Airport terminal. Thurs., Aug. 16th – The always-popular golf cart trip to North Bass Island takes place. There’s a little rain for the event, but that doesn’t dampen any of the fun. In fact, of all the island events we attend, we’d say this is the one with the most smiles.

Renee Market can’t make it to North Bass. She’s working in the office at the Lonz Marina on Middle Bass. Back at Put-in-Bay, there’s a meeting at the Town Hall between Village officials and the EPA to discuss water plant issues. You can get your gardening questions answered at the Garden Club meeting at the Yacht Club. In the evening, there’s a Perry Group fundraiser at the Crew’s Nest Pavilion with some really great music from years gone by.

Fri., Aug. 17th – The Brig Niagara is in port! The island gets a much-needed rain after lunch. The U.S. Coast Guard, the Put-in-Bay Police, and other agencies are involved in a search for a 46-year old man who fell off his boat near the south end of the island just before lunchtime and never resurfaced. A ball game between three generations of North Bass Island adults and kids takes place on Isle St. George.

Sat., Aug. 18th – The August 2018 Diary reports that the Put-in-Bay Property Owners meet at the Town Hall to hear Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce President Brad Ohlemacher and Put-in-Bay Police Chief Steve Riddle discuss what can be done to put a damper on the infamous Christmas in July weekend. Ohlemacher provides an update on the Christmas In July Safe Island Task Force’s activities.

The U.S. Brig Niagara is giving deck tours at Fox’s Dock (aka the Jet Dock). The ball diamond and McCann field are filled with volleyball players. U.S. Senator Rob Portman comes to visit Perry’s Monument to look at two major areas that need work, the seawalls, and the upper plaza. While there, he goes to the top of the Monument, plus has a group photo with island and park officials taken. Over on Kelleys Island, the History Museum has a successful fundraiser Murder Mystery Masquerade

Sun., Aug. 19th – Katie and Chuck Schweinsberg from Fox’s Den sponsor the pre-Antique Car Parade gathering at the Twine Shanty. After the parade, everyone heads to Put-in-Bay Yacht Club. The first sign signally the end of the summer season is here! This is the last night for a 9:30 p.m. Miller ferry from the mainland to Put-in-Bay. Former island employee Bob Holmes brings the Sandusky Fire Dept. All-Stars
to Put-in-Bay to play our All-Stars in a charity game. Mother Mary Staley at St. Paul’s Church is celebrating this day because it marks her ninth year on the island.

Mon., Aug. 20th – Miller Boat Line begins the “late summer” schedule.” Before going to work in the late afternoon at the Candy Bar, Renee Market tells us she gave about 75 people wine cellar tours at the Lonz facility on Middle Bass Island. The Put-in-Bay Brewery and Distillery is closed for a staff appreciation day. Barb Hunter from Fox’s Den and Kathy “Mrs. Larry” Schrader is at Mother of Sorrows watering and tending the flowers.

August 2018 Diary Tues., Aug. 21st – Rain before dawn, rain during the day, this probably qualifies as a rainy day at the Bay even though the Sun comes out for a bit in the afternoon.

Wed., Aug. 22nd – The last Artisan Fair of the 2018 season takes place in the Village Park on this windy day. There are Lake Erie Islands Conservancy T-shirts and hats, raffle tickets for the afghan made by Tracy Burgess, Nuts by George Gazdick to benefit the Friends of Coopers Woods, and lots of jams and jellies for sale at the LEIC tent across from the Boathouse.

Hand-dyed potholders by Russell Brohl are on a special sale as well as hand-dyed batik fabrics. The Jet Express IV spends several hours during the day tied to the Crew’s Nest’s Doller Dock in front of the Put-in-Bay Winery. Comedians Charlie Wiener and Molly Kearney are performing a show at the Reel Bar in the evening.

Thurs., Aug. 23rd – This year’s Experience Ottawa County event is at The Keys on Put-in-Bay. Guests take the Jet Express over to Put-in-Bay to spend the evening at The Keys, featuring delicious food and drinks, as well as local entertainment. Did you know that the date is also the 199th anniversary of his death? Ed Hubner takes his daughter Kira and grandkids out fishing. Kira catches four gobies.

Fri., Aug. 24th – The Village Council holds a special meeting in the afternoon and enters into executive session to consider hiring, firing, promotion, demotion, and compensation of public employees.

Sat., Aug. 25th – In the morning and early afternoon, there’s a steady rain. It seemed like you could see the grass getting greener as it came down. Once the rain stops it becomes quite evident that there are a lot of people around.

Sun., Aug. 26th – There’s a baby shower for the August 2018 Diary!  It was held for Justine Rhoad Cultice at the Red Moon speakeasy at the Park Hotel. The 6th Annual Perry’s Victory Triathlon is canceled due to the harmful algal blooms (HABs) expected around the Lake Erie Islands. The Antique Car Parade pre-parade is sponsored by Bill Martin of East Point and Dave Marshall and Pat Wenckus from the West Shore. After the parade, everyone heads to Tippers.

Mon., Aug. 27th – It’s the first day of school for Put-in-Bay students. Mrs. Rence welcomes the Class of 2033 as proud parents take
tons of photos in front of the school. Road repairs and patching begin on Trenton Ave, Mitchell Road, and Catawba Ave. Traffic flow is periodically interrupted. These repairs are being done as a temporary fix to preserve the integrity of the roads for paving in the near future.

Tues., Aug. 28th – Rascal Flatt’s semi-trucks are coming over on the ferry and workers are starting to put up the stage equipment for the
Rascal Flatts concert at the Put-in-Bay Airport.

Wed., Aug. 29th – The quietest Wednesday of the August 2018 Diary  Put-in-Bay Island Life is getting back to normal!

Thurs., Aug. 30th – Rascal Flatts and the Back to the US Tour take over the Put-in-Bay Airport for the 2nd annual Bash on the Bay.
The lineup includes the Cory Farley Band, Joe Nichols, Chris Lane, and more. Renee Market is spotted directing the crowds at the Lime Kiln. At the conclusion of the show, promoters announce Kid Rock Will play the Bash On The Bay 2019. Be sure to stay tuned for information on Kid Rock Tickets!

Fri., Aug. 31st – The Friday night special at PIBYC is Prime Rib! Yummy!