Put-in-Bay Diary April 2019 – News & Info From Put-in-Bay
Mon., April 1st – Usually there is a flurry of April Fool’s stories from several sources, but this April 1st, there was nothing to be found except the story about the Submarine Service to Put-in-Bay. Everything you could find was true. Cantankerous makes its first trip to the mainland for fuel.
Tues., April 2nd – It’s in the 50s on the island and really pleasant. The water level in the lake is just shy of covering the DeRivera Park Dock. It appears boaters this summer will treated to free foot washes when the water gets even higher in June.
Wed. April 3rd – About 40 people attend a public hearing at the Put-in-Bay Town Hall to voice their concerns about how many taxis should be licensed by the Village. Currently, the number is 36. Some wanted less, but some wanted unlimited. After school, the Put-in-Bay High School Sailing Team is out in the harbor. One of the three sailboat tips over and the two sailors onboard are in the frigid water for about five minutes trying to get the boat upright. Luckily, they have cold water suits to keep them warm.
Thurs., April 4th – The weather cools a bit. Playgroup meets in the upstairs of the Town Hall for the little people on the island. Workers are putting on a new front porch on the old Nissen house behind Mossbacks.
Fri., April 5th – Things are starting to open. The Reel Bar, the Forge, and Cameo Pizza are among the businesses that are coming to life for the2019 season. Put-in-Bay Village Fiscal Officer Courtney Blumensaadt is in Toledo for 2019 Sunshine Laws training.
Sat., April 6th – Well, it’s definitely starting! There are a few golf carts around, plus Mary Lou Mason is busy at the Put-in-Bay Winery as the first customers of the season enjoy a glass or two of wine on the front lawn of the Doller Estate. There’s a happy third birthday party at Billy & Allie Market’s home for Liam Market and Gemma Spatafore. All eleven kids who will be in Gemma’s class are there for the fun! The doors are open at Muscle Bay Fitness for those who want to break the gym in before it officially opens on April 8th for the season. Mike “Mad Dog” Adams is entertaining on Kelleys Island at the West Bay Inn for all the early birds. A group of people takes it upon themselves to clean up the Civil War prison sites on Johnson’s Island. They do this every year. It’s a national event, it is sponsored by the American Battlefield Trust and hosted by The Friends and Descendants of Johnson’s Island. Many Civil War reenactors attend. Quite a busy day in Diary April 2019
Sun., April 7th – This nice spring day is followed by light rain in the afternoon. At Heineman Winery, they’re bottling White Riesling.
Mon., April 8th – The Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce holds its May meeting after lunch at the Put-in-Bay Town Hall. Representatives of Great Lakes Publishing will be there to share exciting advertising opportunities in Lake Erie Living, Ohio Magazine and more. Some of the Crew’s Nest crew are working on uprights out on the dock in front of the club.
Tues., Apr. 9th – The Bible Explorers have their sailboat races in the Undercroft of St. Paul’s in the afternoon. Participation prizes were awarded, and post-race treats were offered as well.
Wed., Apr. 10th – It’s cooled off a bit, but from the number of trucks and empty boat trailers parked around the park, you’d think it was a perfect day for fishing. A crew at the Round House is finishing up painting the outside of the building red. Mother Mary Staley dispels a rumor that she is leaving St. Paul’s this spring. She says on social media, “My current letter of the agreement runs through August 2019 and the Bishop has already signed a new letter of agreement beginning August 2019 and going into the future. Yes, I’ll leave someday but there isn’t a date on the calendar….”
Thurs., April 11th – Terry Jenkins from Ohio Edison is out getting the power back on after a vehicle hits some guide wires at the Joe’s Bar corner after midnight. Not a good start to theDiary April 2019 Winds and high water cancel ferry service for the day. The tug Leonard M., heading for Detroit, takes shelter off Stone Cove and waits for the lake to calm. Floating docks where Kayak the Bay is located on Squaw Harbor, are lifted by the high water and end up blocking half the road. They’re bottling Pinot Noir at Heineman Winery. The State of the Island event takes place at the Put-in-Bay Town Hall in the evening. Patrick Myers from WPIB, the voice of Put-in-Bay, is on hand streaming live the State of the Island event live. Thanks go to The Bird’s Nest Resort for sponsoring this broadcast.
Fri., April 12th – Pasquale’s opens for the season. The annual Frosty Pizza Buffet takes place in the evening. The Red Moon Saloon at the Park Hotel opens for the season.
Sat., April 13th – A Mass of Resurrection for Denny Naylon are held at Mother of Sorrows. He is laid to rest in Maple Leaf Cemetery with military honors. Afterward, there’s a gathering at the Boathouse for his friends and family. Because of weather predicted for Sunday, the Round House holds the first of two Whiskey Light ceremonies to open the 2019 season. There’s a birthday party for Barry Koehler at his home on Chapman Rd. The kids outnumber the adults. There’s a beautiful red sunset. What’s the saying, Red Sky at Night, Sailor’s Delight. Looks like the morrow will be great weather.
Sun., April 14th – A sailor’s delight indeed! The boats are canceled after a few trips in the morning as another nor’easter, the second in four days, hits the island. The water comes up in the usual low spots in spite of the wind not lasting that long. In the afternoon, thunder is heard as a front rolls through. The wind shifts to the northwest and temperatures start to drop. The Palm Sunday procession at St. Paul’s has to be moved indoors, and for the first time ever, a first-ever second Whiskey Light ceremony at the Round House takes place in the afternoon for the hardcore who didn’t care about getting back to the mainland. On stage with Ray Fogg is Joe Suttmann who visiting Put-in-Bay with his lady friend Ute Wiesmayr from Austria. Justine Rhoad Cultice celebrates her 30th birthday with friends and family at the Round House. Another busy day in the Diary April 2019
Mon., April 15th – Wildflowers in Coopers Woods found in the morning include sharp-lobed hepatica, large-flowered trillium (almost open), bloodroot, rue anemone in bloom as well as Dutchman’s breeches The high school sailing team is practicing in the Bay. One of the boats flips and the sailors, after going in the water, are expected to be able to get the boat upright and sailing again. There’s DeRivera Park Trust meeting at the Town Hall in the late afternoon. The Lake Erie Islands Conservancy has signed their grant contracts, ordered a survey and are awaiting paperwork to close on the purchase of Cooper’s Woods. Island Beverage Center clerk Kenny Dezsi is Lifeflighted off the island. At print time, we hear he is doing much better. Fencing is going in on the south end of the runway for the new dog park.
Tues., April 16th – Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial staff is working today to drain the remaining water on the lawn adjacent to the Village Bathing Beach and the end of Delaware Avenue. Park grounds were flooded twice within five days. Staff works diligently to protect trees in the flooded area, including two birch trees that are over 100 years old. There is also a discussion about the Put-in-Bay Perry Monument Hours. The village has also been hard at work clearing the street and shift gravel and sand displaced by high winds and the powerful force of water. There’s a new dog park meeting in the evening at the Put-in-Bay Township building
Wed., April 17th – Chaperones JR Domer and Kristi Stacy leave the island with the Senior Class on their class trip to Alaska. Dan and Val Kowalski attend the Ottawa County Top Ten Banquet in Port Clinton. Put-in-Bay High School Senior Max Schneider chose Dan as his honored educator. There’s a late ferry to Put-in-Bay that leaves Catawba at 9:30 p.m.
Thurs., April 18th – The Put-in-Bay High School seniors take an early morning flight from Detroit to Seattle, Washington, and then on to Fairbanks, Alaska, to begin their class trip.
Fri., April 19th – They’re stocking the shelves at the Country House. You can tell by looking at the stack of cardboard packing boxes that are piling up outside the back door. Windy conditions bring the lake level back up and flood the streets at Miller’s corner and the Monument. This is the third time in ten days East Pointers hesitate to come into town because of flooding by the Monument. A little reminiscent of Put-in-Bay 2008.
Sat., April 20th – This is the year the Easter Egg Hunt will be remembered as the “Drive-By Easter Egg Hunt.” Weather changes the original plans for the hunt to be at the ball diamond, and families are asked to drive by the bell tower and get their eggs before heading to the Town Hall for games and treats. CC Wisniewski is in Columbus with the Put-in-Bay High School Sailing Team. For those who can’t make the Rec Committee’s Easter Egg Hunt, an Eggstravaganza takes place at the Round House with Ray Fogg and his buddy Duff Spatafore. These teo always make for a good story in the Diary April 2019
Sun., April 21st – It’s Easter Sunday and the weather has changed enough so that St. Paul’s Episcopal Church can have sunrise services at the Monument as reported to the Diary April 2019
Mon., April 22nd – Scott Pugh from Put-in-Bay Electric is upgrading to power outlets on the DeRivera Park dock to GFI breakers. The crew at Miller Boat Line is having “Man overboard” drills. This is good practice for those who remember the Put-in-Bay Plane crash years ago. The Lake Erie Islands Conservancy celebrates Earth Day on with a beach cleanup at the Scheeff East Point Preserve and a garlic mustard pull at the Jane Coates Wildflower Trail. Thanks to participants Lisa Brohl, Lake Erie Islands Conservancy, Sue Bixler and Kristin Stanford from Ohio State University Stone Lab and Sara Lowe from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program, Julene Market, and Melissa, Cody and Caleb Kowalski and Barb Mitchell. A special thanks go to Marissa Rence for her help at Jane’s trail.
Tues. April 23rd – The Rules and Ordinance Committee of the Put-in-Bay Village Council meets in the morning to discuss taxi cabs issues, business license policy, parking and traffic direction on Village Streets.
Wed., April 24th – In the afternoon, there’s a first demo skydiving jump at the Put-in-Bay Airport by the professional skydiver who will be taking adventure seekers up this summer who want to skydive over the island. Doug Wilhelm is at Put-in-Bay fire station doing a little spring cleaning. Kenny Fox is busy at Fox’s Den getting things ready to open for the season.
Thurs., April 25th – Garden Club president Barb Hunter is busy opening up her place at Fox’s Den for the 2019 season. Sonya Niese is the first parent to register online for the 2019 Put-in-Bay Community Swim/Sail Classes. The Put-in-Bay High School Senior Class arrives back on the island after their class trip to Alaska. Stay tuned for more information in the Diary April 2019
Fri., April 26th – It’s Arbor Day, and the Put-in-BayVillage Tree Commission has a program in the afternoon at the Village housing behind the post office. Two new two native flowering trees-hoptree and shadbush trees are planted. The ferry schedule changes and adds more trips are added to celebrate Arbor Day with the Village Tree Commission.
Sat., April 27th – The 5th Annual Draft Day 5K hosted by Lake Erie Islands Browns Backers takes place in the morning. The 30th Annual Jet Express trip to Put-in-Bay from Toledo Yacht Club takes place. Some of those on the trip catch Mike “Mad Dog” Adams beginning his 40th consecutive year of performing at the Round House. Mike does over 50 shows a season at the famous round, red bar in the heart of Put-in-Bay.
Sun., April 28th – The Reverand Arthur Williams an Assisting Bishop from the Diocese of Ohio, returned to St. Paul’s on Sunday, May 28th. He has been a frequent visitor to St. Paul’s over the years. He and his wife Lynette enjoy the warm welcome they are always given on the island. You may have spotted him at one of our island restaurants on Sunday morning. The bird banders set up at the Middle Bass-East Point Preserve for the next few days.
Mon., April 29th – A First Energy crew is busy replacing a pole at the intersection of Victory and Bayview. It’s cool and rainy. Mark Mathys from Put-in-Bay Resort celebrates a birthday.
Tues., April 30th – The Goat Soup & Whiskey’s annual island clean up takes place in the morning. to celebrate his 50th birthday, Robby Morrow raises a 20-ft. by 30-ft. flag on the new pole at the Put-in-Bay Winery at the Doller Estate. Check it out! It’s spectacular!
