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Island Diary January 2026
Thu., Jan. 1st – There’s snow on the ground after the storm during the night. There’s ice off the West Shore, and a mix of water and ice off the east side of the island. Island kids enjoyed sledding at the State Park.
Fri., Jan. 2nd – Harry Williamson from the PIB Utility department tells us water usage for December was the lowest he has seen since 2018. It’s half of what it was last December.
Sat., Jan. 3rd – Terri Stanley is with Simona Michael and Laura Baker-Mendoza at Put-in-Bay Yacht Club having fun. The Kelleys Island ferry is still running. Around the moon over the islands is a lunar halo.
Sun., Jan. 4th – Families are returning to the island as the school vacation ends. The last Browns Backers meeting of the season takes place at Topsy Turvey’s. The first ice shanty is spotted off the State Park ramp.
Mon., Jan. 5th – Students return to school. The January issue of the Put-in-Bay Gazette is printed in Sandusky. Brian Cultice sends the papers over to the island via Island Air Taxi. They are delivered on the island by Phoebe Koehler. Village Council meets for the first time in 2026 with new members Phil Hahn and Dave Schafer.
Tue., Jan. 6th – Nik Pettenski and other members of the PIBEMS EMR class fly off the island in the morning to finish up their testing. Their timing couldn’t have been better as the morning flights are cut short due to dense fog. Township Trustee meeting with new trustee, Jon Scarpelli. Recycling prices increasing, cutting recycling on Middle Bass. The temperature hit mid 40, not the best for those wanting to get out and ice fish.
Wed., Jan. 7th – With temps above freezing overnight, there’s water on top of the ice in the harbor. Dianne Smith is helping sort old PIB Gazettes for LEIHS Museum archives. It’s the first night of dart league at Topsy’s, and euchre night is back after a short break for New Year’s. Four tables of players fill the back room of the Yacht Club. The 2026 Lake Erie Islands Miller ferry schedules and brochures are out.
Thu., Jan. 8th – First National Bank is open after being closed the previous day due to fog and airport delays. It’s unusually warm for this time of year with mild temperatures going into the 50s. The snow melts. The churning waves are heavy with ice. They seem to roll in slow motion. Over on Pelee Island, it’s Matty’s pizza and wings at the Royal Canadian Legion.
Fri., Jan. 9th – Temperatures climb to the mid-50s by afternoon and the wind peaks at nearly 40 mph. Dustin Shaffer from Island Air Taxi says it’s a “wear a helmet” kind of day. What’s left of the ice in the harbor looks very brown and chunky. It’s mesmerizing watching the small chucks of ice washing in and out below the cliffs at Parker’s Park on the West Shore. Ice today, gone tomorrow is becoming the norm. Chili in a bread bowl is the lunch special at the Legion on Pelee Island. There’s a PIB School employee Christmas dinner at the Yacht Club in the evening.
Sat., Jan. 10th – The homecourt advantage is not to be had as the PIB Panther basketball team falls 43-34 to the Bowling Green Christian Academy Lions. The PIB girls also fall to the academy girls 33 to 11. The weather turns and part of the Lions team spends an unexpected night on the island when they aren’t able to fly back to the mainland. Anne Auger has the Resale shop inside the museum open over the lunch hour, even though the Resale Shop is temporarily closed while renovation construction is taking place. The electricity on the island flickers in the afternoon as stormy weather goes through. The volunteer firemen enjoy their Christmas party in the evening at the fire station.
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Sun., Jan. 11th – Overnight there’s a dusting of snow. News outlets in the area are reporting that Mouse Island is officially for sale. For $5,000,000 you can own the historic 7-acre island all to yourself. Joey Chung is baptized at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. On this date in 1942, Lonz Winery on Middle Bass Island burned to the ground. More than 3,000 gallons of wine were destroyed and hundreds of gallons of brandy in the blaze. The castle-like structure was originally built in 1862. It was later rebuilt after the fire.
Mon., Jan. 12th – Jordan Beck, the newest island ice guide, is busy working on a plan to get minnows delivered for those who lost theirs during the seiche in December. Owners of Bash on the Bay make the announcement they are pausing the concert series for 2026. They hoped to move the concert to a weekend instead of having it mid week.
Tue., Jan. 13th – Life flight has a run to the island in the morning. The library hosts a stuffed animal “sleep-in” overnight. The library isn’t big enough for school kids to sleep over so they entertain their stuffed animals instead. It’s Sue Thwaite’s birthday.
Wed., Jan. 14th – The PIB Chamber board meets in the morning with new president Renee Fultz. Among the topics discussed are upcoming Shores and Islands and OCCF Grants for 2026. There’s also a park district and tree commission meeting in the morning. Heavy snowfall blankets the island in the afternoon while temperatures drop by the hour. Those in the know predict fishable ice within the next week. Tom Thanasiu is at the Boat Show in Cleveland checking out the I-LYA and Put-in-Bay booths and reports everything looks good for Thursday’s opening.
Thu., Jan. 15th – Around five inches of snow falls overnight, causing school to be closed for the day. The Township office is also closed due to weather. The Village Council Rules and Ordinance Committee meets and discusses the Taxi Ordinance. The Cleveland Boat Show kicks off its first day at the I-X Center. Put-in-Bay representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the Boardwalk Family of Restaurants, the Crew’s Nest, the Middle Bass Island Yacht Club and the Sunglass Ladies are in attendance.
Fri., Jan. 16th – The school semester comes to a close marking the halfway point of the 2025–2026 school year. It’s pizza and wing delivery night at the Yacht Club. The scheduled Friday night Panther varsity boys basketball game is rescheduled to Saturday.
Sat., Jan. 17th – The Put-in-Bay Panther Twirling Club performs at the PIB Panther vs. Horizon Science Academy game halftime. They performed their routines from the televised Bowling Green Christmas parade they were part of. Round House entertainer Mike “Mad Dog” Adams turns 70. Drew and Miranda (Krueger) Smercina are having a great time at the Cleveland Boat Show working the Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau booth, sharing our love for island life and getting everyone excited for another amazing season ahead.
Sun., Jan. 18th – There’s plenty of ice, but not good enough to get out on. Courtney Blumensaadt celebrates her birthday with friends at Jill and Michael Koch’s house.
Mon., Jan. 19th – There’s no school for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. What was ice on the east side yesterday, is now open water as westerly winds hit 39-mph-plus mid day. So much for stabilizing the ice. Snow starts and visibility for flying shuts down air traffic.
Tue., Jan. 20th – The Village Council meets and Fred Cerny from Banyan Cover is elected President Pro Tempore of Village Council.
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Wed., Jan. 21st – Village Council meets to vote on important issues including putting one which would increase the “Resort Tax” on the ballot in May. The temperature hits 36 degrees. Joe Kostura and Jordan Beck have the first ice shanties set on the ice off the state park dock. At Heineman Winery, Sweet Concord is being bottled.! North of Pelee Island, The US Coast Guard Cutter Neah Bay is busy breaking ice for the 1,004-ft Lakes Freighter American Spirit so it can get to Toledo.
Thu., Jan. 22nd – There are 30-knot winds blowing out of the southwest as the Village Council meets for the third day in a row. This is their last meeting until March. There’s a lot of open water in the channel between South Bass and mainland by the end of the afternoon.
Fri., Jan. 23rd – St. Paul’s posts, “Heads Up! With the heavy snow coming, if a Level 3 emergency is declared we will livestream *only* on Sunday. For 1 or 2, come if you feel safe. PIB School’s cheer camp participants perform at a basketball scrimmage after school lets out for the day.
Sat., Jan. 24th – PIBYC’s Rolling Raffle fundraiser is back for 2026. Each week, a number is drawn and the winner is awarded $50. Their ball is then tossed back into the hopper for a chance to be drawn again the following weeks. There are 25 weekly drawings starting on January 24 and $5,000 in Grand Prizes for the July 18 final event. Gary Milson from Fox’s Den, Rob and Dawn Stolph and Paul Jeris from the Island Club,, Brad and Angie Ohlemacher from the Bird’s Nest and Joe’s Bar, and. “Mr. Ed” Fitzgerald and others are at Mr. Ed’s garage in Ft. Myers folding T-shirts, stuffing coozies, wristbands and books in bags for the Friends of the Bay 2 event starting at the Margaritaville on January 30th.
Sun., Jan. 25th – Even though it’s only Level 1 in the morning, St. Paul’s only livestreams its service. It’s snowing and windy
Mon., Jan. 26th – Ottawa County is at Level 3, so there’s no school countywide including Put-in-Bay. The weather forecast for the coming week calls for single digit lows with highs in the teens. The outlook is for plenty of ice for ice fishing. By afternoon, there’s a cloudless blue sky and few ice shanties appear off the West Shore.
Tue., Jan. 27th – PIBVFD hosts a pasta bar fundraiser at the Yacht Club. Dinner includes a side salad, breadsticks, drink, and a dessert and your choice of chicken parmesan, meatballs, mushrooms, fettuccine alfredo, or penne with marinara sauce.
Wed., Jan. 28th – There are around 15 ice shanties off the West Shore. A group from Middle Bass riding snowmobiles and ATVs makes its way across the ice to South Bass Island for the first time this winter. PIB School is dismissed for the day at lunch time for parent/teacher conferences in the afternoon.
Thu., Jan. 29th – Tis a bit chilly! The windchill is 12 degrees below zero. The ice is gaining on a foot thick and at least 18 ice shanties are spotted off the West Shore.
Fri., Jan. 30th – Congratulations goes to “Chef F” Futrell on winning the 2026 Island Chopped Challenge at Put-in-Bay Yacht Club. His challengers are Josh Harris from the Keys and Drew Holcepl, formerly of the Boathouse. J.F. Walleye’s on Middle Bass opens for the winter season. The 2nd Annual “Friends of the Bay” event kicks off at the Margaritaville Beach Resort in Fort Myers Beach.
Sat., Jan. 31st – At the men’s breakfast at Topsy’s, there’s an unconfirmed report that a group of snowmobilers came over to the island from Marblehead yesterday. There are 21 ice fishing shanties off the West Shore in the morning. About noon, a group of ten snowmobilers on the West Shore for a photo opportunity in front of the ship house. Sounds like a group from the mainland.
Putinbay.com is proud to present the Put-in-Bay Gazette’s Island Diary for January 2026, in the February 2026 issue of the Gazette.
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