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Island Diary October 2023
Sun., Oct. 1st – It’s a beautiful day on the Island for Woody’s Harvestfest at the Goat. The Phil Yan Polka Band is playing as attendees enjoy a turkey dinner and a silent auction. Thanks to hosts Scott and Caroline Jackson, all proceeds from the Biergarten go to the Lake Erie Islands Conservancy. It’s the last day of the 2023 season for Church of Middle Bass services.
Mon., Oct. 2nd – Tours to the top of Perry’s Monument are still suspended due to the elevator electronic components being damaged by lightning on July 27th. There is no estimation for when tours to the top will resume. Among those picking Catawba grapes in Russ and Lisa’s Brohl’s vineyard are former island resident Sandi Glauser, Sheri and Dave Murphy from the South Shore, and Mitchell Rd. neighbors Colleen and Laureen Mooney, Susan Ferguson, and Monk Nemec. Heineman Winery buys the grapes.
Tue., Oct. 3rd – There is a zoning public hearing for 404 Bayview Ave., the property between the Put-in-Bay Winery at the Doller Estate and the home of Jeff and Kendra Koehler. Owner Melinda McCann is asking to change from Residential-1 to C-2 Commercial. Planning Commission members recommend the property’s zoning not be changed. Pickers are in the Heineman vineyards. Sally Stuckey kayak to Middle Bass and back to PIB. It’s Put-in-Bay Night at the Middle Bass General Store. Among those dining in the evening are Jake and Renee Market and their kids, Maritima and Arthur, Audrey Socha and Joe Bodenbender and their daughter Penelope, Scott, Caroline, Liesl and Cal Jackson, Jeff and Kendra Koehler and Mark and Holly Kirsch.
Wed., Oct. 4th – Diane Nemec and Sally Stuckey kayaks to Mid Bass and visit General Store. Blessing of the Animals is postponed because Father Bob Solon tests positive for Covid. PIB Volunteer Department member Ryan “Doc” Daugherty gives a wonderful two-hour talk about his 2,190-mile hike of the Appalachian Trail at the Fishbowl in the evening.
Thurs., Oct. 5th – The repaving of Put-in-Bay Rd. the last few days is still ongoing. It’s Burger Night at PIBYC. Dick headed south, so “Listen to Larry” Schrader is the grill master.
Fri., Oct. 6th – Former Goat employees Seth Vallucci and Audrey Wyse are married at Mother of Sorrow. A huge tent is set up in the parking lot at the Goat for the reception. It’s the beginning of Fall Ball, the Island Club’s annual customer appreciation party.
Sat., Oct. 7th – The weather is a tad cool for the first day of the annual Oktoberfest. Attendance is not as robust as in years past. A Fish Sampling Techniques Workshop begins at Stone Lab! This is not sampling fish recipes, but an intensive, two-day workshop designed to demonstrate the fish-sampling gears most commonly used by the Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODW) and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) for undergraduate students interested in seasonal agency work and fisheries biology professions. Stone Lab, ODW and OEPA biologists provide hands-on experience with fyke nets, gill nets, trawls, and boat-based, as well as wading electrofishing methods. It’s Karaoke Night at PIBYC. The Chicken Patio in front of the Park Hotel grills its last chickens of the season.
Sun., Oct. 8th – A Mayfly is spotted, which is pretty late in the season. Laura Fogg from Airline Dr. and former Round House, Mojito Bay and Boardwalk employee Katie Stitak run in the 26.2-mile Chicago Marathon. Laura posts her personal best time for a marathon (by a lot)! Next up for the pair is the NYC Marathon. There’s a fundraiser at Mr. Ed’s for Rob and Kelly Mohn whose home on Cooper Lane was flooded in the record-breaking storm at the end of August.
Mon., Oct. 9th – In spite of chilly weather, the shroud over the water tower comes down for a bit giving a hint at how nice it will look when painting is completed. The PIB EMS posts it has immediate openings for Part-Time EMT Basic and EMTs. Barb Hunter has a cocktail/grazing party at her abode at Fox’s Den. Among the guests are Jeff and Kendra Koehler from the Gazette, Barb’s next door neighbor Debbie Larcey, Dave and Sheri Murphy from the end of Conlan Dr., Kathy Schrader from the West Shore, Mary Parker from the Park Place Boat Club, and Joan French from Fox’s Den. Barb and Kathy are past PIB Garden Club presidents and Sheri just became the group’s president. Joan, who turns out to be the life of the party seeing how her husband Richard is in Cleveland, is also the first to leave. We guess Joan learned the old saying “leave’m while they’re still laughing” when she was in high school at Magnificat in Rocky River.
Tue., Oct. 10th – The tent at the east end of the Village Park is the place to be. It’s Reverse Raffle night where attendees all have a chance to win cash and other prizes. Big winners of the night are John Leopold from Victory Woods who walks off with more than $4,000 thanks to his ticket number being called last. Pauline Garsteck from Mitchell Rd. has the lucky key in the key raffle which means she’ll be tooling around the island in a brand new $13,000 golf cart.
Weds., Oct. 11th – PIB Garden Club volunteers take down the flowerbaskets from the light poles around the downtown park. A crew from the Boardwalk is on a small barge taking out the mooring balls in the harbor. On another small barge are two workers repainting the blue on the Crew’s Nest docks. Steve Stapleton from the Monument is optimistic that the seawall portion of the Monument project will be completed this year. The tent at the east end of the downtown park that was used for the Hops & Vine Festival, the Oktoberfest and the Reverse Raffle is being taken down. Fr. Bob Solon officiates at the Blessing of the Animals in the Labyrinth at St. Paul’s. The webcam at the Ship House on the West Shore is back up and running after technical difficulties are finally resolved. Out at the South Bass Island State Park, the last of this season’s Movie Nights takes place.
Thu., Oct. 12th – “Listen to Larry” Schrader is at the barbecue chargrilling beef at PIBYC for Burger Night.
Fri., Oct. 13th – Weather strikes again. Miller’s cancels the first boat in the morning and the last boat at night, but all Middle Bass ferries run on schedule. The Ottawa County Health Dept. is giving Covid shots at the fire station. Some of those who get shots report getting a free $100 debit card good for shopping at grocery stores on the mainland.
Sat., Oct. 14th – It’s cold, windy and downright nasty out. Millers is running an abbreviated schedule, plus giving free car washes on the few ferries that run. The 2nd Annual Scott Pugh Foundation Bay Day at Put-in-Bay at the Twine Shanty field complete with games, inflatables, live music, food and more is cancelled. Michala Wertenbach had prepared all kinds of her wonderful baked goodies for the event and posts she is overwhelmed with how to disperse them white they are still fresh!
Sun., Oct. 15th – The winds are at it again, and ferry service is adjusted accordingly. The Brownbackers are at the Goat. The Boardwalk hosts the Patrick Myers Scholarship and the PIB Vol. Fire Dept. fundraisers at its close down celebration. 50% of all proceeds go to the two beneficiaries.
Mon., Oct. 16th – The Village Council Rules and Ordinance Committee meets to discuss delivery truck regulations that would ban deliveries on the main streets after 10 or 11 o’clock in the morning. There was also a discussion about businesses that use their required designated patron parking spots to conduct business from. The Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce’s fall membership meeting takes place at Frosty Bar in the late afternoon. Frosty’s provides the pizza for all those in attendance as they listen to a discussion about 2023 season ending statistics, membership renewals and the marketing plan and calendar of events for 2024.
Tue., Oct. 17th – Perry’s Monument ends its season and won’t reopen until May 19th, 2024. Several members of the Village Council’s Water and Sewer Committee hear a blow-by-blow rehashing the events surrounding the water line break that shut down parts on the downtown area on August 14th.
Wed., Oct. 18th – Stone Lab staff takes their water quality buoy out of Lake Erie on the Gibraltar III. Interested in the water quality data that was collected from this past summer? Check it out at ohioseagrant.osu.edu/research/live/water. Tom Thanasiu is busy taking docks out of the water in Squaw Harbor. PIB School students travel to Oak Harbor to attend an Academic Challenge meet.
Thu., Oct. 19th – Funeral services for longtime Toledo Ave. resident Lois Jellison are held at St. Paul’s. Following interment at Maple Leaf Cemetery, a reception is held at Hooligans, In the evening, there’s a birthday party for four second graders, Nora Blumensaadt, Vivian Scarpelli, Isla Koch and Evelyn Wertenbach, who all turn 8 years old in October.
Fri., Oct. 20th – At Put-in-Bay Yacht Club, the last Friday night dinner of the season takes place. After a break, the club will reopen with its winter hours.
Sat., Oct. 21st – Even though it is 10 days before Halloween, the island celebrates Halloween at the Bay. The theme at the Forge was “Under the Sea!” which was quite appropriate given the floods they had during the past two years. It’s the last day of the season to get a Cameo Pizza. Mike “Mad Dog Adams” is at the Round House for the last show in 2023. Pat Shepard provides the entertainment at Frosty’s last Saturday of the season. Bob Gatewood provides the entertainment for the last day the Reel Bar is open. At Put-in-Bay Yacht Club, there’s a membership appreciation party to turn off the Cupola Light to end the 2023 season.
Sun., Oct. 22nd – It’s Frosty’s last day of the season. You can still stop by and order pizzas to stock your freezer for the winter. Ray Fogg oversees the turning off of the Whiskey Light at the Round House officially ending its 150th year and the 2023 season. Among the businesses closing for the season are the Brewery, Mossbacks, the Candy Bar, the Surf Shop and Anchor Inn. The last Jet Express of the season gets a fireworks send off as it departs Put-in-Bay for Port Clinton.
Mon., Oct. 23rd – PIB school students have no classes today for “Appointment Day.” NOAA’s National Center for Coastal Ocean Science reports the algal bloom intensity and extent in the Western Basin of Lake Eire has significantly decreased due to seasonal mixing.
Tue., Oct. 24th – It’s a cloud-free day with little wind and temps in the lower 70s. Jillian Koch from the Brewery is surprised in front of the school when Billy Markets sings happy birthday while filming her. The captains and mechanics take Jet Express I and Jet Express II out of the water in Port Clinton for their annual winter nap!
Wed., Oct. 25th – Heineman Winery’s grape pickers wrap up their work in the vineyards for 2023. After school, Island kids don their Halloween costumes and walk the storybook trail through the Dodge Woods Preserve. There are treats for all.
Thu., Oct. 26th – Miller Captain Glenn Cooper and Jackie Taylor boat to North Bass Island and do a bit of biking around the island.
Fri., Oct., 27th – It’s the picture perfect fall day on the Lake Erie Islands. At Stone Lab, field trips have come to an end for the season. There’s a retirement party for Perry’s Monument Superintendent Barbara Rowles at the Fishbowl. She has 38 years with the Park Service. Joe’s Bar has a seafood boil special for $10 a plate. On this date in 1940, movie stars Ann Harding and Katharine Hepburn enjoyed a chubby-wave speedboat ride from Sandusky to Put-in-Bay. Harding had lived on the West Shore (now Joan Booker’s house) with her first husband, Harry Banister, some years before. They reportedly visited points of interest on the island and had a wonderful time. Hepburn commented, “You know, Ann’s well acquainted around here.” Hepburn also told a hotel clerk in Sandusky she was related to Jay Cooke.
Sat.,, Oct. 28th – Island kids and their families enjoy a Halloween parade down Delaware Ave. The Candy Bar is having a half-off sale. Among those picking grapes in Walt Duff’s vineyard are Tim Whitsel, Garrett Geldine, Lisa Brohl, and Patty Sulesky. The grapes are offered at a stand in the front yard of the Duff homestead just like decades before. At the Goat, The fun place to be in the evening is Ryte Spyder Nyte at the Goat. Scott Jackson is making his famous Tom & Scary drinks. Over on Middle Bass Island youngsters enjoy a hayride around the island with stops for trick or treating. Later, there’s a Halloween party at the General Store.
Sun., Oct. 29th – There’s a northeast wind blowing with rain and temps in the 40s as islander rise to start the day. The Browns Backers are at Joe’s Bar enjoying a potluck while they watch the game. It is the last day to eat at Hooligans for the season.
Mon., Oct. 30th – The Put-in-Bay Township Board of Trustees meets in a special meeting to discuss and approve the purchase of roll-off trash containers for Middle Bass and North Bass.
Tue., Oct. 31st – It’s the last day to submit photos for the 2024 Lake Erie Islands Conservancy Calendar. Now that the painting of the water tower is complete, workers begin to transfer the cellphone equipment from the temporary tower back onto the water tower. Island kids are out in full force as they trick or treat around South Bass Island. The first snowflakes of the season are spotted as trick or treating starts.
Putinbay.com is proud to present the Put-in-Bay Gazette’s Island Diary for October 2023, in the November 2023 issue of the Gazette.
To subscribe to the Put-in-Bay Gazette please visit their website by clicking here.
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