Island Diary April 2025

Tue., Apr. 1st – PIB Village Council meets in the morning. Among the items discussed are parking for fishermen in McCann field, the repaving of Langram Rd., and facial recognition cameras for the Village. Dustin Heineman reports Pinot Grigio is being bottled at the winery.

Wed., Apr. 2nd – The first ferry is delayed due to overnight weather.

Thu., Apr. 3rd – Power goes out for some on the island during the night as a wind, thunder, lightning and rain storm goes through the island area. The trucks and boat trailers of out-of-state fishermen are parked around the downtown park as the weather makes for a perfect day to walleye fish. It starts to rain before midnight.

Fri., Apr. 4th – Workers are on the roof of the Boardwalk finishing up repairs that began last fall. The big “The Boardwalk” sign was taken down from the roof several months ago and is still not back in place. Put-in-Bay Cameo Pizza opens for the season as does The Brewery.

Sat., Apr. 5th – It’s dreary rainy foggy day at PIB. Rob Hard from the Black Squirrel posts a photo of three of his fishermen guests with their daily limit of fish.

Sun., Apr. 6th – Overnight the temperature dips into the 30’s. We spot one of the first rental golf carts of the season. On this date in 1941 Lake Erie commercial fishermen complained that too much raw sewage is being pumped into the lake and is killing the fish.

Mon. Apr. 7th – Mike O’Donnell and Jeremy Koebel are rebuilding the front porch of the Bush House on Bayview Ave.

Tue., Apr. 8th – If you have a bird bath, you’ll find it is solid ice when you wake up as the temperature dips into the 20s. A group of the PIB EMS EMTs train to provide emergency care to K9 officer Storm.

Wed., Apr. 9th – Retired PIB School kindergarten teacher Annemarie Eriksen turns 70. The Reel Bar opens. Rain starts after dinner.

Thu., Apr. 10th – Part of Erie Street from Catawba Ave to the bank is closed for part of the morning and afternoon in order to bring in the modular units for new police housing on the Fredericks property. Several island ladies celebrate Justine Cultice’s and Madeline Pugh’s birthdays at Reel Bar in the evening.

Fri., Apr. 11th – Tipper’s opens for the season. On this date in 1927, two Toledo men are captured on Lake Erie after their cabin cruiser, laden with Canadian liquor, was seized and riddled by bullets from the machine gun of a Coast Guard boat. Hundreds of cases of whiskey and barrels of beer were taken.

Sat., Apr. 12th – An Easter egg hunt takes place at the yacht club, and the Pajama Party at Mr. Ed’s. The island young people attend the Put-in-Bay Prom 2025. There were photos at the lighthouse and dancing at the Red Moon. On this date in 1952, a state wildlife investigation begins at Put-in-Bay after many song birds, squirrels and pheasants are killed by a chemical extermination program of rats on the island.

Sun., Apr. 13th – The first PIB preseason Antique Car Parade of the season takes place. There are only two cars. There seems to be a record number of walleye fishermen out on the lake around the islands. Bill Booker celebrates his 80th birthday with a party on the island.

Mon., Apr. 14th – Workers install the “The” portion of the “The Boardwalk” sign on the roof of the west side of Boardwalk. The sign was down all winter and this completes the job of getting it back up. Caroline Jackson from the Goat and Mariah Loud from Mossbacks are at a food show in Cleveland.

Tue., Apr. 15th – Strong prevailing west winds means ferry trips are suspended for the ladder part of the day. Members of the Rec Committee are at the Town Hall filling plastic eggs with candy for the Easter egg hunt on Saturday at Perry’s Cave.

Wed., Apr. 16th – After yesterday’s suspension of ferry service, those on South Bass are happy for today’s resumption. For those stuck on Middle Bass, there’s no scheduled run, so they are stuck and going nowhere until ferry service resumes on the morrow. At the island library, they are celebrating Banana Day by giving out banana candy.

Thu., Apr. 17th – Mr. Ed’s is closed due to computer terminal upgrades. The Village Council meets and discusses leasing the public docks, the over saturation of liquor licenses on the island and the new employee housing at the Fredericks’s property.

Fri., Apr. 18th – People’s cellphones show 82 degrees on the island, but the weather station at the lighthouse just shows a high for the day in the mid-70s. The Island General Store officially opens for the season. The PIB Volunteer Fire Department holds a fish fry fundraiser at the fire station.

Sat., Apr. 19th – Thunder and lighting make their way through the islands about 5 a.m., but lingering light rain doesn’t stop the Easter Egg hunt at mini-golf course at Perry’s Cave. The hunt finishes up at the Town Hall Assemby Room with treats and prizes for the excited island kids.

Sun., Apr. 20th – An Ecumenical Easter Sunrise Service is held on Oak Point. Jason and Amanda Buttrey host island friends at their home on Chapman Rd. Island Earth Week kicks off at Put-in-Bay with a Spring Clean Up at the Nature & Wildlife Center.

Mon., Apr. 21st – Island school kids enjoy the first of two vacation days of no school after Easter.

Tue., Apr. 22nd – As part of the Island Earth Week Challenge there’s a scavenger hunt at the Cooper’s Woods Preserve.

Wed., Apr. 23rd – The Village Council has a special meeting to discuss the possible operation and lease of the Village docks. Chris Smith, owner of the Chocolate Cafe, wraps up his business on Put-in-Bay and moves the last of his operation out of the cellar of the Goat Soup & Whiskey. Goat owners Scott and Caroline Jackson begin the transition to a new business there.

Thu., Apr. 24th – If you watch any of the Put-in-Bay web cans on the internet, you might notice that the Boardwalk Lobster Bisque Cam webcam needs adjustment.

Fri., Apr. 25th – DeRivera Park’s B-Dock officially begins operations for the season. Spring rates for docking a boat are 39 ft. and under $1.25 a foot and 40 ft. and up $1.50 a foot. The annual Arbor Day Celebration is celebrated at the Tree Commission site behind the post office. Susan Byrnes, Lisa Brohl, Kelly Faris, Joe Travis, Laura Thyot, Caroline, Liesl and Cal Jackson, John Galvin, and Jeff and Kendra Koehler get rained on as a Bur Oak is planted next to the Village’s utility employee housing. After the planting, there’s Cameo pizza for everyone. Have you ever eaten pizza in the rain? Bonnie Lukcso visits the island in hopes to attend the Arbor Day celebration for her birthday but is rained out. Instead, she hitches a ride on the back of Justine Cultice’s ATV to get back to the ferry. Frosty’s, The Boathouse, the Red Moon and the Beer Barrel open for the season.

Sat., Apr. 26th – In the afternoon, there’s an open house at Mother of Sorrow’s Cornerstone Room to celebrate the Don and Jess Dress Forever Family and the finalization of adopting their daughters, Aries and Rya. The Round House opens. That Allie Girl is entertaining at the Beer Barrel in the evening.

Sun., Apr. 27th – Islanders learn of Chef John Wrobbel’s accidental passing when he is found in the water near his boat at Kelleys Island in the morning. The Browns Backer Draft Day 5k takes place in the morning. There are five cars in the pre-season antique car parade in the afternoon. By mid-afternoon, there are an estimated 75 to 80 pleasure boats docked at the harbor’s various docks. The Whiskey Light Celebration in the afternoon at the Round House marking the start of the 2025 Put-in-Bay season is packed. Roger Rhoad was given the honor of turning the Whiskey Light on. Island entertainer Ray Fogg performs his song, “Look For The Whiskey Light.” The event is live-streamed for those who miss it. Bird banding begins on Middle Bass.

Mon., Apr. 28th – Susan Market and Olivia Jenkins are busy displaying all their beautiful new merchandise at the Blu Drift shop at the Put-in-Bay Winery. The Citizens Research Group presents results from their Government Restructuring Options Analysis late in the afternoon at the PIB Village Town Hall (see articles in this issue).

Tue., Apr. 29th – Southwest winds in the afternoon make for a rocky ferry ride to the island, plus the ferry going to Middle Bass goes east of the island. Cameo Pizza hosts a fundraiser for the PIB Outdoor Education Club. Cody Kowalski and Lukas Kostura prep a little over 60 pizzas for customers to pick up.

Wed., Apr. 30th – It’s the last day of the month, and the temperature is 30 degrees lower than yesterday. Tomorrow’s forecast calls for temps in the mid-70s. Spring on the Lake Erie islands! Ain’t it grand!