Island Diary May 2026

Fri., May 1st – It’s rainy and cool.  The Lake Erie Islands Historical Society Museum has a “soft” opening. There are areas of the museum that are cordoned off because not all the Heritage Resale Shop inventory has been moved back into their newly remodeled digs.  The first performance of the spring play, The Day the Internet Died, takes place at the Patrick Myers Community Stage. Mossbacks, Mojito Bay and the Upper Deck at the Boardwalk open. On Middle Bass, JF Walley’s opens.

Sat., May 2nd – There is a Garlic Mustard Pull at Cooper’s Woods. It’s clean-up day at Put-in-Bay Yacht Club. Services for Bernie Meyers are held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. The service is followed by a reception in the Undercroft Funeral. The Spring Fling is in full swing at the Island Club. The second performance of the spring play takes place in the evening.

Sun., May 3rd – It seems like the beach at East Point is a favorite spot for visiting fishermen to deposit their fish guts. There are many, many carcasses dumped in piles and washed up along the shoreline between the road and Buckeye. The final performance of the spring play takes place in the afternoon at the Town Hall theater. The second group of this Spring’s Road Scholars arrive on South Bass. Due to wind, the last ferry trip is cancelled.

Mon., May 4th – Paul Ladd is at the Museum refurbishing the large sign the late Jerry Hubschman made years ago.  Back to the Wild, the wildlife rehabilitation center in Castalia, brings critters to the Put-in-Bay Town for an informative program sponsored by the Conservancy, Lake Erie Islands Nature and Wildlife Center, the Put-in-Bay Recreation Committee and Miller Boat Line!

Tue., May 5th – Island voters go to the polls and approve a .5% increase in the Resort Tax. At the Aquatic Visitors Center, there’s a meeting about fish gut disposal. Those in attendance learn about a way to turn fish guts into what looks like ground coffee beans.

Wed., May 6th – The Village’s zoning board holds a public hearing for several zoning issues.  At the DeRivera Park dock, Gill Electric is putting in the main electric panels. 

Thu., May 7th – The PIB Village Council meeting lasts almost 3.5 hours. During the meeting, Mayor Judy Berry swears in two new police officers, Rebekah Willey and Michael Wagner. In the evening, PIB School’s kindergarten through 8th grade students present their spring music program entitled “The Day The Crayons Quit.”

Fri., May 8th – Miller begins its summer ferry schedule. Sweet Siblings opens for the season. Ryan Stoiber is busy making those delicious treats. The Crew’s Nest has its opening party. The mooring buoys are in the harbor.

Sat., May 9th – It’s a beautiful day at the Bay!  Mark Scarpelli putting in the floating docks where Kayak the Bay is located. Miranda Krueger Smercina is waiting tables at the Upper Deck to help with the shortage of staff this early in the season. There’s a rain squall in the afternoon followed by a full rainbow to the east. Nora French wins the weekly raffle at the yacht club. This is her second time this year.

Sun., May 10th – St. Paul’s annual meeting takes place after the morning service. The Mother’s Day Brunch at the Crew’s Nest is packed. No one goes away hungry after the spread Chef Mike Catey and his crew put on. The afternoon turns nice and the Last Resort Ladder Co. is open. The Reel Bar celebrates Mothers Day by offering moms a half price menu item.  

Mon., May 11th – Bird banders Tom and Paula Bartlett are at Barnhills Vineyard property on East Point in the morning.  There are reenactors at the Crown Hill Cemetery putting on a program for the Road Scholar birders.

Tue., May 12th – The Annual Blessing of the Fleet takes place at the Jet Dock. The Jet Express and about 25 members of the MBL crew participate in a full day of safety, security, mutual aid drill and onboard training along with the PIB Police, Ottawa County Sheriff Dept. and Coast Guard Station Marblehead. Cameo Pizza swaps their delivery car for a delivery plane! Mike Pucak from ODNR and South Bass Island State Park puts in a pizza order for a crew he has working on the new State rental on North Bass. Island Air Taxi flies the driver and the pizzas over to feed the hungry crew. Jack Caldwell who enjoyed sailing around the islands in his younger years is with Carole Sackett and donates a yard-long photo to the museum of the harbor during the 1945 Regatta taken by island photographer Otto Herbster. While the 1945 Regatta was taking place that year, the first atomic bomb was dropped on Japan in World War II. 

Wed., May 13th – All those interested in birding are invited to watch the film ‘A Bird in the Hand’ about Tom and Paula Bartlett’s bird-banding work at the Aquatic Visitors Center. The Township’s fish gut dumpster at the transfer station is no longer in use.

Thu., May 14th – The PIB Village Council meets to discuss the number of golf cart licenses and puts a moratorium on golf cart issues for 60 days so it can clarify its ordinance.  The PIB school students ages preschool through 8th grade, take Jet Express III to Toledo on a field trip to Imagination City.  The group is met by Channel 13 TV News when they arrive at the dock. They are delayed coming home when they get stuck waiting for a train to go over a bridge. 

Fri., May 15th – Kendra Koehler, June Stoiber and a group of volunteers are in the newly remodeled Heritage Resale Shop working hard getting things ready for the season. Bob Gatewood takes to the Reel Bar stage for the first time in 2026. You’d never know he’s been entertaining on the island for over 40 years. The kitchen at Joe’s Bar is back! Most of the cribs at the new DeRivera Park dock are filled with stone.

Sat., May 16th – The Island-wide Garage Sale is always a fun event as treasure hunters scour the island for steals and deals. The Cupola is officially lit at Put-in-Bay Yacht Club. Kevin from Noon Sharpening is at the Hardware store sharpening knives, scissors and garden tools. The Put-in-Bay Girl Scout Troop and leaders are at the Museum to plant flowers in their garden. They volunteer to water and take care of the garden there this summer. The PIB Baton Twirling Club has a lemonade stand in front of the Dress home on Concord Ave. All funds raised go toward classes, costumes, travel and entrance fees. There’s a bird walk at the Scheeff East Point Nature Preserve. In the evening, the  Perry Group holds a Season Preview Night at the Monument Visitors Center. Members and potential members are invited to attend.

Sun., May 17th – The volunteers at the Heritage Resale Shop are busy taking in donations of the leftover items that didn’t sell in from many of the yardsales around the island. The Church of Middle Bass begins summer services at the MBI Town Hall. 

Mon., May 18th – The PIB Village Council meets and votes to put a 60-day moratorium on the licensing of golf carts. There’s a big Goodwill truck at the Heritage Resale Shop parking lot to help with the overflow of items coming in after the Island Garage Sale Saturday. The PIB preschoolers through 3rd grade go through Perry’s Cave and then do a little gemstone mining at Perry’s Cave. Special Olympics athletes come to Put-in-Bay on the Jet Express as part of their Torch Run. Nature Camp sessions are filling up fast. On this date in 1853, the schooner JANE, a Canadian vessel loaded with shingles, went ashore on Put-in-Bay Island during a gale that night.        

Tue., May 19th – The beautiful 80-degree day ends with heavy rain around the dinner hour.

Wed., May 20th – The temperature is 30 degrees colder than yesterday. Garden Club members put up 44 hanging baskets of flowers around DeRivera Park, and they enjoy a potluck and member welcome party at the home of the club’s president, Sheri Murphy. The pollen count on the island is low for tree, weed and grass pollen. The temperature is 30 degrees colder than yesterday. In the afternoon, friends and family celebrate Annie Parker’s 97th birthday at the Parker home on Catawba Ave.

Thu., May 21st – Lisa and Mark Berens, Julene Market and Lisa Brohl spread organic fertilizer in the old Basket Vineyard at the Duff Vineyard Preserve. Mark Lekanka and crew member Rian Karr are cleaning up the old barn site. PIB mystery author Bob Adamov is on the island delivering his latest book “Island Shadows.” It’s high school graduation day for Lukas Kostura, Cody Kowalski and Jaylyn Schulkers. The ceremony takes place on the porch of the Visitors Center at Perry Monument. Dick’s Burger Night returns t0 the yacht club with guest grill-master Herb Albrecht.   

Fri., May 22nd – The lake water temperature is 60 degrees. The showcase on today’s episode of “The Price is Right”showcase includes a trip to Cedar Point, and Put-in-Bay with overnight lodging at the Bayshore. Due to wind conditions, the Sonny-S does not run.

Sat., May 23rd – The flags say northeast, but the forecast and instruments say east. The harbor taxi is out in the rain although there aren’t many boats tied to the mooring buoys.  The Sonny-S ferry to Middle Bass has a weather delay. Miller Ferry honors active military and American veterans on the Memorial Weekend with free passenger fare. The bourbon tasting in the evening at the yacht club makes for a perfect finish to the day. Over on Middle Bass, Dan Welsh, owner of the Leroy Brooks steamer, is welcomed to the island with a reception at the Town Hall. The 125-year-old-plus Leroy Brooks was a vessel originally owned by Count Rehberg of the Middle Bass Club.   

Sun., May 24th – Although the day is cloudy and slightly cool, there seem to be a fair number of boats at the docks and in the harbor. There seem to be a fair number of visitors on this holiday Sunday. There is a Memorial Service at the yacht club to remember members who left us in 2025. The ceremony is followed by an Eye Opener reception. 

Mon., May 25th – The National Park Service’s Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial has a Memorial Day Ceremony in the morning to honor those who have served and sacrificed for our country.  LEIHS’s Board Members Dona Mitchell and Marsha Ashley lay a wreath at the Scheible-Downing American Legion Post 542’s Doughboy Memorial in DeRivera Park. Volunteer Russ Brohl welcomes guests coming to visit the island museum. The members of American Legion Post 542 of Ohio hold their annual program on Monday at Maple Leaf Cemetery. After brief remarks,  there is a 21-gun salute. Middle Bass veterans are also honored at the Middle Bass cemetery. Afterwards islanders enjoy a cup of coffee and donut in the newly remodeled Town Hall kitchen.

Tue., May 26th – Crews are applying “Reclamite” coating to West Shore Boulevard. Reclamite is a penetrating, maltene-based asphalt rejuvenator used to preserve and extend the lifespan of asphalt pavements. By restoring lost chemical components in the asphalt binder, it prevents cracking, seals out moisture, and delays the need for expensive resurfacing. The Township has been treating all new pavings with this product. There’s an Italian Wine Tasting Dinner presented by Chef and Sommelier Robby Lucas (PIBHS Class of 1999) at the Reel Bar. 125 years ago on this date, it was reported in the mainland press that there was lots of excitement about oil being discovered on Middle Bass island.

Wed., May 27th – There’s an “open to the public” night at The Crew’s Nest clubhouse! Enjoy dinner with half off select bottles of wine. Russ and Lisa Brohl are over on North Bass Island helping with birdbanding.  While there, they checked out the newly remodeled Fox House, Ellington House and North Bass Island State Park Welcome Center.

Thu., May 28th – Dave Zavagno discusses the America 250th events with more than 40 people at the yacht club in the afternoon before introducing John and Marian King who do a wonderful historic reenactment presentation of President Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln. There’s a special gathering of old island friends at the Chicken Patio as Rhonda Bixler remembers her father Ned Bixler. Ned ran the chicken pit the first couple of years the McCanns first opened it in 1961 and 1962. Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Merz is on North Bass to tour the Fox and Ellington homes and the Welcome Center that were all recently renovated.

Fri., May 29th –  The Put-in-Bay Police Department presents Legal Training for Security Guards in the morning at the Town Hall. Business owners who employ security guards and anyone working in a security role attend. When birdbanding is finished on North Bass Island, Marty Harayada from Middle Bass hauls all the banding nets and equipment off the island in his boat. The first-ever Put-in-Bay Dog Bowl begins at McCann’s Field.

Sat., May 30th – The PIB Dog Bowl event draws quite few people, many who have brought their dogs with them. Over on Middle Bass, there’s a pancake breakfast fundraiser for the MBI Vol. Fire Dept. at the Town Hall. There’s a mainland graduation party at Hopfinger-Zimmerman Park in Port Clinton for Cody Kowalski. On Loraine Avenue, Jake and Renee Market have their grand opening at Put-in-Bay Golf Carts, LLC, the new company that bought many of the golf carts rented out by the late Mark Mathys. A volleyball tournament takes place at the Town Hall field on Middle Bass.

Sun., May 31st – The PIB High School Alumni Lunch takes place at  the Put-in-Bay Winery at the Doller Estate. Registration for the 2026 PIB Community Swim/Sail programs ends. Precipitation for the month of May is about 10% above normal.