Vandals Ruin Put-in-Bay StoryWalk®

Vandals, in recent weeks, made their mark on the beautiful StoryWalk® in Put-in-Bay Township Park District.  A $1,000 reward is offered for the arrest and prosecution of the vandals who destroyed property at the Dodge Woods Preserve..

An individual, or individuals, sawed through a 4” metal post and removed one of the StoryWalk® signs at the Dodge Woods Preserve.    The stand and frame were donated to the Erie Islands Library by the Put-in-Bay Post of the American Legion.  It appears someone tried to pull a second post from the ground and broke it off, leaving the sign behind on the ground. This stand and frame was donated by the Put-in-Bay Senior Center. Replacement cost for a stand and page frame is approximately $525.00.

All Park District Preserves and the parking lots of the Preserves are closed at night.  Anyone who sees activity at night in the preserves or in the parking lots of the Preserves are asked to call the Put-in-Bay Police (419) 285-3692.

Island Green Week Returns!

Island Green Week celebrates natural beauty, ecology, and history.  From August 7th – August 15th 2021, Lake Erie Islands Nature & Wildlife Center, Lake Erie Islands Conservancy, Stone Laboratory, and Put-in-Bay Township Park District produce an array of events to support and highlight island natural, historical, and cultural resources. These events educate and interpret our resources so that they may be used and loved for many years to come.

For complete details, click Special Edition Green Week Flyer.

Lobster Mania Fresh from Maine at The Boardwalk

EVERY WEDNESDAY 5-8pm ON THE MAIN DECK

Lobster ManiaCranberry Isles, Maine — Jack Booker

The Boardwalk restaurant celebrates Lobster Mania on Wednesday evenings during the summer months.  All the lobsters served, and those used in the famous Boardwalk Lobster Bisque, are flown in from Maine and Nova Scotia.  Every batch of bisque contains 35 lobsters, and during the season the Boardwalk processes 6500 pounds of lobster–the equivalent of 3.25 tons!

I recently enjoyed the opportunity to spend four hours with lobstermen who previously supplied The Boardwalk.  Captain David Thomas and his crew Paul live on a small island off the coast of Southwest Harbor, Maine, called Little Cranberry Island.  The two men are involved in a co-op with several other local fishermen for distribution purposes.  They go out around 7:30am and often do not return until 5pm.  Their mission–check between 100 and 200 lobster traps every couple hours.

The captain takes the boat to the nearest lobster trap buoy, hooks it, and then reels in the line.  As the boat continues toward the next pot, Captain Thomas and Paul pull up the trap, lift out the lobsters, change the bait, and then toss the pot back into the water.  Paul measures the lobsters, checks to see if any are pregnant (in which case they are thrown back), and then he places rubber bands on the claws.  Captain Thomas and Paul work six months of the year; some co-op members fish into December.  Overall, the co-op collects a few hundred tons of lobster each year.

The videos below reveal the lobsterman’s work in living color!

Boardwalk Harbor Taxi Leads Amphicar Parade

Boardwalk Harbor Taxi Audrey-B led an amphibious car parade from the Put-in-Bay Village boat ramp to The Boardwalk and then out to the channel between South Bass Island and Middle Bass Island.  The Amphicars motored fearlessly on to the Middle Bass Island State Park as part of their annual Put-in-Bay Rendezvous.  While passing by The Boardwalk, Harbor Operations staff sounded the Master’s Salute.  Captain Berni Steinbach, at the helm of the Audrey-B, was accompanied by Mr. Marvin Booker and Brad Ohlemacher and his guest.

Details about the  unique vehicles are available at Wikipedia and from the International Amphicar Owners Club.