Wednesday - June 23

 Cloudy most of today till late afternoon and in the low 70's.     We left Cleveland (with fond memories) and had a rough ride for 2/3 of the trip till the waves settled down.   It was not what had been predicted???   We stopped at Gem Beach Marina on Catawba Island for fuel and pump out and then another 8 miles to Middle Bass Island.   Along the way we saw (from 2-3 miles away) the many roller coasters from Cedar Point.

Zoom in to see Cedar Point

We are staying at Middle Bass State Park on Middle Bass Island - very nice facility and very quiet.    We followed C.A.L.M into the marina and Catrina is the only boat docked on A dock.    We checked in at the office, got info for the ferry and then took the 2:30 ferry to Put-In-Bay.    Joyce and Larry rode with us and a few other folks for a short 15-minute trip island hopping.

WOW.....what a difference - we knew from 13 years ago (2008 when we were last in Put-In-Bay) what a happening place this island is and that has not changed.  Here we are on a Wednesday and it was very busy with golf carts, people, packed restaurants, etc.   We had lunch at Hooligan's Irish Pub (Reuben for me and Shepherd's Pie for Mark - both delicious).   He sat on a park bench overlooking the lake and I checked out a few shops.

We came back on the 5:00 ferry and settled in for the night

Beautiful hydrangeas at marina office

Golf carts are everywhere!

The crew of "C.A.L.M"

Larry and Joyce

Leaving Put-In-Bay

Perry Peace Memorial

We went to the top in 2008

The Lonz Winery on Middle Bass Island (100 year-round residents) was once the largest producer of wine in the nation.  

It was a very popular tourist spot until July of 2000 when it abruptly closed after a terrace wall collapsed killing 1 guest and injuring 75.    It reopened on this very day - June 23, 2017 not as a winery but as the centerpiece of a knockout, waterfront state park.

They really did a first-class job in preserving this very old structure!

Walked over to B Dock to say good bye to Larry and Joyce and wish them safe travels as they head to Detroit tomorrow.