"An island," asked Billy Florence? "No way," stated Fred Harteis. "Yes, indeed," countered Jody Victor. "Catawba Island is truly ‘a body of land entirely surrounded with water.’"  When first driving around this two mile wide, seven mile long piece of land, you may not notice the place where the two main thoroughfares, the "sand road," and "lakeside road", form a cross, or fork where an unpretentious bridge has been thrown across a narrow ditch. This ditch, terminating at the lake, is all that now serves to make Catawba an island. Long ago it was a narrow, but clearly defined channel that extended between it and the mainland. Among the Indians who as late as 1831 made the wilds of Catawba a rendezvous, there was a legend that the course of the Portage River extended originally where only the ditch now remains, and that the water of this river, flowing towards its outlet at West Harbor, formed the island.

The island’s westerly shore is broken by a line of high bluffs – lime rock formations that are cave indented and picturesque. Numerous relics, including arrow heads, coins, pipes, hatchets and human bones, have been unearthed in recent years, around "Sugar Rock," a curious formation on the west shore, rising cone-like into view with a small lake at its base. It is thought to have been a favored spot by the Ottawa Indians who probably used it as a burial site and returned annually, even after they had moved farther west, to perform ceremonies. Many generations of Indians hunted, trapped, and fished along the Lake Erie shoreline but left few obvious traces of their long residence on Catawba Island.

The French were the first Europeans to explore Lake Erie. They came to trade with the Indians for furs, and did build some permanent settlements.

During the War of 1812 General Harrison had men stationed on Catawba Island to prevent a possible English invasion, and some of these may have settled down as permanent residents.

In the first half of the nineteenth century this part of Ohio was still the frontier, and the fertile farmland and good climate attracted many settlers. In 1840 Ottawa County was created from townships in Wood, Sandusky, and Erie Counties, and included the Bass Islands. In 1861 Ottawa County was divided into several townships. And the present Catawba Island Township was named for the variety of grape growing on many acres there.

Grape growing became an important part of Catawba’s economy when Nicholas Longworth, of Cincinnati, brought the first Catawba Grape vines there from North Carolina. The Mon Ami Winery was built in 1871, and has had many owners. Norman Mantey converted the first floor of the winery to a restaurant, which he called The Mon Ami Champagne Company and is still operating today. Just the type of restaurant, with its’quaint charm, and interesting menu to attract friends Jody and Kathy Victor, Fred and Linda Harteis, Orrin and Laurie Woodward, and Billy and Peggy Florence.

Commercial fishing, started in 1840 by Henry Ellithorp, was a profitable industry employing many men, until its swift decline in the 1950’s. But sport fishing in this area has grown to include fishing almost year round. Fred and Orrin I’m sure would love to experience the fishing.

Apple and peach orchards were started commercially in the 1870’s and still produce some of the finest fruit available anywhere. "On your way home, after riding the ferry from Put-in-Bay, stop by one of the roadside fruit stands and you will see what we mean," suggests Jody and Kathy.

For visitors’ recreation, the Catawba Island State Park provides boat launching facilities as well as picnic and parking areas. The township currently owns 17 acres off N.E. Catawba road towards the point and maintains this as walking trails and a nature preserve.

The water levels of lake Erie have always moved up and down, and storms and hard winters have caused much erosion since the first homes were built. Some farms have been allowed to grow up in woods again, some buildings have disappeared, many buildings have been built, but probably the early residents would have little difficulty recognizing Catawba Island today. Many links with the past remain, to be studied and treasured by all who come there. It is a unique place, with a rich heritage of Indian, French, English, and American contributions.

Because it is just a short run in Thunder Love the next time Billy and Peggy Florence, Fred and Linda Harteis or Orrin and Laurie Woodward are visiting Kathy and I think we will run out to Pelee Island.

With 10,000 acres of vineyards, farms, beaches, parks and forest, Pelee Island is almost any visitors dream island. Even though it is the southernmost inhabited point in Canada, over half of the 50 American states are north of Pelee, including Northern California. Pelee Island is on the same latitude as the prestigious wine regions of the world, including Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, and Napa Valley, California. High winds blowing off the lake, a high number of frost-free days, and a deep soil base insure prime growing conditions for grapes.

Stretching around the perimeter of the island the main road provides an excellent route to cycle or walk. For nature enthusiasts there are over 10,000 unique species inhabiting Pelee Island. Bird watchers come every year to witness the seasonal migration of hundreds of bird species at Fish Point Nature Reserve.

There are several other points of interest such as the Vin Villa ruins – all that remains of Canada’s first commercial winery. The recently restored Pelee Lighthouse, built in 1833 to guide ships through the treacherous Pelee Passage. And the museum located at the west dock which has an exhibit on shipwrecks claimed by Lake Erie’s shallow waters during storms and naval battles, and an amazing exhibit on Al Capone and his rum runners who used Pelee Island as a stepping stone into Ohio during Prohibition.

Other activities include fishing, trails for hiking, long sandy beaches and camping. A number of Bed and Breakfasts and restaurants are also available.

Whether you get to Pelee Island by the ferry from Sandusky or by plane you are sure to find its natural beauty and many activities, make for a memorable day, weekend, or vacation.

~  Jody Victor

Every time we have visited Kelleys Island, located in the western basin of Lake Erie about four miles north of Marblehead and twelve miles from Sandusky, we have always found new things to do and see. The entire island measures more than four square miles and is the largest fresh water American island in Lake Erie. 

Our first visit to Kelleys Island, around 1975, was just for a day as pedestrians. The twenty minute ferry ride itself is captivating – standing on the main deck catching the spray, or going inside or topside to see the view going up and down in those infamous Lake Erie waves. Kelleys Mansion, built by island co-founder Addison Kelley in the 1860’s, was our first stop. The Mansion, which features beautiful woodwork, rose colored cut glass windows, and a unique free standing spiral staircase, can be toured daily for a small donation. We would love to bring our friends Jody and Kathy Victor, whose own home is gorgeous, to tour the Mansion. 

We rented bicycles (golf carts are also available) and cycled around the quiet town, shopped at Kelleys Cove and The Village Peddler, ate lunch at The Casino right on the docks, and later had some ice cream at Dipper Dan’s Ice Cream Stand. We found out that you can also charter fishing and sailing boats from several locations, take ferry cruises to other islands, visit Kelly Island Wine Co. for wine tasting and tours, rent boats and jet skis, take hikes through the state park, and observe many birds and other wildlife in their beautiful, natural habitat, plus much, much more. We could not wait to come back and bring our friends Fred and Linda Harteis and Orrin and Laurie Woodward for the fishing and shopping. 

A week at Kelleys Island State Park was our next visit. Our campsite was close to the beach where we made campfires in the evenings and listened to the waves and watched the stars. In the morning we walked a few short steps to the sandy beach and wriggled our toes in the cool blue water. One late afternoon we took our boat out from the free, double boat launching ramp, just past the swim buoys, to fish. No sooner did we have our lines in the water than we started catching white bass. It was exciting watching the frenzied school of fish feeding and practically jumping in our boat. Those white bass tasted as wonderful that evening as the walleye, perch, catfish, or smallmouth also caught around Kelleys and Lake Erie. When I didn’t want to cook we ate dinner at The Village Pump, Island Café & Brew Pub, or one of the many other dining spots. 

On another trip to Kelleys we took our two school-aged boys for a week. One of their favorite sights is the Glacial Grooves State Memorial. It is the largest and most spectacular example of glacial grooves left in the world and measures 400 foot by 35 foot wide. They also enjoyed Inscription Rock State Memorial, a flat-toped limestone boulder on the south shore of Kelleys Island. The faint pictographs of men, birds, and animals carved by the Erie Indians 300-400 years ago, are signs of the island’s era as an Indian hunting ground. Being boys, they also loved the hiking trails, bicycling, the beach, and fishing off the stone pier. Our friends Billy and Peggy Florence would love this island too. But Billy would have to leave his plane behind, the Kelly’s Island airstrip is not quite large enough for a jet landing. 

No matter if you visit Kelleys Island for one day or one week at the campgrounds, bed and breakfasts, cottages, condos, or apartments, you can’t help but have fun and feel relaxed on this enchanted island of lush greenery, interesting wildlife, and sparkling blue water.

~ Erie Gal

Middle Bass, called Ile des Fleurs or Island of Flowers is a low green island with friendly people, blue water, glacial grooves, small houses, rental cabins, camping, beaches, marinas, an historic district, a wildlife refuge, and soon an Ohio State Park. The French explorer Robert LaSalle landed on the Island in 1679.  It was he and his men that named the island the Floral Island because they were impressed by the island’s beauty. 

Descendants of 19th century German settlers still live on the island; their families’ vineyard is gone now, but they play an important role in today’s island community. Some seasonal residents are sixth-generation summer islanders. Newer residents give the island their energy, enthusiasm, and diversity.

The earliest known inhabitants of the lower Great Lakes region were the Ottawa Indian tribe, whose name means "trader," and the Wyandot (Huron), whose name is believed to mean "islander" or "dweller on a peninsula." Pictographs carved several hundred years ago into a huge slab of limestone known as Inscription Rock on Kelley’s Island attest to the presence of Indians on the islands in Lake Erie ’s western basin.

During the early 1700’s, the Wyandot who had settled in the Lake Erie area, traded with the French and other Indian tribes peacefully until war broke out between Britain and France over fur trading and land. Britain won but gave up the area at the conclusion of the Revolutionary War at which time U.S. Citizens bought parcels.

Jose de Rivera Saint Jurgo bought the island in 1854 to cultivate for grape production until he sold it in 1864. In 1866, one of the new owners, Andrew Wehrle established the Golden Eagle Wine Cellars, which soon became one of the largest wineries in the country.

In 1884, island resident Peter Lonz established his own winery on the island. The Bass Islands earned the nickname " Wine Islands " and the wines they produced were compared favorably to fine French vintages. In 1926, Peter Lonz and his son, George, merged their own winemaking business with the remains of the Golden Eagle Winery after a fire destroyed parts of it in 1923. The Lonz winery was successful until July of 2000 when they closed.

The shell of the Lonz Winery can still be visited along with glacial grooves, historical areas, beaches, and marinas. Access is by public ferries, private boats and planes, and air services.

The Kuehnle Wildlife Area is a protected 20 acre pond managed by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.  The pond is a favorite quiet spot for the Victor’s, Florence ’s, Harteis’ and Woodward’s. 

~ Jody Victor

 

July 31st the Sandusky Bay and Lake Erie were illuminated with a beautiful full moon however my neighbor shared with me that this was a Blue Moon. As we were walking along the Boardwalk and looked out across the Bay what a sight. The water sparkled for miles as we watched the glow of the moon raced across the Bay. This was the night to fire up Thunder Love and take off across the Bay and head out to Lake Erie. The Blue Moon would give us ample light to easily navigate our way home with a GPS. 

What is a Blue Moon?

For a Blue Moon to occur one month must have two full moons. The average time between full moons is 29.5 days. The first full moon in July was on the 2nd and the second full moon was the 31st the second one is called a Blue Moon. So when you hear someone say once in a blue moon they perhaps mean to say not very often. The next full month with two full moons will be June 2007. 

I am making plans for Billy, Fred, and Orrin to join me for a passage onboard Thunder Love for a spirited ride across the Lake with the Blue Moon as our navigator.

~ Jody Victor

Johnson’s Island Preservation Society has a space in downtown Marblehead, Ohio for visitors to learn first-hand the history of Johnson’s Island. The Information Center has displays of both Civil War memorabilia and Johnson’s Island Resort artifacts. The official address is 414 West Main Street, Marblehead, Ohio on the second floor. The Information Center is open on Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 5PM starting with Memorial Day and continues through Labor Day.

To get to Johnson’s Island you must travel by automobile unless someone who lives on the island provides you dockage for your boat. There is no air strip for planes. Driving is the best along Route 163 out of Marblehead you will come upon a Historical Marker at Gaydos Road. 

Turning onto Gaydos Road you will find a toll both that cost $2.00 to pass through before the Causeway to Johnson’s Island. The drive must be cautious and be sure to drive slowly. You will come across children, golf carts, deer, pedestrians, balls, and other drivers who suddenly stop to sight see or dodge objects. Go slow!

As you enter Johnson’s Island you can travel down Confederate Drive on your left you will see the Confederate Cemetery. This is not just any Confederate Cemetery but one with over 200 Confederate Officers who died during the Civil War on Johnson’s Island while confined as Prisoners of War. Thousands of Confederate Officers survived their confinement and the Society provides much data about them and the Union garrison stationed on Johnson’s Island. There are many artifacts such as diaries, letters and documents in the privately held collection will be available. 

Following the Civil War Johnson’s Island became an island resort for home owners and the construction on the island is still happening today. The quarry on the island has provided stone for Cedar Point, Cleveland and Lorain breakwaters. The island has great views of Lake Erie, Sandusky Bay and Cedar Point. Recently the quarry was developed into beautiful home sites. Some of the new homes are on the water level while others are strategically placed around the very top of the quarry with great views and long walks down to their boats. 

Whether you are from the south like Billy Florence, have family roots from the south like myself, live near Gettysburg like Fred or simply love to study history like Orrin you will enjoy the trip to Johnson’s Island.

Sandusky Bay and Lake Erie is a beautiful experience for the whole family.

~ Jody Victor

When boating on Lake Erie you can come across Yellow Cans with Markings A-Can through L-Can and you need to pay attention. The rectangle areas the Cans mark are a Danger Zone. Inside the area are many reefs such as Little Pickerel reef, Flat Rock Reef, Crib Reef, Toussaint Reef, Round Reef, Locust Point Reef, Turtle Reef, and Crane Reef but you would not want to be boating or fishing around these reefs inside the Danger Zone without paying close attention.

The Danger Zone marks the areas of Lake Erie that border Camp Perry Military Reservation. The marked buoys represent Camp Perry Range Cans. Each one has its’ own latitude and longitude clearly publish on all maps and guides for boating and fishing in Lake Erie. 

If you are going to Camp Perry for the first time to take in the National Rifle & Pistol Association Matches or just want to get information to browse around. There is a great site to help you: http://www.jarheadtop.com/article_campperry.html explores all of the possibilities.

The Camp Perry today is very different that my first experience in 1972. We were all loaded up in a convoy of military jeeps and trucks to drive from Akron, OH to Camp Perry. We arrived at night and it appeared to be much like entering a Prisoner of War Camp. Long bleak road with row after row of Huts sitting on concrete slabs fourteen feet by fourteen feet. When you reached your assigned Hut you were greeted with the noise of a banging single door and inside were four beds with only a single rail to hang a towel from. The hut had three windows one on each wall the door was not on. In the center of the hut was a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. If yours did not work you stole one from another Hut before the next Battalion arrived to occupy it. Hey where was the bathroom? Don’t ask was the suggestion from others who had been there before. It was an experience that would leave a mark. Our Ohio National Guard Unit participated every year in a training exercise at Camp Perry to qualify ourselves with the weapons we were assigned. Every member was carefully screened and notations made as they had to fire at the range to stay qualified for their MOS. 

Today many people visit Camp Perry for the July 9th through August 17th National Rifle and Pistol Matches. This is considered the World Series of the Shooting Sports and has been held here since 1907. All of the local papers will announce the dates and many new faces will appear in the local towns as people will gather from all over to come and participate. This event will bring together the nation’s best civilian and military marksmen and women. The event dates show that this runs for five weeks of rifle and handgun competition. This is right up Fred Harteis’ alley. He loves to shoot and even loads his own ammunition. When Billy Florence, Orrin Woodward and I take in the action we will be looking to Fred to explain the protocols. The National Rifle Association Championships are held at the same time and the public is welcome and invited to watch at no charge. 

When you check out Camp Perry today, gone is the Mess Hall and in its place is The Club House. The Club House located on Camp Perry grounds can host a banquet from ten to five hundred. You can book a Conference for one day or a week or schedule a gathering of your Team like MMP, TOD, DCI, or Biznet.

Avoid the Danger Zone when boating and fishing. Race along with us throughout the Sandusky Bay and Lake Erie beautiful waters. 

~ Jody Victor

What a thrill to climb aboard the Ammerman’s 38 foot Apache Pow Wow. This baby has twin engines delivering 500 Horsepower each. This is a rocket experience! In our Sandusky Bay Harbor Thunder Love sits out of the water on top of the Hydra Lift to avoid sitting in the Bay water and having the water residue cling to the bottom of the boat. While our smaller boat XS sits in the water even though it is new because we had the bottom painted by Marine Max to protect it. The Ammerman’s helped me learn about Timmerman’s Hydra Lift to protect Thunder Love. The Apache sits out of the water too and looks awesome! 

When our Diamond friends from WIN came to visit the Ammerman’s gave us all a ride thundering across Sandusky Bay, navigating around Cedar Point boat traffic and out onto Lake Erie. While Thunder Love gave us speeds in the 70’s we were thrilled as much as if we were riding the Top Thrill Dragster when the Apache was running across the waves at 82 mph. 

Billy Florence loves speed but he is much more comfortable in the air when he pilots airplanes. Fred Harteis loves speed but it is measured in the velocity of the ammunition heading toward its’ target. Orrin Woodward loves speed but he usually measures it in historic battles of the past. 

The Hydra Lifts are a blast to use. They run on vegetable oil through hydraulic lines operated by the remote controls. The Hydra Lifts provide a safe environment for boaters who desire to have their boats out of the water by their docks. The Hydra Lifts sit on the bottom of the Bay and require no attachments to a sea wall. The installation is unique and fun to watch as they launch the Hydra Lift using huge floats and a five horsepower motor to deliver it to your dock area.

It takes a Team to sit the dock in place but once it is in place one individual can climb in his boat, use the remote to lower the boat and back off the area to spin around the Bay. The initial preparation takes a real Team effort much like observing my friends Billy, Fred, and Orrin building their Business Teams. 

The Ammerman’s made our day and we are thankful they steered us to the Hydra Lift for Thunder Love.

~ Jody Victor