Living On A Fresh Water Island

What’s it like to live on an island in the middle of Lake Erie?

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Every summer I live at Put-In-Bay, Ohio. Just for a week. I’ve been there so many times that it’s almost become home. It’s where I pretend to live for a very short while.

Put-In-Bay is on South Bass Island, which is a solid rock in the middle the blue-green waters of Lake Erie. The island is only reachable by boat or private plane, so you float or fly over. Kinda makes the island feel exclusive.

This year I lived at the State Park in the RV for a week. It’s a shady haven high on the cliffs overlooking the lake. You can see the skyline of Toledo on the distant horizon.

Once camp is set up, I like to head for the Boardwalk down by the marina. They serve the world’s second-best lobster bisque. (First best goes to a little shack restaurant in Iceland.)

I’ve figured out the easiest way to get around the island is by bicycle. I can pedal down all the private roads where golf carts are prohibited.

I’ve been coming here for so long I’ve made a few friends on the island. They are summer residents – the lake winters are too brutal to stay year-round.

Put-In-Bay’s most prominent feature is Perry’s Monument, which can be seen from every side of the island.

You get a lot of exercise when you live on an island. Hiking and biking helps even out the excess calorie intake from all the good restaurants.

Weather is ever-changeable on an island. Sunny, overcast, rainy, sunny again. All in one day. Kinda like Kentucky.

A water taxi brought me to Middle Bass Island where I also lived. Okay, it was just an afternoon visit, but I have a rich imagination.

Middle Bass is a much smaller island, but you can feel the layers of that laid-back vibe.

I biked Middle Bass Island until it was time to catch the boat back. There was some concern the water taxi wouldn’t return due to high winds. A local resident offered to loan me a toothbrush should I be stuck overnight. It wasn’t needed, which was good. I really didn’t want to sleep on the dock.

By the end of the week it was time to leave my island home and return to the real world. Sigh – it was a good fantasy for a few days.

See you next year, Put-In-Bay. Je reviens!