The unofficial kick off to the summer was this past weekend, in Port Clinton Ohio. We had a nice long four-day weekend to enjoy some time with friends and get some sun!
We spent Friday running our errands, getting the boat washed down, and settling in for some much-needed time to relax. The Western Basin of Lake Erie is experiencing a midge hatch right now so bugs, bugs everywhere! Midges look like mosquito larvae or tiny mosquitos, they don’t bite but instead fly around everywhere, and dirty up your boat! lol!! A thorough wash down was really needed so we took care of that right away, stocked up the fridge, and got our clothes and bags put away. It wasn’t long before we were ready to meet up with some friends.
Our good friend Kim and Chad joined us for part of the weekend we met up at the marina and headed out for dinner and a quick walk around to see the sights in Port Clinton as the Walleye Festival was just kicking off for the weekend.
The Walleye Festival is an annual event that brings hundreds of people into downtown Port Clinton. This annual celebration coincides with the Memorial Day Weekend events, and includes carnival rides, food trucks, and vendor tents. This year they added a small outdoor stage that hosted live local entertainers all weekend. Memorial Day tributes include a local parade, 5K race, kids fishing derby, and a ceremony honoring local fallen heroes. It is no surprise that this event brings in huge crowds every year!
This was also the opening weekend for the main street entertainment social district in Port Clinton. The main stage has been erected in the one block area of Madison St. in downtown, it was full of talented bands and acts all weekend and will now remain there until the end of the season. Live music is available on the main stage on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with 2 acts daily. The local bars and restaurants also have their outdoor bar areas set up for the season, so get your MORA cups ready and give them all a try, just remember you must finish what is in your cup before entering a new establishment, and any alcoholic beverages must be in the specified MORA container per the social district rules. Watch for signage on where you are allowed to carry your drinks.
In addition to the Walleye Festival, we enjoyed a quick trip with Kim and Chad to the Marblehead Lighthouse! This is a gorgeous lighthouse on the Lake Erie coast, from the top you can see all of the Lake Erie Islands, Cedar Point, and the Catawba Island area. It is 74 steps to the top, and it was a gorgeous day to check it out! We visited the light keepers house, now a museum and gift shop, as well as a replica coast guard station. We got lots of walking in and returned to town where we enjoyed a quick burger at Overboard Bar and Grill, and later dinner at Jolly Rogers, more on that later.
We capped the night off with a bonfire by the lake, it was a perfect evening to sit by the fire and listen to the waves come off the lake.
Sunday was a laid-back day at the pool, followed by a night out with friends.
And Monday we took a long walk around town, a quick meal, and started packing and heading for home! It was a fun-filled, packed weekend, and just what we needed after a busy week! Now, back to the grind, before this coming weekend, where we introduce our little dog Eli to the boat for the first time ever… wish us luck he’s a stubborn little guy! Till next time, thanks for following along! ~Courtney Bailey
Komentáře