Get an inside look at Lake Erie science and history this summer at one of our Put-in-Bay landmark tours. All tours are described on this page.
Have you ever wondered what kind of research goes on at Ohio State University’s Stone Laboratory? Want to see Cooke Castle?
Science and History Tours of Gibraltar Island will be held each Wednesday, June 17-August 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. A $10 tour fee supports Stone Lab student scholarships. To get to Gibraltar, meet at the Boardwalk Restaurant Harbor Taxi Landing on South Bass Island by 10:45 a.m. to catch a water taxi at a cost of $6 round-trip.
In the first hour, groups will take a guided tour of the island, including Perry’s Lookout, the glacial grooves, Stone Lab buildings, and the outside of Cooke Castle. The second hour will focus on the Lake Erie research currently being conducted at Stone Lab
Tours are provided on a first-come, first-served basis, with a maximum of 75 people. For $10, participants can order a boxed lunch to enjoy after the tour. Orders must be placed when arriving on the island.
Check out the view from the South Bass Island Lighthouse tower and learn about Lake Erie issues and the area’s historical shipwrecks every Thursday through Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. starting June 18. The final tours for the summer will be held Friday, August 21.
Tickets are $2 per person and free for children younger than six.
The Aquatic Visitors Center on South Bass Island, formerly a State Fish Hatchery, is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday through August 23. The public is invited to fish for free from the center’s docks; children under age 16 can fish without a license. Admission is free.
Children can take part in hands-on activities at the newly reopened each Saturday from 4 to 5 p.m. through August 22. The schedule of speakers and topics includes:
CSI: Lake Erie is a three-stop guided tour, held Thursdays through Saturdays through September 6, 2009, beginning at 10 a.m. The “CSI” in CSI: Lake Erie stands for “Culture and Science Investigation”.
Participants meet at Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial before traveling to the newly reopened Aquatic Visitors Center for an up-close look at spirogyra and other organisms concealed in Lake Erie’s waters, as well as an investigative journey through fisheries management. The second stop, South Bass Island Lighthouse, brings to light the importance of working together to restore our most precious resource – the Great Lakes. The final stop, Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial, offers a glimpse into the Battle of Lake Erie and how that victory fostered a cooperative and peaceful relationship with Canada that has continued until today—an important component of protecting the Great Lakes.
At the end of the tour, participants are sworn in as official Lake Erie Investigators and sign a pledge to become better stewards of our heritage and environment. Cost is $5. Reservations are recommended, though walk-up visitors will be admitted on a space-available basis. To register, call the National Park Service at 419.285.2184, ext. 227.
