CANCELLED: Kelley's Island, Ohio "Navy Days" festival

[Capt Pat]

The second Kelley's Island "Navy Days" maritime festival will be held Father's Day Weekend, June 20-21 2020 on Kelley's Island. They are inviting military vehicle owners to bring their vehicles to the island for the event. Its both days, Saturday and Sunday, but the parade will most likely be held on Saturday afternoon. The Kelley's Island Ferry Boat Line is providing FREE transport for the military vehicle and driver to and from the island that weekend. (any passengers with the military vehicle will be charged to normal foot traffic ticket rate) There is primitive camping available free at the West Bay Inn near the old quarry dock. The West Bay Inn and Marina will be the headquarters for the event as well.
There is also planned a retired military watercraft/amphibious vehicle rendezvous with a Blessing of the Fleet, marine parade and an amphibious landing planned. An ex-Navy LCM-8 will be available on the beach, ramp down at the West Bay Marina for about two hours both Saturday and Sunday afternoons to allow vehicle owners to back their vehicles onto the "Mike" boat and have their picture taken doing a 'beach landing' (you'll be "dry ramped" of course so your baby doesn't have to use a fording rig) A donation of $10.00 will be asked with the profits going to the island's EMT/Emergency Services program. (almost everyone has to be flown off the island to a hospital so they always need a little help )

 

[Another Ahab]

Very cool event.

Is there a signifcant USN presence around the area that explains the (seemingly) major collection of USN landing vessels?

 

[Capt Pat]

Very cool event.

Is there a signifcant USN presence around the area that explains the (seemingly) major collection of USN landing vessels?

The landing boats LCM-8's were Naval Reserve stationed in Cleveland then transferred to Buffalo when their LCU went back active duty. The boats were excess after that and we ended up with them to train Naval Sea Cadets and Sea Scouts. (we being the Firelands Military Vehicle Group) But there ARE quite a few ex-military watercraft and amphibious vehicles in the area. Bridge building boats, Coast Guard cutters utility boats LARC-V's, (we have three of those), a couple LVT's and even a wooden LCVP that one of our members is working on and wants to sell. Liberty Aviation Museum has two Vosper WWII PT boats they're working on and more. A couple ex Army, later Navy minefield maints. (Box "L" boats) and more. And no its just something that happened, no serious military presence.

 

[Capt Pat]

Well, it had to happen. The "Soft Opening" of the Lake Erie Islands to summer started Memorial Day Weekend, and NOBODY took the 'social distancing' seriously. (like anybody is going to when they';re in the Roundhouse Bar or in Frosty's for pizza and beer on Put-in-Bay) But the powers that be (read public health commissioners here) freaked out and weighed in. ALL EVENTS ON THE ISLANDS ARE CANCELLED AT LEAST THROUGH JULY 2nd. and possibly longer. So unfortunately the KELLEYS ISLAND "NAVY DAYS" event is cancelled for the year 2020 (apparently the "year that wasn't". But we'll be back larger with MORE fun and things to do as well as free transport of military trucks and drivers to and from the island. Maybe we'll have the 'Retired Military Watercraft Rendezvous' thoroughly thought out by then as well. SORRY.