Still in East Peoria, IL

Date             September 18, 2011

Day               81

Departure   

Arrival         East Port Marina, E. Peoria, IL     

Miles               

Cumulative   1709.9

NOTE: For a larger view of each picture, click once on the picture (This is new. No longer need to double click)

Due to rainy weather, we decided to stay put.  We took advantage of the lay day and ran a wire from the fly bridge to the main cabin.  This wire will be used to connect the netbook computer to the VHF radio on days that we steer the boat from the inside steering station down below.  This connection will allow us to "see" on the computer the tows that are in front of us or behind us.  The name of the tow, along with its position, course and speed will be displayed on the computer screen.  
Marinas down river will be few and far between, looks like we may have to anchor out more often!

Henry, IL to East Peoria, IL

Date             September 17, 2011

Day               80

Departure    Henry Harbor Marina, Henry, IL  8:45 am

Arrival         East Port Marina, E. Peoria, IL 1:15 pm       

Miles                30.9

Cumulative   1709.9

NOTE: For a larger view of each picture, click once on the picture (This is new. No longer need to double click)

Henry Harbor Marina, where we stayed last night, is on the site of an old lock wall.  There were five boats at the old lock wall.  This lock was the first lock in Illinois and was used for approximately 10 years.

Before we left, in the tree directly across from the dock, a great blue heron was perched at the top of the tree.  He looked really strange, sitting at the top branch, being as large as he is.

A short distance down the river, we saw this grain elevator and all these birds roosting and flying around.  It reminded me of the Alfred Hitchcock movie, "The Birds"!

These riverboats have been abandoned on the riverbank.  They must have been something in their day.

We saw this sandy, shallow area that was absolutely covered with hundreds of white pelicans.  

We caught up to this tow as we traveled along the river.  Lynda called the captain on the VHF radio and requested to pass the tow and what side to pass on.  He responded that we should pass on the "2's".  This meant that we pass him on his port (left) side.

We will be staying at East Port Marina tonight.  The marina is at the end of a long entry channel.  As we traveled the channel, the water depth kept dropping and dropping.  We need 4 feet in order to float.  The depth gauge is set to show how much water is below the keel.  If the depth gauge goes to "0.00" then we are on the bottom.  We got VERY close to sitting in the mud as we made our way into the marina! 

We did make it all the way in, without getting stuck or stirring up too much mud.  If the weather is bad tomorrow, we may stay another night.  Can you see us?  We are at the end of the short dock in the middle of the picture.

Seneca, IL to Henry, IL

Date             September 16, 2011

Day               80

Departure    Springbrook Marina, Seneca, IL 8:55 am

Arrival         Henry Harbor Marina, Henry, IL  6:55 pm       

Miles                49.6

Cumulative   1679.0

NOTE: For a larger view of each picture, click once on the picture (This is new. No longer need to double click) 

Around 7:15 am we saw a tow with 18 barges go past the marina.  We thought OK, we don't need to hurry as they will need to go through the lock that was six miles away and we might just as well wait at the marina than in the river. So we cast off our lines at 8:55 and headed down the river.  When we got to the lock, the lock master said it would be about an hour wait as they were splitting the barges and sending down the first half and we could go down with the second half.  The best laid plans...  So we floated around in the river for 1 1/2 hours or so, they put the second half of the barge/tow into the lock, then we entered.

A second boat joined us in the lock, and we were set to go.  The lockmaster handed us two lines for us to hold onto, then told us that when we got to the bottom, he would sound a horn and that we should fasten the lines to the boat.  This was needed because when the tow starts to leave the lock, it would suck us over to him!  We made sure that the lines were tight when that horn sounded!!

Once the tow left the lock, we had to wait again while they reconnected the two halves.  When they were done and we were able to leave, we requested to pass the tow.  We wanted to make sure we got in front of them since we still had another lock to go through and we didn't want to have to go through this process again as this took almost three hours!
As we proceeded down river, the scenery was stunning,

A sure sign that fall is on it's way and will be here soon!

When we arrived at Starved Rock Lock and Dam we had to wait a short time.  When we could enter, we had to pass about 9-12 barges and jog to the right at the big yellow "cell" that was in front of the barges then jog left to tie to the wall. 

We had to go the the right, around the yellow "cell", as the boat in front of us did.

Here we go, just like threading a needle!

We again were handed two lines to hold, but this time we were in the lock with only one other boat, no barge.  We were through this lock in about 45 minutes from the time we arrived.  This was what we saw just after leaving the lock, must be the "starved rock", beautiful!

How in the world do these trees stand up?  There is no dirt around the roots and the base of the tree was about four feet above the bare roots! 

After a very long day, we arrived at Henry Harbor Marina, tied up and had dinner in the restaurant at the marina.  Wonder what tomorrow will bring??

Joliet, IL to Seneca, IL

Date             September 15, 2011

Day               79

Departure    Joliet, IL Free Dock  7:55 am

Arrival         Springbrook Marina, Seneca, IL 2:55 pm       

Miles                29.8

Cumulative   1629.4

NOTE: For a larger view of each picture, click once on the picture (This is new. No longer need to double click) 

Skipper Bob cruise guide recommends to call the lock before leaving this dock to determine the wait time.  The boat that left just before us did and the lockmaster indicated a twenty-five minute wait.  If we could leave in ten minutes, we would be at the lock before the end of the indicated twenty-five minutes.  We cast off with time to spare, and motored on down to the Brandon Road Lock and Dam.  Here we waited over an hour to enter the lock (so much for the twenty-five minutes!).  These locks are much bigger than the Erie Canal or Trent-Severn locks so they take much longer to fill and empty, about twenty minutes each cycle.  The boat behind us in the lock was near the lock door.  When the water got below the sill and was spilling in the corners, it looked like a waterfall going into the stern of their boat!

OK, we made it through, now 15 miles to the next lock.  As we traveled down the Illinois River, we saw lots of Great Blue Herons and Egrets.  We also saw this:

A duck blind.  This means the water is extremely shallow where the blind is and that in duck season, a reminder to wear orange!
There are three of us that want to go through the next lock, but there is also a tow with 18 barges coming up the river that needs to go through the lock.  Because the tow is too long for the lock, they split it into two sections.  They sent the first section of 9 barges up in the lock and then had to secure them on the lock wall outside the lock.  They are ready for us to go down and we had to travel the length of the first 9 barges, make a jog left and then jog right in front of the barges then enter the lock!  They brought the three of us down, we exited around the second 9 barges as we went merrily on our way.  This took about 3 hours.

Here are the two boats in front of us going around the 2nd 9 barges as we leave the lock

Goodbye Dresden Lock and barges!

Willow was so exhausted from all this waiting, she couldn't take it any longer!

We finally arrived at our destination, Springbrook Marina.  The marina has a courtesy car which we borrowed to go to Radio Shack.  Bob has been looking for a particular item for the computer.  We tried two Radio Shacks in Chicago with no luck.  This particular Shack was located in an Ace Hardware store along with a dry cleaner.  Believe it or not, he found what he was looking for!  After a busy, hurry up and wait type of day, we had dinner and went to bed.

Chicago, IL to Joliet, IL

Date             September 14, 2011

Day               78

Departure    Burnham Harbor, Chicago, IL  8:27 am

Arrival         Joliet, IL Free Dock  4:15 pm   

Miles                34.7

Cumulative   1599.6

NOTE: For a larger view of each picture, click on the picture, then click again for an even larger view!

This morning's sunrise was enhanced by fires that are burning in Montana.

Unfortunately, we were not able to get better Chicago skyline pictures due to the haze caused by the fires.  After leaving the dock, our first stop would be the lock between Lake Michigan and the Chicago River.  After transiting this lock, we then headed down the river, right through downtown Chicago!  It was beautiful and very exciting.  To see the city from the water, after seeing it from the streets, was totally different.  We went through 55 bridges, 2 locks, 1 electric fish barrier and encountered only 3 tows.  What a busy day!!
We are safely tied at the free Joliet Bicentennial Dock wall for the night.

Chicago River, Trump Tower in the center

DuSable Bridge (AKA Michigan Ave Bridge)

Park your boat, then your car and you are home!

Saying good-bye to Chicago!

The lowest fixed bridge (17') that we must go under.  Will we make it?

Yes, we did, with room to spare!!

The yellow signs say "Do not dock between signs."  I wonder what comes out of this pipe??

The beginning of the infamous electric fish barrier.  We didn't see any Asian carp though!

Five loopers leave the Lockport Lock, us, Love Shack, Glory Days, Great Escape and Gull Wing

Great Egret, Black Crowned Night Heron, Little Green Heron and a Great Blue Heron all fishing in the Chicago Sanitary and Shipping Canal, yuck!!

Still In Chicago

Date             September 12, 2011 to September 13, 2011

Day               76-77

Departure    No travel today

Arrival         Burnham Harbor, Chicago, IL   

Miles                

Cumulative   1564.9

NOTE: For a larger view of each picture, click on the picture, then click again for an even larger view!

On Tuesday we met Woody Sutton, the Chicago Harbor Host.  We had a C-map chip sent to his address and he kindly delivered it to us at Burnham Harbor.  He graciously took us to a grocery store (and returned to pick us up!) and a couple of other stops along the way.  Thank you Woody!!  After lunch Bob and Lynda took a Chicago trolly tour around the city.  The trolley makes 14 stops and you can hop off at any of the stops, spend some time sightseeing, and then hop back on again.  Here are some of the Chicago sights we saw...

The DuSable Bridge - Double decker bridge that  carries motor vehicles and pedestrians across the Chicago River

Water Tower

Bob enjoying the trolley tour!

For dinner, we wanted a pizza, afterall we are in Chicago-we have to have a Chicago Pizza.  The trolley tour guide mentioned one of the best pizza places was Giordano's, so we looked on-line, found they delivered and had our pizza delivered to the boat.  We both enjoyed it immensely and once we were finished, we were already home!
On Tuesday, most of the other loopers that were in Chicago headed onward.  Bob and I wanted to do a bit more sightseeing and we were to have lunch with a former co-worker of Bob's who lives in Chicago, so we stayed another day.  I'm sure we will meet up with them again!  In the morning, Bob went off on his bike to the Museum of Science and Industry and Lynda rode her bike to the Shedd Aquarium.  The aquarium was excellent and Lynda thoroughly enjoyed the exhibits. 

I thought the lights on the lobby ceiling were interesting.  Click the picture to enlarge and you can see sea creatures on the glass panes.

There was a special exhibit of "jellies" that was amazing

After the museums, we went to Millenium Park to meet Bob's co-worker, Lynn, for lunch.  We had to stop and see "the bean" and take pictures! 

Cloud Gate, AKA "the bean"

Bob and Lynda under the bean

Bob and Lynn

Bob on the BP Bridge

Buckingham