East Peoria, IL to Beardstown, IL

Date             September 19, 2011

Day               82

Departure    East Port Marina, E. Peoria, IL 7:15 am

Arrival         Logsdon Tug Service, Beardstown, IL 5:00 pm    

Miles               68.1      

Cumulative   1778.00

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


This morning started somewhat overcast, but the forecast was for clearing.  We weren't sure where we would stop for the night, but we wanted to get an early start as it looked like it might be a long day.  As it turned out, the skies cleared by mid-afternoon and it was one of our longer days.  Tonight we are not at a marina, a dock, or a lock wall.  Tonight is a new experience as we are tied to a barge!  Along the riverbank is a double row of four barges.  We are one of five boats (all loopers!) tied to the barges.  There are no services here (restrooms, water or electric) and the nightly fee is $1.00/ft; at least we can get the dogs to shore, we just have to climb on and over the barges!
Today we saw quite a few Golden Eagles and one Bald Eagle.  Unfortunately, they were all too far away to be able to get a good picture.  Below are some of the sights we saw in our travels along the Illinois River today.

This looks like a two story eagle nest!

The old Copperas Creek Lock

Great Blue Herons are everywhere

Did we make a wrong turn somewhere along the way??

In one of our guide books it shows this house with water right up to the stilts.  The water level is much lower now.

I think one of these is off position!

Here we are are our barge dock wall for the night.  We are the 1st boat on the left.

A beautiful sunset from our aft deck.