The Fish are Jumpin' ...

Wednesday, September 3 & 4, 2014

...and our spirits are high! We continued on our way southwest along the Illinois River leaving Joliet, departing early and cruising through more industrial area. We had one lock for the day, the Marseilles Lock.  We tied up to the last bollard and another boat, Navigator, rafted up with us since there weren’t very many bollards. Apparently the huge barges don’t need very many places to tie up.




At the bottom of a deep lock we were tied to the bollard on the wall and another
Looper boat, Navigator, rafted up to us
 

We passed lots of tows and barges and the air quality was less than desirable and, shall we say, very smelly. We longed for the fresh and crisp air in the Canadian waters. After several hours we reached our destination of Ottawa, IL which had a short town wall where there was one space left for us between Snail Male and Joint Adventure. Fortunately they had some shorter docks where our traveling companions on TA TA were able to tie up.

Looper boats waiting for a lock in a very industrial area
 

You may have heard that the Asian carp is an invasive species that has been taking over in the Illinois River. We went through the electric fish barrier up on the Chicago Sanitary Canal and after we were through it I asked John if this was when the carp start jumping on the boat. We really didn’t see them until we got to Ottawa where they have a concentration of them and we saw lots jumping. One even jumped over TA TA’s bow when they were tied in their slip.

Fish and Game carp catcher
 

The Fish and Wildlife people have a special boat that we watched the next morning. It has nets that can be lowered and then they put an electrical charge in the water. This causes the fish to jump out of the water and some of them land in the nets. They are researching the best way to catch the fish and ways to use them. Fortunately China is turning out to be a big market - wonderful - send them back to where they came from.

Nets are lowered and they are ready to catch fish
 

When they set off the DC charge the fish started jumping!
 

Captain's Log: September 3, 2014

Departed: Joliet, Il town wall
Engine hrs.: 9
Actual hrs.: 10
Arrived: Ottawa town docks 5:00
Early departure and hope to get to Ottawa - 3 locks to go through. 30 min to 1 hr. delay at all locks. Starboard engine overheating at first lock, port eng. slightly hot, but water is getting warm! Will check strainers, etc - all else is well.
Wx: sunny day, humid

Friday, September 5, 2014

Since it is after Labor Day it seems like we are almost the only pleasure boats on the waterway besides the tows and barges and definitely the only ones going through the locks.

We waited over an hour for this large barge to lock up and it stopped just
outside the lock and left a very small opening for us to get in
 




We were the first one out of the lock, with 5 Looper boats behind us
Joint Adventure and If right behind us 
 

Soil has been washed away from all the tree's roots along the shore
 

 At Henry Harbor we joined Meander and If. TA TA had traveled with us. We took a walk around the little town and late in the afternoon and later in the day Julie and Stu  from Meander brought out a watermelon to share. It cooled us off on a warm day.

Captain’s Log: September 5, 2014

Departed: Ottawa, IL 6.6 a.m.
Engine hours: 9 hr. – 37.53 nautical miles
Actual hours: 7 hr.  
Arrived: Henry Harbor, IL town wall 2:45
Departed with TA TA and Meander, headed for Starved Rock Lock, 4 other looper boats also joined us. Delay for 1 ½ hr at lock then smooth cruise down to Henry, .5 mph current pushing us.
Wx: hot and humid, cold front went through in late afternoon, very little rain.

Thursday and Friday, September 6 & 7, 2014

These two days were spent in Peoria, Il. At first we arrived at the Illinois Valley Yacht Club, or the IVY Club, which was very nice, with several other Loop boats there. It was 5 miles out of the city with no access to any walking or shopping so the second day we moved just a few miles down the way to the Peoria city docks which put us in the center of the waterfront area. They supplied power and they were free!

We saw lots of white pelicans along the way - hundreds migrating south
 

The white pelicans are migrating south from their summer breeding ground in Canada. We saw them flying in large flocks circling up and up. Roger explained that they follow the thermals up until they find a strong wind current and then they catch it and are on their way south. Other birds we saw were a few bald eagles, egrets and blue herons.

John takes care of a carp that jumped into the rocks and got stuck by our boat
 



Early morning at the IVY Club
 

Captain’s Log: September 6, 2014

Departed: Henry Harbor 8:00 a.m.
Engine hours: 3.8
Actual hours: 4 hrs.  5 min
Nautical miles covered: 28.58
Arrived: Illinois Valley Yacht Club (IVY Club), Peoria, IL 12:05 p.m.
Wx: cool, morning clouds,/sunny. Temp 60-70 degrees – no locks

 Sunday, September 7, 2014

John greeting Mary on TA TA as they approach the Peoria city docks
 

This day cruise paddle boat was moored nearby and played loud calliope music
 

Mary and I went to the Peoria museum where they had a
Ripley's Believe it or Not exhibit - this camel is made entirely of
small plastic toys  
 

Docktails with Roger and John plus new friends from two other looper boats,
Summerland and Terri Ann that came in for the night
 

Moon rising over Peoria bridge - note the very high pilings holding the docks -
the river sometimes floods over 20 feet and these are floating docks
 

Captain’s Log: September 7, 2014

Departed: IVY Club 8:25
Engine hours: .9 hrs.
Actual hours: 45 min.
Nautical miles covered: 5.42
Arrived: Peoria Town Dock 9:40
Wx: Short cruise to Peoria Town Dock, no wind, clear skies – NICE.

 

 

Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal

Monday, September 01, 2014

By consensus of the Looper captains, we are staying in Chicago for an extra day to wait for a better weather day.  The early morning forecast says a front is coming through and it is windy and threatening to rain. I wanted to post a couple of pictures I didn’t get to post before.

Aqua building -
this photo just doesn't do it justice
 

Aqua is a fairly new 82 story residential skyscraper designed by Jeanne Gang. It won skyscraper of the year award in 2009 and is the tallest building in Chicago which was designed by a woman. Each balcony is different which gives it a wavy or watery look and is much more impressive when looked from down below.

We took the double decker trolley tour which passed by lots of old and new buildings. We learned that Chicago is often called the second city because most of it was destroyed by the great fire in 1871. Only a few original building survived including the water tower building and several churches.

One day we had lunch at the Columbia Yacht Club, right next to the marina. The club is housed in an old ship which was brought in from Canada. We were able to get in because they have a reciprocal agreement with other yacht clubs including the MTOA (Motor Trawlers Owners Assn.). We were glad to go aboard and see the walnut woodwork and layout of the boat. Not much has changed since it was a passenger ferry.

 

Columbia Yacht Club at the lake front walk
 

Info on the Columbia boat
 

Our last night in Chicago we got together with a few of the Loopers who were
still there. From left, Roger from TA TA and Ann & Ken from Charis
 

Mary from TA TA, Jan from Adagio and Roger as we plan our next day's travels
 

Tuesday, Sept 2, 2014

Tuesday was a beautiful day to start our cruise south from Chicago along the river system. We would start on the Chicago River which we would enter from a small lock just dropping us three feet, and as we leave Chicago we enter the Sanitary and Ship Canal. To make it easier to explain I am inserting a brief explanation from the internet:

"This channel runs 28 miles between Damen Avenue and Lockport, linking the South Branch of the Chicago River to the Des Plaines River. With the construction of a series of locks, the Sanitary and Ship Canal permanently reversed the flow of the Chicago River in 1900. The canal was designed both as a transportation route and a means to improve water quality by sending Chicago's sewage south into the Illinois River instead of into Lake Michigan." 

We were told on one of our tours that the river was so polluted that one reason that the Chicago fire spread so rapidly is that the river caught on fire! It is much cleaner now.

As we approached the Chicago Lock we were in front of Navy Pier
 

TA TA in front of us as we enter the Chicago Lock
 

Getting ready to leave the lock - we put down our mast the day before so
we could fit under the many16' to 18' bridges
 

We would go under over 40 bridges in a 5 mile stretch
 



Some parts were really beautiful
 

We had a slight delay as we waited for the Amtrak bridge to raise
 

This shovel picked up a load of sand from the barge, swung counter clockwise
dropped the sand on land and kept swinging for another load
round and round in a circle
 

One of many tows we met on the canal
 

We finally reached the Lockport Lock and a 2x3 barge was getting ready to
pull in. It was two barges wide and three long. We were pleased when the
tow driver agreed to let us lock down with him and we tied up to the barge
instead of the wall. John gives a thumbs up!    Photo by K. Shanley
 

Charis was tied up behind us and the tow for the barges pulled in behind as
we started the 40 foot drop to the river below.
 

We went through the electronic fish barrier with no problems because they weren't working on it that day and reached our destination of Joliet, Il. We tied up on the town wall with several other looper boats and all introduced ourselves. It was fairly late by the time we got settled and had dinner and we went to bed listening to more tows and barges go through on the river  - they work 24 hours a day. 

Captain’s Log: September 2, 2014

Departed: DuSable Marina, Chicago, IL 8:50 a.m.
Engine hours: 6.7 hr. – 36.05 nautical miles
Actual hours:89 hr.  25 min
Arrived: Joliet, IL town wall 5:15
Wx: sunny, winds 5-10 kt. SW. All went well.

 

Chicago, Chicago!

Wednesday through Sunday, August 27-31, 2014

This morning was the earliest departure we have ever had. We got up at zero dark thirty and were ready to go by 5 a.m. Due to the time change it was still dark with just the faintest hint of light in the east. Not to worry, no other boats were out at that time but two other Looper boats followed us out of the port at Michigan City a little later. We could just make out a few lights in Chicago directly ahead on our bow.

We were all trying to avoid winds and waves that were predicted to kick up later in the day. We had a good crossing and Ken & Ann on “Charis” passed us at about the halfway mark and took the lead. The skyline of Chicago drew closer and closer and the panorama seemed to open up ahead of us.

Charis 42' Custom Pilothouse Trawler comes abreast of us.
 

 

Chicago skyline comes into view. Willis Tower (formerly Sears) on left
 

We are very pleased to be here because “Chicago by September 1” has been a goal of ours since before we started the trip. Our destination of DuSable Marina is right on the waterfront and is between the Columbia Yacht Club and the entrance to the Chicago River.

A view from the boat
 

We are taking some time to be tourists and explore the big city. One of the first things we did was walk over to Navy Pier which has become a huge attraction with an amusement park, restaurants and shopping. John ordered a Chicago dog - which is a hot dog walked "through the garden," loaded with tomatoes, onions, pickle, peppers and mustard. Just don't ask for ketchup or they will know you are a tourist! On our first evening we were treated to fireworks off Navy Pier - what a show and welcome for us as we watched from the bow of our boat. While we were in Chicago we had to take the architectural boat tour on the Chicago River.

Chicago River tour - Trump tower straight ahead
 

Reflection of an old building in the windows of a new building
 

 

Flowers and vines along river wall - one of the pair of "corncob" towers
on the left. The bottom third is a parking garage and
the upper part is residences
 

We walked the few blocks to Millennium Park, one of the hubs of the city off Michigan Avenue which houses sculpture, gardens, a huge amphitheater, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and the surrounding Great Lawn.

Pritzker Pavilion concert center - we could see this from the water
 as we approached in our boat
 

Cloud Gate - otherwise known as "The Bean"
 

Selfie reflection in the Bean
 

Crown Fountain made of glass bricks -
changing images are projected from inside
water flows down the sides - there are two
of these facing each other  
 

There was a bike path all along the waterfront and we rode several miles, past the aquarium and Soldier Field. On Saturday night the Looper hosts for Chicago put on a dinner for those of us in the area at their 15th floor condo overlooking the lake. Over twenty people attended and it was great to see some friends and meet some new ones. We all had a wonderful time visiting and eating Chicago deep dish pizza, Italian beef sandwiches and Eli's cheesecake.

John with our folding bikes - they are 7 speed and a good ride
 

At the Looper dinner we watched dusk through the condo window -
lake and Soldier Field on left, Shore Drive and railroad tracks
 



Although we enjoyed the Great Lakes and cruising on the big waters, there was not much to see out on the water and often we were in fog. We got a lot of use out of our autopilot and were spoiled by relatively calm waters for most of the trip. Now we are looking forward to getting back on the rivers and following the charts a little more closely.

Captain’s Log: August 27, 2014

Departed: Michigan City, IN 5:10 a.m.
Engine hours: 4.7 hr. – 33.52 nautical miles
Actual hours: 4 hr.  35 min
Arrived: DuSable Marina, Chicago, IL ! 9:45
Wx: clear, winds 5 kt. or so, waves 1-2' waves, maintained 1800RPM – 7.3 kts. THANKS DAD & CHARIS behind me and CHARIS eventually overtook us – then carried 2300 RPM 8.3 kt. for last 1.5 hrs to stay with them. Waves calmed down to 1’ by end of trip

South Haven to Michigan City, Indiana

Wednesday & Thursday August 20 & 21

We left Anchorage Marina in Holland for South Haven on Wednesday morning and it was another beautiful day for a cruise. When we got to South Haven, like most of the other stops, we entered a channel edged by a breakwater to get off Lake Michigan.

Large clock near the channel into South Haven -
and it was on time
 

There was a municipal marina facility on both sides of the river and we were on the smaller south side. It was another nice, well kept public facility within walking distance of both the beach and the main street of town.

Serenity at South Haven Municipal Marina just inside
the channel from the lake
 

When we got into the marina we saw that the same DNR research ship, Steelhead, was tied up there. They must be working their way around the lake.

Better photo of the DNR research boat Steelhead
 

 Captain’s Log: August 20, 2014

Departed: Anchorage Yacht Club, MI 7:50 a.m.
Engine hours: 4.3 hr. – 25.49 nautical miles
Actual hours: 4 hr.  10 min
Arrived: Municipal Marina, South Haven, MI 12:00 noon
Wx: clear, 65 degrees, waves 1’ or so, Northwest wind. Gradually winds died down to 5 kt. or less – nice cruise, no issues.

We stayed in South Haven the next day and were pleased to see several other Looper boats come in to the marina, including Infinite Sea, a 35' President and two other Mainships almost identical to ours, Thanks Dad, which we had traveled with before, and Fruitcakes. We gathered for a "docktail" hour and were glad to renew acquaintances and meet some new boaters.

 

August 21 was John's birthday so I took him out
to Clementine's - hearty Captain in a vintage setting!
 

Friday through Tuesday, August 22, 23, 24, 25 & 26, 2014
Friday was a relatively long cruising day for us. The weather was good and so we decided to go all the way from South Haven, MI to Michigan City, IN. It was a total of 52 miles and took us about 7 ½ hours.

Sunrise as we were leaving South Haven
 

Another looper boat, Infinite Sea, with Paul and Stephanie on board, was making the same trip and so we followed them out of the harbor. They travel a little faster than we do so we gradually watched them pull ahead although we always could see them even when they became a little dot on the horizon.
 

Infinite Sea leading the way
 



It was a pleasant ride and the hours seemed to go by quickly. We had plenty to do aboard, and John even fired up the generator so we could warm up some lunch.

By midafternoon we arrived in a new state and a different time zone! At the Michigan City Port Authority we stopped at the gas dock, fueled up, pumped out, signed the register and were soon plugged in at our slip. It was warm and humid so I guess we finally found summer.

 

Dinner with Paul and Stephanie from Infinite Sea at the old yacht club
 

Captain’s Log: August 22, 2014

Departed: South Haven, MI 6:50 a.m. EDT
Engine hours: 7.8  – 50.27 nautical miles
Actual hours: 8 hr.  20 min (includes time at gas dock)
Arrived: Port Authority, Michigan City, IN 3:15 p.m. CDT
Wx: hazy, southeast wind 0 to 5 kt., quite smooth no other issues

After our new looper friends left the next morning we settled in and decided to stay for a few days in Michigan City. They have a lovely beach right next to the marina, a park with gardens and unique stone benches and an old lighthouse museum. Oh, did I mention that there is huge power plant complete with  smokestack just across the river from the marina? Also, this southern part of the lake is known as the storm belt as unsettled weather comes across from the west almost every day.

Storm clouds roll in above the marina and power plant
in the background
 

 

After the storm...
 

We were treated to a beautiful sunset
 

One of our stops had to be the Old Lighthouse Museum, built in 1858, which is operated by the local historical society. They had an extensive exhibit of boating memorabilia, photos of the growth of Michigan City and furnishings from an older time. We were most impressed with the Fresnel lenses on display which magnified the gas light in the tower and, as eerie as it seems, they had on display a death mask of President Abraham Lincoln who grew up in Indiana.

Old Lighthouse Museum
 

View to the east from the top of the lighthouse overlooking Trail Creek -
a siren goes off every time the drawbridge opens
 



Looking northwest from the top of the lighthouse - Port Authority and
Lake Michigan - Serenity is here, off to the right out of sight
 

I just happened to be color coordinated with the blue fountain
 

There are dozens of sports fishing boats and charters on the dock. We happened by just as one of the charters was displaying their catch of the morning. The fishermen encouraged pictures as they were understandably proud of their catch. This charter, the Crorkindill, is known for their captain who obviously knows where to find the fish. This is an assortment of lake trout, rainbows and salmon.

Catch of the day!
 

Several of our fellow looping friends arrived this week and the names should be familiar to you by now: Thanks Dad, Fruitcakes and Charis. We will be making to crossing to Chicago sometime in the next two days when the weather looks favorable.

The night before we left Michigan City, John and Sue hosted a wonderful
fish fry! Kathy, Andy, Julie, Ken, Ann, John and Sue