Day 81 - Ottawa, IL

We lingered in Seneca yesterday. Bob had a mechanic look at the engine and generator because both had been quitting every once in awhile. We can't afford to have the engine take a break when we're dodging a barge or in a locking situation. The young fellow who did the job was very skilled and quickly found and fixed the problems.

Meanwhile, I borrowed the marina's "courtesy car," a ginormous Ford van, and drove it over the narrow, arching, pox-marked excuse for a bridge to do some much-needed laundry and grocery shopping.

A fog was rolling down the river when we woke this morning, so we dawdled while it played itself out. A blue heron entertained us while we had our morning coffee and tea, circling, landing, standing at attention in a repeating dance.

Today, the run down the river was only eleven miles with one lock, the Marseilles. Three pleasure craft collected at the downbound side as we waited about 45 minutes. Finally, the gates opened and we heard from the captain of the barge and tow inside, "Pleasure Craft waiting for the lock, please move to the cribs on the left down-bound bank." Translation: Get out of the way: I'm big, have limited maneuverability, and I'm coming through!"

Once inside the lock, we held the lines handed to us by the attendants and dropped 26 feet.

Five miles later we were in Ottawa where a free 100 foot dock was waiting to welcome us. We toured the small, flower-filled town on our bikes. The friendly gentleman in the Visitors' Center gave us a wealth of information and we set off to tour the beautiful Reddick Mansion and visit the antique shops on Main Street. We rode through Washington Square with its statues of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas commemorating their first debate, held there in 1858. We crossed the river to view some of the beautiful old homes on the bluff.

We could spend several days here; there is so much to see. There is a riverwalk to follow that goes through several parks. There are many churches with ornate steeples to admire. Seven murals throughout the town depict various aspects of its history. There is also a glass factory and a Boy Scout Museum. We learned that the Illinois and Michigan Canal once ran through the city. It linked Chicago with LaSalle on the Illinois River, enabling goods to be shipped down the Mississippi. It operated for 75 years, but much of it is now filled in.

We returned to Osprey just in time to move her down the wall so 2 more Loopers could fit in behind. We are all tucked in next to the bridge, well out of the way of the enormous barges and tows.

P.S. Both the engine and generator purred without a hiccup today!