Days 89 & 90 Alton, IL

We can highly recommend the all you can eat crab buffet at the Argosy Casino in Alton. We all ate more than we thought we could. There were salads, a variety of fish, roast beef, and chicken entrees, vegetables, and desserts, but we concentrated on the crab. Mmmmm, good!

Friday we rented a car with Linda and Tom of the Frances Ray and had an enjoyable day in St. Louis. We strolled past the sun dappled paths and reflecting ponds in the park to reach the Gateway Arch. Under the Arch we toured the Museum of Western Expansion that tells the story of exploration and migration into the west with murals, displays, relics, and talking mannequins representing historical figures. It took about 4 minutes to wobble and sway the 630 feet to the top of the arch in a small, enclosed pod. Once we arrived, we balanced on the curved floor at the arch's apex and snapped photo after photo out the small windows. It was the first time I was able to fit an entire tug and tow in one picture! We also watched a National Geographic movie about Lewis and Clark on the 4 story screen.

After the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial which is the name for all of the above, we had dinner and toured the city past the beautiful old courthouse, the fountains and waterfalls and gardens, and enjoyed the eclectic mosaic of architectural styles that fills the city.

Before we returned the car Saturday morning, we toured the Mel Price Lock and Dam. I guess the 10 locks we've already traversed weren't enough to satisfy our curiosity!

Tomorrow we expect to travel about 45 miles down the Mississippi to Hoppies Marina, which is actually 3 barges tied to a high stone cliff near the town of Kimmswick.

Days 83 - 87 Peoria, Beardstown, Grafton, Alton

Sunday
Scoffing at the weather prediction of rain and thunderstorms when we woke to a dry Sunday morning, we rode our bikes across the highway bridge to buy Bob some new clothes. (He has shrunk.), and to have breakfast. As we pedaled back, the weather gods were most certainly laughing at us as the water poured on our heads and sprayed from our tires. The drying clothes hanging all over the boat made for a musty atmosphere for the following 2 days.

Monday
We left Peoria and headed on down the Illinois River passing the time watching the wildlife and green hills, here and there touched with a red or yellow stroke of Jack Frost's brush. At one point we thought we'd sailed in to a Hitchcock film there were so many birds overhead, but of course they were non-threatening and the day was sunny and bright. After 70 miles and 10 hours we anchored for the night in a tranquil spot at the south end of tiny Bar Island near Beardstown. Our fellow Loopers on Frances Ray anchored at the north end of the island.

There was a thunderstorm that night, and Bob tried to wake me. He knows I love thunderstorms, but the only response he could get out of me was a grunt.

Tuesday
Our 10th locking experience, at LaGrange, introduced us to the excitement of locking behind a tow. There were 4 pleasure craft already on the other side of the lock, so it was the only room left. They aren't kidding when they warn of the turbulence behind a tug! As the tug throttled up his engines to leave the lock, I held the bow line for all I was worth, but we were still getting pushed back toward the boat behind. Bob added his muscle to the mix and was able to keep us from banging.

The rest of the day followed much like Monday - a long day of passing barges and beautiful scenery. We are amazed by the number of Asian carp in the river. They jump high out of the water in shallow areas, and seem agitated by the small fishing boats there. We saw one jump right into a boat.

We traveled 11 1/2 hours and covered 75 miles of the Illinois River before tucking in at a beautiful anchorage off the east end of Island #525, near Grafton at the confluence of the Illinois and the Mississippi Rivers. The exhausted captain was happy to relax with Riley and me to watch a vibrantly colorful sunset and enjoy a glass of malbec.

Wednesday
We entered the Mighty Mississippi River on our 87th day. We traveled a short 20 miles from our anchorage past outcroppings of rock carved into walls and turrets by nature's hand. We pulled into Alton Marina under the New Clark suspension bridge. It felt like a luxury resort with a pool, 2 hot tubs, bathroom "suites" (each unit is a full bathroom), and laundry. We hadn't refilled the water since Hammond, IN, so we were rationing the last few days, and taking a long, hot shower was heavenly!

We discovered lots of Looper boats at the marina, so we were able to catch up with some of the folks we've met along the way. We also met the Laura Lee, a sailboat that was traveling with GetAWay, but blew their transmission pulling into a lock. GetAWay towed them back here, and they're waiting for parts.

Thursday
Thursday is a rainy day. I can't think of a better place to be than this marina. Our buddy boat, Frances Ray, stopped at Grafton last night, but pulled in behind us at the dock today. Later, we're going to the nearby Argosy Casino for a crab dinner with the crews of the Frances Ray and Laura Lee.

Days 82 & 83 - Hennepin & Peoria, IL

All was quiet and dark at the short little dock in Hennepin where we tied up with fellow looper boats, Whiskers and Frances Ray. We were ready to call it a day. Out of the night came the roar of a large engine working hard, then easing back, then working hard again. We looked outside to see the 131' X 34' long tug, Helen Lay, looming over us and heading in our direction. Tugs are quite slow, so we sat on the boat to watch as it came closer and closer. When it came within 15 feet we decided it was time to watch from shore - and maybe take Riley, too. To our amazement, the highly skilled tug captain docked that tug with his stern next to our side without hitting us.

The noise was almost painful, and we had some concerns that when he left, his wash would knock Osprey around, so we sat on shore and observed while the tug was provisioned from trucks on the dock and while mosquitos dined on our ankles. After about 1 1/2 hours the tug left. No damage done. We had a hard time sleeping though, always waiting for that next tug whose captain might not be so skilled.

This morning we left for Peoria. We passed the Helen Lay with a tow. Forests, rock formations, eagles, even a white pelican made the trip scenic, and yes, after awhile we saw our first Asian carp! They do jump high out of the water. GetAWay, now way ahead of us, reported that one jumped into their boat. They managed to get it overboard before any harm was done, other than scaring Judy.

We arrived in Peoria planning to stay at the yacht club. We were looking forward to fueling, refilling the water tank, and enjoying the swimming pool, but it was not to be. The river is low, so the yacht club and every marina in the area has shallow water and we couldn't get in. So here we are in the heart of downtown at the public docks. There's electricity, but no other ammenities. Thunderstorms are forecast for tomorrow, so we'll hunker down and be safe and snug here.

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!

Day 79 - Seneca, IL

Last night in Joliet we left Osprey tied to the wall with 4 other Looper boats, strolled across the bridge, and sunk our teeth into a delectible meal at the Reserve, a steakhouse at Harrah's Casino. We savored artichoke salad, tender prime rib, and were offered complimentary fontino cheese mousse on toast points and passion fruit sorbet. By the time the carmel beignets arrived for dessert, there was no room in our bellies.

After dinner we decided to try our luck at the casino and doubled our money! We put two dollars in the quarter slots and walked away with $4.50!

Today we continued down the Illinois River in the company of the those other 4 Loopers. We went right through the Brandon Road Lock 15 minutes after our departure. Later we had our first experience going through a lock while tied to a barge. It's actually quite easy, because you don't have to hold the lines and let them out as you descend.

We spotted several blue herons along the side of the river, standing silent and tall and watching us pass.

Tied up safely at Spring Brook Marina in Seneca, IL, we'll see what tomorrow brings. We still have no plan and we're sticking to it.

Days 77 - 78 - Joliet, IL

Watching the sun rise from a pool of gold on the water, we cruised north on Lake Michigan. Ever so gradually we saw Chicago appear snuggled in a cloak of fog. As our distance lessened., she shrugged of the cloak and rose majestically.

When we reached Navy Pier, we called for the lock and the great gates opened before us. From the bow I grabbed one of the hanging lines, but the stern was already being pushed from the wall by the turbulence in the emptying lock, and Bob had to approach again before we could each grab a line to hold Osprey to the wall. The drop was only 4 feet, so we were quickly on our way through the heart of Chitown.

Skyskrapers spiked above us as we cruised under the multitude of bridges. We'd taken down the mast and bimini, so we didn't have to request any bridge openings. When we came to the Amtrack Railroad Bridge, it was down. We'd been told it was down except when a train was coming. Sure enough, a short train raced by. We waited for the bridge to lift. And waited. Eventually we saw a slew of orange-vested people at various levels of the bridge. We tried to yell to ask when it would open, but we couldn't hear eachother. Finally, another boat, Kon Tiki, called on the radio from the other side. The captain of Kon Tiki had walked to the bridge to get us information. The bridge was closed for a few days for repairs, but they were just about to do some test lifts and we could go under when they did. We circled in front of a park with a pretty red pagoda-like shelter watching people do Tai Chi, for about an hour, and then the bridge lifted and we were on our way. The orange-vested crew wished us well and told us how lucky we were that we arrived just when we did.

The next segment of our trip took us through a narrow part of the river that was lined with docked barges and filled with tows and barges that took all the remaining width of the waterway. Bob proved his mettle as a top-notch captain by ducking in, circling, and avoiding the commercial traffic. It was stressful for us both.

Next the fish barrier. We knew they were now letting pleasure boats pass under their own power "on a case-by-case basis." Several miles from the electrified zone, we were handed a leaflet by a Coast Guard vessel, then we phoned for approval to cross. We were given many warnings about the dangers and safety precautions

• Wear life jackets
• Remain seated
• Don't touch metal or water.
• If anyone or thing falls overboard or the boat becomes disabled, the Coast Guard cannot assist, and you must not try to retreive it until past the barrier, because you cannot make contact with the water or anything touching the water.

We were to call when we arrived at mile 297. There was nothing to indicate the mileage or that the barrier was near, but apparently, after a short time, we were there. A Coast Guard Auxiliary boat waved us over and said we didn't have authorization to cross, but that they'd call for us. "There's commercial traffic, and they have the right of way. It'll be about a 2-hour wait." They said. They called again when they realized there was nowhere to dock and with all the barges, it wasn't a safe place to circle for 2 hours. We only waited 15 minutes and were hailed through uneventfully . . . and FREE! We did the happy dance.

No longer carp captives, we continued through one more lock, a 40 foot drop, with another looper boat, Where's Linda. After the lock the engine bogged down a couple of times. Where's Linda agreed to stand by in case we needed assistance. Thankfully, we didn't, and after eleven hours on the underway, we tied up for free dockage at Billie Limacher Will-Joliet Bicentennial Park in Joliet, IL on the Illinois Waterway.

The following day we remain here, and Bob is correcting a small problem with the engine. Thank goodness he is such a handyman!

We plan to have dinner tonight at Harrah's Casino across the river.



Addendum: When the drawbridge adjacent to our mooring opened for this tow pushing 12 barges, I had to snap some photos.

Day 76 - Hammond, IN

We were enjoying the sun's warmth and the blue sky on the foredeck as Osprey's bow wave gently shouldered aside Lake Michigan to allow our passage. When we glanced up at the horizon, we were surprised by the sight of a hazy skyline. It was Chicago! We, of course, started singing, "Chicago, Chicago; my home town . . . " We had the lake to ourselves so we didn't offend anyone's eardrums.

A little while later we had a visitor. This beautiful little bird with yellow under its tail and bluish hues on its head flew in the door of the salon. She stayed with us awhile, exploring and trying vainly to nab insects that were on the other side of the window, then exited out the other door.

In less than 4 hours we were docked the ginormous Hammond Marina on the border between Indiana and Illinois.

We'll turn in early tonight. We plan to be underway by 6 a.m. to beat the Sunday traffic entering the lock at the entrance to the canal, then proceed through the city.