Hurry Up and Wait (and Bake)

Whew! What a hot and sticky week.  Since we entered the rivers 6 days ago it has been above 90 degrees everyday with no a drop of rain.  Factoring the heat index has made it feel over 100 degrees and with water temps as high as 97 in some places even a swim isn't too much of a relief.

At most of the locks we have encountered we have had waits of 2 to 4 hours as barges and tows are locked through the very slow filling chambers. At the Marseilles lock we would have had an even longer wait but the lockmaster was able to put us "in the cut".  There was a barge going upstream that was so long it had to be separated into two to get through the lock.  After the first half (at least 90 feet wide by 450 feet long) is brought up, it is pulled along by a cable to get it out of the lock because the tow that pushes it is still down below with the second half of the barge.  The lock then is lowered to collect the second half.  Because the first half is only pulled out of the lock just enough to close the gates behind it, there is usually no space for another down-bound vessel to get in the lock when it lowers to get the second half. Luckily for us we are small enough that the lockmaster was able to guide us behind the first half of the barge and into the lock when it lowered.  Thus he got us "in the cut" between the two halves of the barge.  When he first told us on the radio he wanted us in the cut we had no idea what we were supposed but the staff are very friendly and helpful to pleasure crafts and he talked us through it with great patience.

The first half of the barge being pulled through the top of the lock

The second half of the barge waiting to enter the bottom of the lock

Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics - Part 1

For those reading who are planning a Great Loop trip (Hi Paul and Kathy!), here are some statistics from the first part of our trip from Hamilton to Chicago.  All dollar amounts are in Canadian dollars. Now that we are on the rivers we expect our marina costs will fall dramatically due to the availability of suitable anchorages and free city walls.

Into the Rivers

"Never insult an alligator until after you have crossed the river" - Cordell Hull

I was looking for clever and inspirational quote about rivers to start this blog when I came across this one.  It has nothing to do with my post but I liked it better than the relevant ones.

This week we traded in our sailboat for a really slow motor boat (top speed 5.5 knots)

But the good news is that our air draft is now only 13 feet which means we don't have to wait for many bridges to open.  Reg says that we now also have a nice dance floor on the fore deck, we have just lost the mast to hang the disco light on!

We had the mast taken down at Crowley's Yacht Yard (great service, b.t.w.) on the Calumet River, and then headed north for one more night before hitting the rivers.  After staying on the wall at the noisy industrial boat yard we decided to stay at the 31st Street Harbor which is next to a great beach and then Uber into downtown for one last great Chicago meal.

Boys have been boys since time immemorial

Posting this mostly so I can remember the name
if we are ever back in Chicago.  The best meal of the trip
so far.  Thanks for the recommendation, Leanne.

Now we are in the rivers we are on a different trip everyday.  First up, we went right through downtown Chicago.

Chicago to Joliet was a tour of industrial Illinois. The first section is called the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal which means exactly what you think it means.  It was constructed to flush all the waste from Chicago (sewage, slaughterhouse waste) to the Des Plaines river and ultimately to the Gulf instead of Lake Michigan which is where the Chicago drinking water intake is located. Apparently Missouri applied for an injunction to stop it but the Chicago folks started the water flow ahead of schedule in January 1900 so it would be too late for an injunction to be issued. The water in this section smells terrible and is augmented by numerous sewer outfalls, many of which I don't think would pass muster back home given how foamy the water is.

Further down the canal we entered a section that one of our guidebooks calls "The twelve miles of hell". The canal narrows and is full of commercial barges being pushed by boats which are confusingly called tows.  Luckily we have an Automated Identification System (AIS) which is a VHF system showing the position, heading, speed, destination, and name of all commercial vessels.  We can see where they are going and we can hail them on the radio if we need instructions from them regarding which side we should pass them on, etc.  We were able to use this information to see barges coming around corners so we could tuck into spaces and let them pass us safely.

One of the many barges.  The tow pushing it has a pilot
house that can be raised an lowered.  Raised so it can
see over its load and lowered to go under bridges.

Adding to all the fun was the Chicago Electric Fish Barrier.  You need to wear a life jacket through this section (if you fall off the current will paralyze you and cause you to drown without a life jacket) and you have to pass through one at a time.  It all sounds nerve wracking but it is very straightforward.

After a night tied up to the free wall in Joliet (free including the 30-amp electrical hookup!), we entered yet another type of river - a pretty one!

Floating homes on the Des Plaines River

One of many duck blinds

As I type this update we are anchored in the Kankakee River where it joins the Des Plaines River to form the Illinois.  We weren't sure where to anchor in this river and our cruising guide didn't have much information. When we were meandering around checking depth, 2 different locals radioed us and offered to lead us to the good anchorage which we wouldn't have found on our own.  One even offered to pick up groceries for us as they were going into town later in the afternoon.

The past few days have had record breaking heat so we are glad to be anchored off the main river in a place where we can jump in the water every hour or so to cool off. 

Chicago

Our first glimpse of Chicago

Where do I start with a post about Chicago? Everyone who I spoke to in advance of the trip told me I would love every second of it and they were all spot on.  We stayed in DuSauble Harbor which is not the cleanest, not the one with the best amenities but it definitely won the contest for best location.

Our boat is in there somewhere

That's us in the bottom right corner

We had a chance to do lots of touristy things in Chicago.  First up, the Ferris wheel on Navy Pier:

Don't let this face fool you.
He is absolutely terrified of heights.

Next up, Riverwalk.  Over the past 20 years Chicago has made an effort to rejuvenate the river.  All new development along either side must include a public walkway along the river.  The town then takes full advantage of this space with boat rentals, restaurants, and pubs like this one that straddle the public path

The bar is on one side of the path and tables and games on the other.

I can't imagine this sort of sign would be legal under our liquor laws at home!

The Riverwalk also gives a good view of some fine Chicago architecture:

Speaking of architecture, no visit to Chicago is complete without an architecture boat tour. Here are some of our favourites:

"Eventually, I think Chicago will be the most beautiful great city left in the world." - Frank Lloyd Wright 

River City.  Bertrand Goldberg

300 S. Wacker Drive.  A boring building until
they added this map of the river with the building's
location highlighted.

Marina City.  Sam's favourite.
Another one by Bertrand Goldberg.
You aren't allowed to park your own cars
on the lower levels - you have to valet..

150 N. Riverside.  Constrained by the river on
one side and a railroad on the other.

Trump tower.  A nice building if you can get past the name.
Each horizontal line matches the elevation of a building near it so it
actually fits in the landscape quite well.

The Tribune Building.  A nice contrast to all the steel and glass.

Aqua.  An award winner with wave like balconies.

And, of course, a trip to Chicago means a visit to the Cloud Gate (a.k.a. "the bean").

This is my favourite of all the pictures I've taken so far.

 Last up was the Daddy of all Chicago landmarks - The Sears' Tower (I refuse to accept its new name).

There was no way Reg was going out there!

Never wear a green shirt in front of a green screen!

All of these adventures were made more fun by a visit from home:

Thanks, Diane for flying out to visit.
(and for bringing our heavy engine parts in your carry-on!)

Hello and goodbye, Wisconsin.

Since I last posted we spent one more day in Michigan before seizing on a promising weather window and crossing Lake Michigan to Wisconsin. On our last night in Michigan we stayed in Ludington which was in the midst of their fall boat show so there was lots to see including the latest model of our boat.  The kids toured it and concluded that our boat was better.  That's good because they are stuck with Binary even if they concluded they liked the new one more.

The kids having fun in Ludington.

The adults having fun in Ludington -
you can drink wine while you do your grocery shopping!

The day we crossed the lake was cool but sunny day and required us to motor the whole way since the wind forecast didn't pan out as we had hoped.

A very uneventful crossing

It wasn't really cold enough
for this hat but is is brand new
and I look cute in it.

We arrived on the Wisconsin side in Sheboygan which is more like a resort than a Marina.  There was a heated pool, a hot tub, pretty propane fireplaces, an ice cream shop and a wine bar.  The boys didn't want to leave.

Next up - Milwaukee.  The harbour in downtown Milwaukee has a small anchorage and, since it is after Labour Day, we had the whole thing to ourselves.

The view of Milwaukee through the galley window. 

Since we are aiming to be in Chicago on the 14th to meet a friend we didn't have time to see much of Milwaukee but we did try to hit the highlights.

Viewing the architecture along the river

Hanging out with the Bronze Fonz

Sam looked way cooler than we did!

Watching the boats go under the lift bridges

Last night we arrived in Racine after another light air day of motoring.  The boys were thrilled to find another heated pool, hot tub, and ice cream shop.

As soon as I post this we are leaving Wisconsin and heading to Waukegan, Illinois which is where Dad and I participated in our first Buccaneer North American Championships in 2005.

A Great Week of Sailing

In addition to the beautiful scenery we have been surrounded by this past week, we have been treated to some great sailing.  Lake Michigan generally provides strong westerly winds so as we travel south we have had some great reaches.  Today for the first time we had to reef our genoa as the wind hit 25 knots (for the non-sailors - the wind was strong enough that we had to make one of our sails smaller so as to not be overpowered).  A short while later, with a reef in the genoa, we were still doing 7.5 knots in 20 knots of wind.  Sam wanted to let the reef out when the wind dropped a but with storms on the horizon we decided to play it safe (that should make the Grandmas happy when they read this).

I have been a very proud wife and Mamma this week as everyone has taken turns at the helm. Reg has even been transformed from a complete landlubber to a sailor capable of taking the wheel to sail upwind in 20 knots (approximately 40 kph of wind).

Sam shows all of us how it is done

Riley won't be outdone by his big brother

My happy place.  Note: that is a life jacket under my coat!

Sam teaches his Dad how to read the telltales

Pure Michigan

You know those terrible Michigan tourist ads? The one with the man with the deep voice who waxes poetically about the perfection that is Michigan?  If you haven't seen them, here is a link (the one called "A Perfect Summer" is a great example):

http://www.michigan.org/pure-michigan-ads

Well, we now know what that guy has been on about all this time.  Northern Michigan is stunningly beautiful.  From Mackinaw we headed to Beaver Island, Charlevoix, Leland, and Frankfort.  Photos below but first a neat story about the history of Beaver Island.In 1847 a character by the name of James Strang founded a Mormon community on the Island.  He appointed himself King of the Island but his reign was fairly short as he was assassinated 9 years later by two of his followers.  The two were tried for murder, convicted, and fined $1.25 each as punishment.  I guess King James wasn't too liked by the courts of the day!

Back to the beauty of Pure Michigan:

Crystal clear water. Who needs the Bahamas?

Beach huts on Lake Charlevoix.  Just like an English seaside.

Fishtown in Leland.  Still a working port and preserved as it was 150 years ago.

More Fishtown

Sand dunes on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan

One of Lake Michigan's many lighthouses