#3 8/7 Moving on from Heritage Harbor near Ottawa Illinois

This morning we assumed we would have an easy day.  After filling the tanks, water and fuel we were on our way.  Would you believe - - straight away we found ourselves going down an off shoot of the main channel. A little excietment turning around before we ran aground -- and all was right with the world again.

This is the type of marine traffic we meet or pass. This one tow pushing 12 barges.

Along the bank the trees roots have been exposed from previous high water, sort of like wine glassed sitting on a table.

We only had one lock today and to tell the truth it is the worst time we have had in all our experience;even all the locks we traversed in 2004 going out the St. Lawrence Seaway.  Even with the bow thruster the stern got away from us and we almost turned around in the lock.  We were still attached at the floating bollard but the stern was swinging out into the lock. Lots of scurrying getting a bigger fender on the bow and then another line on the stern around a bollard on the deck. Long line since we are going down 20 feet. took a bit of lassoing but I got it done.  Whew!  Bill was working thruster and the other line at the same time.  Seemed forever. Anyway we had to wait till half a tow came out of the lock then we tucked into the lock behind; was locked down and this is what we passed as we exited the lock.

That tow boat was pushing 15 barges!!!

The river is much cleaner now and we are beginning to see sand stone bluffs. Evidence that this river was much deeper and wider eons ago. There are a few fishermen about and this run on the river is flat, and peaceful. So we get to our choice of anchorage; ha! promptly got stuck in 2.5 ft of water not 15 feet off the channel.  Oh Dear! Well, a little jockeying, thruster left and right, forward and reverse and then more reverse -- we're off.  So we went back to the north end of the island. 7.5 ft and dropped the anchor. Beautiful

The channel at the left is the navigable channel. and shortly after we anchored a big fifteen barge tow went by.
We had set the crockpot going before we left this morn and had our delicious beef stew supper ready to eat!
We were ready.

8/8 On to Peoria, approximately 32 miles.  All along there are periodic industrial docks dealing in grain, gravel, sand, cement, fertilizer, pot ash, coal, fuel  -- anything that can be carried in bulk.
Saw our first eagle today - this area is purported to be the largest population of bald eagles in the country, all along the Illinois river.  Asian carp?  well, we have seen a few but as we crossed Peoria Lake there was a very fast small pontoon boat riling up the fish  --  they were jumping all about behind the boat with a fellow on the back of the boat with a bow and arrow trying to hit them as they jumped. He lost a lot of arrows. Unless, of course, they were tied to strings.  We could not tell from our perspective.  Anyway, what a great sport!

This is a typical view of our day on the river. Peaceful and serene. 

Another Looper boat was tied at the courtesy docks at Peoria.  Ray and Arline Cutro on Darrf V. Nice folks from Belleair Beach, Florida.  They are on their last leg of their loop before returning home by the end of September.  We shared a little wine with them and got a few more tips on this Looping thing.  This is their 3rd year. Having wintered their boat in Baltimore and this past winter in Northport, Michigan.  It was nice to have them say what a treat Michigan was for them.  They actually think that Michigan sunsets were the best they have seen on their entire Loop.  Nice!

Peoria Chamber of Commerce leaves much to be desired.  Bill inquired about a grocery store and barber, was given addresses for both.  Bill walked the mile or so to the barber to find out it had closed 3 years ago and when we headed out to the grocery -- after a couple miles  -- we inquired of two young ladies about the store.  Well, we were on the right track but still way far away and they said,  "Oh, you don't want to go there! No, No. There is a Wal-mart just across the bridge on the other side of river."  That's the bridge 3 blocks from where the boat is parked. They said they were going that way so we tagged along.

This picture is at the top of the bridge, looking back at Peoria and our boat. Just to the left of the bridge support. We thanked the girls and got our groceries and called a cab.  Oh, the cabbie informed us that the grocery we were looking for was in an area you really don't want to be walking around in. 

8/9 Today we will head for Havana and the Tall Timbers Marina. Probably meet up with Darrf V again. All is well.

Notice how these homes/cottages are built high! There obviously is flooding at certain times of the year. We couldn't see but there must have been higher ground behind where they could launch a boat to get to their place at high water.



Here are more of those trees that are precariously sitting on the edge of the river.

It was an easy run today. Passed 6 tows pushing anywhere from 6 to 15 barges. Unbelievable! So far we have not felt the need to contact them to ask where they would like us to be. The River has been wide enough and we did not meet any in tight turns.



Here we are in Tall Timbers Marina at Havana, Illinois. You can see the entrance from the river straight ahead. We got our bikes down 1st time today, found the laundry, tried to get Bill a haircut -- no go  -- everything closed.  I told him "just let it grow."  We enjoyed Bill's BarBQ steak and potatoes at the marina patio dock with electric grills.  Yep, Life is Good!