October 1-2, 2017 Sunday & Monday
Sunday: We played all day yesterday, but no playing today, it was a day for planning, running errands, and working on Andiamo as we prepared for the last six-hundred-fifty-miles of our adventure. Checking the weather we saw that there is a small craft advisory in effect from 8:45 AM today until 10:00 PM tomorrow for Lake Michigan. We are so happy that we will be entering the Chicago River tomorrow.
Mon: From Lakeshore Drive which runs along Lake Michigan with miles of bike paths and urban beaches on one side and amazing skyscrapers on the other, to the 24.5-acre Millennium Park, which is a premier outdoor venue, to the Chicago River that runs right through the city’s center and plays host to many of its significant buildings, Chicago is without a doubt one of the principal cities in the United States. Google the best architecture cities of the United States and I don’t think that you will find a list that does not include Chicago. We loved Chicago, but it was time to leave.
As we left DuSable Marina for the Chicago Harbor Lock, one mile away, waves were 6-8 feet on the lake and 4-5 feet behind the breakwater soon we would be totally off Lake Michigan. As we turned west towards the lock a 5-foot wave hit the starboard side of Andiamo, a cabinet flew open, spilled its contents, and one small bowl was broken. Not much damage and we were finally off of Lake Michigan and headed south on the Chicago River to the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal at MM 321.7. This 20-mile long canal, completed in 1900, was constructed to connect the Chicago River with the Des Plains River and was the first step in constructing a navigable waterway from Chicago to the Mississippi. It took another 39 years and seven locks before that happened.
Between Chicago and Joliet we went down two locks, the Chicago Harbor Lock at mm 327.20 – 4 feet and Lockport at mm 289.10 – 40 feet We went under 60 bridges, of which, only the Amtrak RR Bridge at mm 323.50 had to be opened for us, a twenty-five-minute wait as three trains passed during rush hour. Lockport is the end of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and where we entered the Des Plains River.
Tonight we are tied to the Joliet Pubic Wall, just across the river from Harrods Casino. We were alone until about 8:30 pm when Looper Boats m/v Wandering Star (Pat & Dirk), and Now Playing (Chris, Jen, & Emily ) arrived after being delayed at Lockport Lock for about three hours, they all had a very long day, we were lucky.
Chicago River Cruise Part 1
Chicago River Cruise Part 2
