Now we've transited the big rivers with their monster tows and tight corners: Illinois (333.4 miles), Mississippi (221.5 miles), Ohio (58 miles) and Cumberland (32.6 miles), VELOMER (and her crew) is (are) enjoyed a long awaited break for resting and refitting at Green Turtle Bay Marina at the entrance to the Tennessee river at mile 24.5. We have a plan, subject to change, to go as far as Chattanooga at mile 454 prior to the next cruising phase of this amazing adventure south along the Ten-Tom Waterway from Pickwick Lake at mile 207. We will be reverencing our course when we depart Chattanooga to get back to the Ten-Tom Waterway but will be going downstream as far as Mobile from this point.
It is just now we can take some rest and fill in the blog after the last 645 miles. We did the commercially active, and I mean ACTIVE, rivers without incident, other than a brief kiss of soft bottom at an anchorage we decided was too shallow for out draft. Leaving Chicago, we decided to take the Calumet River Channel south to the Illinois River as we had take the Architectural Tour on a tourist boat in Chicago. Seeing the huge skyscrapers from the Chicago River and hearing lots of useless information about the architects of these monsters was nevertheless, a really fascination days trip and I would heartily recommend this to any one with a few hours to spend in Chicago. We learned about the corruption and graft that early nineteenth century city of sin is famous for, including some tidbits about Al Capone, the reasons Chicago got picked for the 1890 Worlds Fair and why this place is known as the "windy city". Its not because the wind howls off Lake Michigan, and it often does, but the cacophonous and disingenuous political speak of the city fathers.
VELOMER departed Hammond Marina in Chicago on September 9 after an 18 day stay that allowed us a trip to Colorado to stay with Phoebe and Erik and the special g-kids we have missed so these past few months. They were finishing their rafting season and I believe they did enjoy us being there to play with the kids while they closed shop after a record breaking season 4. I know we did. hanging out with these 4 year old twins returns us to a simpler time and perhaps one that is honestly more about what life should be.
So off we went to explore the rivers for awhile. We will be on rivers and some lakes for the next few months as we travel south attempting to stay ahead of the fall frosts and winter snow to Mobile and the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico and saltwater again. Our boat insurance carrier, Boat US, requires us to stay north of the Gulf until November 1 but as we are getting a late start, we will not have that as an issue.
First stop was Joliet, the famous locale of Joliet Jake from the movie Blues Brothers. There really is a large prison here which we spotted as we tied to the wall in the downtown. The locks on the Illinois River are huge an the tows immense compared to anything we've encountered as yet. The locks are 600 x 110 to accommodate tows that often have to lock through in two pieces. Soon after we departed Joliet, we were delayed at the Dresden Lock for 4 hours, while we anchored, to allow a tow to lock upstream. We waited a few days at Heritage Harbor Marina in Ottawa for Jim and Gwen t catch up after they had some repairs in Chicago. Our time there was put to use biking into town and touring the Heritage Harbor Condo development project (build it and they will come). As often happens, we met some great people, one of whom gave us his car to play tourist and get in some hiking at Starved Rock State Park and get our laundry done in town. This town is almost within reach of Chicago and will no doubt be a fine populous community in a few years, assuming the economy does not tank again.
After Ottawa and meeting up again with Chimera II, we went down river to Hamm's Marina in Chilacothy, Ill, a slightly bizarre place with decrepit river boat casino paddle wheel and old barges beached like rotting carcasses around the entrance and in the embayment where we spent one night. I had never seen a shower set up like those we encountered here, a switch on the wall turned on the shower, no volume or temperature contols just water on or off.
Pioria was next and a few days visiting this fun town at the City Museum featuring local history and a great display of vacation photos and the Caterpillar factory museum where the largest machine I've ever seen was on display along with memorabilia of the WW II era female baseball team the movie League of Their Own was modeled after. The real players did not look much like Madonna and Genna Davis though. I had an interesting and unexpected dip in the river whilst assisting a larger boat to land at the dock here but will let that pass for now. Perhaps PM will write about that event but it is perhaps better left in the dustbin of this adventure.
Tall Timers had voracious mosquitoes, Big blue Island was out frst anchorage, Alton marina saw us entering the mighty Mississippi and Hoppi's Marina, which is just a couple of old barges tied to the river bank, was everything the cruising guides say it was including the infamous Fern who provided us with local knowledge for our transit down the Mississippi to Cairo Il. and then up the Ohio River to Peducah, KY and the entrance to the Cumberland River and finally to Green Turtle Bay Marina at the confluence of the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers. This time on the rivers was past, and we all felt it was time to rest, navigating in and among large tows, 4 wide and 10 long, on the Ohio River and through the not to be missed at least once in a boating life Lock 52 south of Peducah was exhausting but we had it in the books. Perhaps we will not pass this way again but we will forever remeber this time as the most requsite of courage and endurance. We are awsome on VELOMER.
I LOVE THIS LIFE.
