Home, finally!

Sept. 11, 2012.  Ty Nichols, a buddy from college days, and I brought the boat from Grafton to Louisiana.  We got through the Winfield and Clarksville Locks with very little delay and arrived in Louisiana around 4PM.  Mom (Mary Alice) and Sally were on our patio waving.

We pulled up to the gas dock and pumped out our holding tanks and proceeded to F-Dock where we backed into our slip.  Nephew Ben and his friend Elizabeth joined Sally, mom, Ty, and myself for a welcome home celebration.  We topped off the evening at Pikers restaurant as the Lighthouse Restaurant was closed on Tuesday.

Tomorrow, I'll run Ty to Columbia, MO, his home, and run a couple errands there.  Ty has been a great novice crewman.  Later this week, we'll start working on the next phase of upgrades to SaSea Sally.

I may make some blog posts during the next few months but the nest leg of our Loop trip begins next summer.  Stay tuned in for more posts then............

Grafton Harbor, Grafton, IL

Sept. 1, 2012.  We departed Illinois Riverdock after a great breakfast with the frozen, pre-cooked sausage Dave brought, biscuits, and eggs.  We warmed and browned the sausage patties in a pan.  Strangely, no grease appeared--Dave said, no, they are turkey sausage patties.  Quite tasty.

The four other Looper boats were had been traveling with had continued on the 21 miles to Grafton Harbor and were there when we arrived, plus a few additional Loopers who were already there.

Son, John, drover to Grafton after work to join us for a beer and dinner at The Loading Dock.  This was a great chance for him to see the boat and get a free meal.  He also picked up his 6-pack of Spotted Cow beer, a WI favorite!

After riding with Ty and myself from Chicago, Dave left the boat at Grafton to catch a bus from St Louis to Indianapolis, IN, his home.  Thanks Dave for the crewing and your sage boating advice!

Illinois Riverdock Restaurant - Mel's Diner

Sept. 9, 2012.  After a leisurely day cruising down the Illinois River through Pike and Calhoun Counties in Illinois, we landed at Illinois Riverdock Restaurant in Harden, IL.  Mel's, as the restaurant is known by the locals, is famous for good family cooking and home-cooked PIES.  We purchased a whole peach pie, made with fresh locally grown Calhoun County peaches and walked a few more blocks to a convenience store to purchase ice cream.  Yum, yum, yum!!!

Dave cooked several of Sally's marinated chicken breasts on the new grill which were quite tasty.

The next morning we awoke to find Mel's is closed Monday so no biscuits and gravy today!  Boat breakfast.

Logston's Tug Service at Beardstown, IL

We left Peoria early with the other 4 trawler's traveling the Loop at 6:30am.  All were hoping to get through the lock 5-6 miles downstream without a long delay.  Since we'd seen a dozen tows heading downstream while docked at the Peoria City Dock, we were anticipating a delay--fortunately there was none.

We passed a number of small river towns and grain operations that day and moored at Beardstown, IL, the only stop with space for us and enough depth to accommodate us safely.  At Beardstown, we stopped at Logston's Tug Service the only place where civilization could be accessed and where our draft could be a accommodated without anchoring along the river.

Two Logston hands met us and directed us where to tie-up along one of several barges moored at their docks.  All five boats were secured to locations along a barge.  We briefly toured the town and retired around 10am.

Around midnight the crews of all 5 boats were awakened and told we had to move because that barge had to be moved up river.  I had never driven SaSea Sally in the dark so being awakened to do so at midnight wasn't fun.  The move was made without incident and we were back in bed by 12:30PM.  I didn't sleep much after that incident.

The Loopers pulled out of Logston's around 6:30AM headed south.

Peoria City Dock

Sept. 7, 2012.  We experienced rainy weather this evening and early morning.  We fueled at Hamm's to be notified payment needed to be by cash or check.  Since the fuel bill was well over $500 we probably didn't have that much cash between us so I dug out a check I told Sally "I might need".

We proceeded the 15-20 miles through the Peoria pool, a huge, generally shallow lake to downtown Peoria arriving around mid-day.  We moored at the "City Dock" in downtown Peoria where s number of loopers we had traveled with the previous day were docked.  The Peoria city docks were meant for boats 30' and less but we were able to find one more "big" spot to dock.  We were able to get 50 amp power by connecting our "Smart Reverse Y adapter" to two 30 amp/125v outlets so we had 50amp/220v power. 

The skies were threatening most of the day but Ty ventured out for some bread and a few other supplies.  We had a very nice meal at Joe's Crab Shack at the Peoria waterfront. 

A First for 6 Loopers

Sept. 6, 2012.  After our last holding tank pump-out till Grafton, we left the excellent Heritage Harbor Marina in Ottawa IL and motored to the lock 5-10 miles south.  The only negative about Heritage Harbor was their fuel prices were $0.65/gal more than other marinas we would pass.

At the Starved Rock Lock and Dam MM 231, several tows and 5 pleasure boats, all Loopers who had stayed at Heritage Harbor the previous night.  They were rafted to a mooring cell above the dam so we jointed them by putting our lines on the "Toucan", a DeFever trawler from Ft Lauderdale, FL.  We were rafted up for nearly an hour (they had been there for well over an hour already).

The Lockmaster announced we would be locking through with a tow consisting of 4 barges and a "pusher" tow boat.  We were instructed to stay on the mooring cell till the tow entered the lock and was securely tied off to the lock wall.  Then the Loop boats were to enter the lock single file and with the aid of the tow deckhands, tie a line or two to the tow.  We did this leaving around 80' for the tow to disconnect from his barges and slip into the gap behind the 6 pleasure boats.  The locking was the best kind, expeditious and uneventful.

After leaving the lock, the gaggle of boats headed south.  All were headed to the Peoria City wall quite a distance even without the 2+ hour lock delay so they were going at fast displacement speed, basically plowing water.  SaSea Sally has a hybrid hull, both displacement and planeing, so we are efficient going slow (less than 10mph) or going faster on a plane (15-17mph) but not plowing at an in between speed.  We passed all the Loopers and went fast for several hours with mate Tyson at the helm much of the way.

As we approached Hamm's Holiday Marina we saw a sandbar covered with white pelicans, probably migrating south for the winter.  We entered Hamm's, an older, basic marina with old tows being dismantled, old casino boats, and other stuff.  At least fuel prices are much better.  Dick, the owner, told us via cell phone he was busy and couldn't fuel us as we entered.  He sent us to one of the few docks with 50 amp power and water.  After an hour or two he ambled down the dock to say high and let us know there wasn't much around the marina unless we wanted to walk 1.3+ miles up the road.

Entering the Starved Rock Lock with a tow.

Secured to the barges

Tow boat still attached to the barges

Tow after entering the lock chamber behind the Loopers

Hamm's Holiday Harbor from the river side

The Interstate highway bridge between Rockford and Bloomington, IL

White pelican's on a sand bar in the Peoria pool of the IL River

We ate one of Sally's great marinated pork tenderloins that had been in the freezer.  Also had it with eggs the next day.

Northcentral Illinois

We left Joliet Illinois at MM 288 after night and early morning storms abated around 9am.  Shortly after Joliet is the Branden Road Lock and Dam on the Des Plaines River which a gracious Corps of Engineers boat backed partially out of the lock to give us more than 20' of width with which to enter the lock.

We forged ahead as the skys cleared and a great day ensued.  The second lock of the day was the Marseilles Lock and Dam at MM286.

Nice Corps boat that backed out of the chamber so we wouldn't have to try to squeeze through a space 3' wider than the SaSea Sally!

Locks had a 30-40' drop

Typical Illinois River secenery

Lock that has an upper gate that raises and lowers into the base of the lock chamber.

We tied up in the Heritage Harbor Marina  at MM 251.5 on the Illinois River.  Heritage Harbor Marina is new and first class with pool, restaurant/bar, nice showers and bath rooms, courtesy car, and really nice people.  The marina staff was extremely accommodating and included a Looper who completed the Loop over 10 years ago.  An attractive receptionist and a full figured waitress complemented the guys at the marina.

Cruising the Chicago Loop

Where the Cal-Sag Canal and the Chicago Sanitary Canal join 25 miles west of Lake Michigan

Randolph Street Bridge

Water taxi at a station amid a park along the river.

Back up generators for the electric fish fence.

Jan Moore and Barb meet us at the Joliet IL park where we stayed overnight.

Chicago amid early morning clouds.

Lock on Lake Michigan where the Chicago Sanitary Canal begins.

Wrigley Building in downtown Chicago.

Down town Chicago!

Boat slips under the Mariana Twoer building.

Building built around Marina on the Chicago River a mile or two west of the Loop

Marina Towers on the Chicago River

With my new crew of Dave Johnson and Ty Nichols we departed Chicago and the DuSable Marina on the edge of the Loop to see if we would fit under the low bridges in Chicago.  We entered the Chicago lock and proceeded down the Chicago Sanitary Canal through the tall buildings of Chicago.

We measured the height of the SaSea Sally a half dozen times coming up with different heights.  To pass under the low bridges, your height must be less than 17 ft. and we measured from 16 ft to 17.5 so we just decided to give it a try!  We ended up at a park in Joliet IL park.

CHICAGO - Crew change

Capt. Clay and Seaman Ward Riedesel

DuSable Harbor at the foot of Randolph Street

North side of Chicago

North side of Chicago (Bruce's and Kathi's condo?)

Navy Pier on the right with inner harbor lighthouse and DuSable Marina on the left

Speed boat rides in the Chicago harbor

Monday, Sept. 3, 2012.  Ward and I were up early and pulled out of the Kenosha marina early in case we couldn't make good time due to waves, wind, rain, etc.  The waves were 3-4' when we left but true to prediciton moderated as the day progressed.  We were in Chicago by noon but it took a while to navigate the harbor and find the DuSable Marina at the foot of Randolph Street just outside the loop and 1/4 mile south of the Chicago River Lock.

Crewman Ward departed in time to catch the 2:30 train to Kenosha to pick up his car and return to his digs in Chicago.

New crewmen, Ty Nichols and Dave Johnson arrived Monday, Labor Day, respectively by train and by vehicle driven by his sweet wife Brenda.  Ty boarded the train in LaPlata MO (north of his home, Columbia) and was in Chicago in 5-6 hours.  Dave drove from Indianapolis, IN.

Kenosha Layover - Day 2

Strong winds from the east continued as Isaac continued..........

Kenosha Layover

September 1, 2013.  After fairly good weather, that Issac storm has whipped up some wind and waves.  The waves are coming from the east so they would be on our beam.  The rollers that came through the old harbor opening looked to be at least 4+' as did the waves crashing over the break water..

Ward and I will stay put today.  Tomorrow (Sunday) looks to be more of the same!

Kenosha WI

Our trip form Racine to Kenosha was slow, averaging 1000-1200rpm to conserve fuel on this short 10 mile trip.  The Lake was pretty calm and we had a nice approach to Kenosha's Southport Marina.  The "old harbor" is pretty small and hasn't been developed much.  The Southport area is immediately south of the old harbor but it has a different entrance to the Lake.

Bob and broter-in-law, Pete.

Bob Mustell's brother-in-law, Pete, and his son dropped by to pick Bob up.  Bob has been good crew and I appreciate his help with lines, etc.

First Class Crewman, Ward Riedesel, a Westminster fraternity brother, joined me for the trip to Chicago.  We had a great Italian dinner at a restaurant operated by Carmin from south America, the wife of a friend/customer of Ward's.

Racine, WI

Bob and I headed to Racine, 25 miles south of Milwaukee.  Again the recently developed harbor was beautiful with condos, hotels, and a beautiful marina with pool (sorry Sally, you missed it). 

Bob and I explored Racine's main street about 3 blocks from the boat.  Lots of restaurants and shops (used clothing, women's stuff, artsy stuff, etc.).  There was West Marine store that was closing with huge markdowns on some items.  I got some rope so several of our bigger fenders could be raised and lowered more easily and a AM/FM/CD player demo that was marked down to $5.  The one on the fly bridge does not work and the sale unit is the same brand so I am hoping it can plug into the existing wiring making installation easier.

Racine Harbor and waterfront

Giant disposal for unwanted fish parts.

On our morning work 8-10 fishermen (obviously on an overnight or early morning fishing trip) were cleaning some nice sized fish at the fish cleaning station.  The station had two giant waste grinders (huge garage disposals) disposing of the unused fish parts.  If you didn't mind a little splatter, it was a great way to get rid of unwanted fish parts.