CHICAGO RIVER / CHICAGO to JOLIET

WOW...We are officially off Lake Michigan! Captain Greg and Admiral Reenie both have a love / hate relationship with a Lake Michigan. The Lake can be absolutely beautiful and inviting at times...but it can also turn nasty very fast! Overall we loved our 300 mile adventure down Lake Michigan's west coast. Also, we both smile with relief that it's time to start the next chapter of our Great American Loop Adventure.

While in CHICAGO we docked at DuSable Harbor for six nights! The small towns we have visited the last month are charming, but it sure was exciting to be in the big city of CHICAGO, the third most populated city in the United States.

The Harbor is right downtown with a spectacular view of the Windy City and Navy Pier. There are about 15 Looper boats here in the Harbor.  It's fun to meet each other and trade Boat Cards.

Looper Tip: DuSable is slightly more expensive than other CHICAGO Marinas but, worth it :)

While in CHICAGO Greg explored the City and had a wonderful visit with a college Water polo friend aboard Thistle (Yeah, we had our first visitor of 2017!). Reenie took advantage of the great public transportation in CHICAGO, and rode the Blue Line to O'Hare Airport. Then she flew to California for a nice visit with her parents :)

Once we were both back aboard Thistle we planned our next stop in JOLIET.  The morning we planned to depart, Thistle had a dead battery? So Greg rode his bike to West Marine and purchased two new batteries. They weigh about 130 pounds each! We were very fortunate that West Marine delivered our new batteries to the Harbor (Thanks). After a long insulation project ... we were ready to depart the next morning.

The next morning we completed the Chicago Harbor Lock and started down the CHICAGO RIVER. Thistle traveled right through downtown CHICAGO (definitely one of the top highlights of our entire Loop adventure). We soon entered The Electric Fish Barrier. This is a system devised to keep the invasive Asian Carp out of the Great Lakes ecosystem. After a long day on the river we finished Lockport Lock and docked on the JOLIET wall for the night XO.

Our first night in Chicago we visited the Columbia Yacht Club. The Club's home is "The Abby" an old Canadian ice breaking ship.

Greg explored The Windy City by bike and enjoyed a visit from Bill Lee (a UCSB water polo teammate).

Reenie enjoyed the opportunity to have a nice visit with her parents. I helped make my Mom's special 60 year old spaghetti recipe. 

Thistle on her dock in downtown Chicago. We watched a bride and groom take off on their honeymoon...and had a pet duck on our swim step!

After a five night stay in Chicago we planned our course to Joliet

We woke up early to push off the dock and discovered that Thistle had a dead battery? ( I guess she really wanted to stay anotther night in Chicago.)

With our mast down we finally left DuSable Harbor.

Ready for the Chicago Harbor Lock.

A floating Ballard Lock (a new style to us). 

On the beautiful Chicago River. 

A spectacular view from Thistle. 

All of the familiar Street/Bridge names. 

Our private architectural tour.

Once outside the city the the river bank turns very industrial.

Some of the lowest bridges on the entire Loop...glad we lowered our mast and antennae!

Under a railroad bridge.

The Chicago River. 

Entering The Electric Fish Barrier. The carp are jumping out of the water! (We understand some land on boat decks?)

The Electric Fish Barrier signs. 

Funny floating homes along the river. 

The Lockport Lock (we side tied to a barge!). 

On the Joliet Wall for the night with eight other Looper Boats.

The next chapter of our Great American Loop adventure is from CHICAGO, Illinois to Mobile, Alabama.