Day 412 September 8 46 mi Heritage Harbor Marina Ottawa.IL

Before 6AM we had the largest barge we had ever seen come under the bridge with a tugboat on each end of the barges.....no picture....too dark....but we figured it would take 4 hours for him to lock through.....Lucky for us they stopped to break the barges into groups before proceeding to the Lock.

At 7:20AM the word was.."If you come NOW....we can lock you through"

 

 

6 boats pulled out...then were told...a tow in front...be @an hour

 

 

Saddi and the Captain had some breakfast

 

 

 By 9AM we were rafting in the Brandon Road Lock and Dam

 

 

Nanseann on the bollard (3) with Steve tied on

 

 

34 foot drop....our third lock

 



 

Pier Pressure, The Karty Party II and Satisfaction

 

 

Endavour, Twelve Stones and Miss Hadley

 

 

Des Plaines Casino Boat and Center

 

 

Sunken wrecks on the edge of the channel

 

 

Waiting for directions from the tow boat captains

 

 

This one comes by on our starboard

 

 

Looks brand new

 

 

Large plant on our port

 

 

Goose Blinds along the river

 

 

 "Come on around PCs" (pleasure boats)

 

 

Watching for Asian Carp

 

 

Boat House Condos for sale

 

 

Dresden Lock and Dam with a 20 foot drop

 

 

Steve, John rafted to Russ and Elaine

 

 

Eric and Pam using lines

 

 

Paul and Lynne rafted to Rik and Nancy

 

 

and we are rafted to John and Pat(whose is handling the bollard)

 

Dresden Lock is just below the confluence of the Illinois, Des Plaines and Kankakee rivers....have any idea where we are.....

 

 

Interesting....new and old

 

 

 

Historical Note - The first canal to connect Lake Michigan with the inland water system entered the Illinois River here in Morris, IL.  It was dug by hand starting in 1836.  Today this is the abandoned canal parallel to the Illinois River.  This 96-canal was in use from 1848 to 1860, when trains replaced it.  It originally ran from Morris to Chicago via Lockport.

 

 

Lots of campsites on the river

 

 

"Captains....let me get under the bridge and I'll let you pass"

 

 

"I'm backing down and having my lunch"

 

 

Thank you Killian L Huger

 

 

The Katie Hooper's Riverboat restaurant at Seneca

 

 

Marseilles Dam

 

 

We have another 2.2 miles to the lock

 

 

Am I having fun yet!!!!

 

 

We stage on the port side of the lock waiting for the tow to come out

 

 

7 boats trying to stay in deep water.....waiting, waiting, waiting

 

 

Ingram Tow headed north

 

 

2 bollards in this lock...so 2 boats had lines

 

 

2 miles down the river....our entrance to Heritage Harbor Marina, RDB

 

 

Lots of Loopers.....pot luck dinner tonight

 

 

Quite a crowd

 

 

Wow...we are part of a group picture

 

 

Sunset is here

 

Tracy's Boathouse at the marina for dinner....when we were at Marine Services we met Joe and Patty.  They told us to ask for Tracy which we did......all the locals at the bar knew Joe and Patty....they docked here for 3 years....so we received lots of hugs and kisses......

 

 

Welcome to Tracy's Captain