Tent camping on the Illinois River
Ottawa City Docks
Railroad Bridge is open unless a train is coming...want that job???
Going along the Ottawa water front
The Illinois Waterway replaced the Illinois & Michigan Canal. In 1848 the I&M canal was an immediate commercial success, a highway of commerce that cut the time between Lake Michigan and the Illinois River to only 22 hours by tow-path mule. Charging six cents a mile for passengers and a penny a mile per thousand feet of lumber, the canal grossed a staggering $80,000 in its first year of operation.
Chicago, a rough-and-tough fur center at that time instantly became a major port and trade center, growing six-fold in only ten years.
With only 20,000 residents in 1848 when the canal opened, its population grew to a half-million by 1893.
Chicago is now the third most populous city in the country with nearly three million residents.
Of course railroads reduced the 22-hour trip to only three hours later on......
This barge just cleared the Starved Rock Lock...northbound
Buffalo Rock State Park
Starved Lock and Dam with a 17 foot drop...our sixth lock
Starved Rock is a terrain of bluffs and canyons. The bluff itself, call La Rocher (The Rock) by French explorers, rises over 100 feet above the river
We now have 10 looper boats waiting
On starboard 7 boats are using lines....one bollard...not working
Caroline on Friendly Cove II
4 boats on the port side using lines...lock tenders busy as they provide the lines
Starboard side leaves first
Its current name dates back to about 1760. At that time, Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa tribe was slain by an Illiniwek Indian while attending a tribal council, unleashing a series of battles to avenge his death. During one of the battles a band of Illiniwek sought refuge on the bluff, but were surrounded and starved to death.
Bar is open in Peru
South Shore Boat Club (on the north side) in Peru takes transients
Towboats everywhere
Spring Valley Boat Club takes transients
Commercial but small towns
Hennepin's City Docks with a climb to town
Loading the barge....look at the tilt
Hennepin Boat Store
For commercial workboats, Hennepin is their grocery store stop. The Hennepin Boat Store, owned by the Judd family for two generations, is a floating grocery and general provisions store. Tow boats can radio ahead with their order and their order is delivered underway. Wonder if that works for Looper boats......
White Pelicans......three large groups.....better head South
Henry IL
Think the river gets high
Tow Boats and their barges...loading and unloading
Then nothing but river on the starboard
And nothing but river on the port
Beer trucks in Chillicothe
City Docks....floating....look how high the water can go
Interesting homes
Coming into the North Peoria lakes....very shallow
Lots of Tow Boat havens
Looks like a Riverboat being worked on
We follow the tug through the narrow channel
Stay in the channel Satisfaction you just got a new prop
Oh me... the Pinta has gone aground....please help Mr. Tug
Hope the Gene Herde slows down or rocks them into deeper water
IVY CLub.....our stop
Pinta made it .....off to the Peoria City Docks to join the Nina
South Harbor of the IVY Club
Vicki and Caroline.....12 Looper boats in port
Neat looking
Nanseann is in the North Harbor for a starboard tie...great for Saddi
Dinner at the No Wake Zone Bar and Grill
Today has been in the 50s, cloudy but no rain which is good.....The river is rising and the marinas are full.....boats can't move......
Fern at Hoppies on the Mississippi says......do not come......we are at flood stage....wait 5 days and see if the water goes down.....stay where you are......
So we will stay another day and check the next marina where we have a reservation to see if boats have left and we can get in......and of course.....check the rivers and their levels.....
Having fun.....that's what it's all about.....
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