20 August, 2021. Easy day dodging tows and barges.

 

47 SM; 6.7 hours and three locks

Safe night last night on the Joliet wall.  Having the police outpost a few yards away probably did not hurt. Good sleep, but a large tow/barge complex passed and rocked the boat but not too bad and our large round ball fenders kept Serenity clear of the concrete wall.  Hot, hazy and humid forecast for the day ahead.  Coffee, bible study, route study and a quick phone call to the next lock two miles away checking on status; all a go.  Checklists complete we untied the lines and pushed off the wall at 0715.  We are cruising down hill all the way to the Ohio river.  Current has been marginal up until today.  Today onward the current will build up to 1-1.5 MPH on the Illinois waterway.  Great, faster without burning more diesel.  

Scenery less industrial, though there are pockets of heavy industry with gravel/sand pits and grail silos with tows and barges working the river and river banks, but becoming more rural and evidence that we have entered corn country.  Up first is Brandon road lock and dam.  First time we have locked with a tow/barge in the lock.  No waiting this time.  34 foot descent. 

Approaching the lock

Great signage on these USACE locks

Current has increased to about one MPH and will sustain the remainder of the day.  Speed over ground (SOG) up to 8.2 mph.  Two more locks to negotiate today. Dresden Lock and Dam with a 20 foot descent and Marseilles Lock with a 26 foot descent.  Both locks were shared with tow/barge combinations.  Easy in and out and minimal waiting.

Floating bollard; rises/falls with the lock water level. Loop a line around

Lock doors opening

Exiting lock

Smooth non-confrontational day along the water.  Commercial traffic moving up and down the river but no real tight pinch points today.  Massive grain silos along both sides of the waterway.  Saw three Eagles today.  First sighting in a very long time.  Many more wading birds; great egrets and great blue herons.  Ubiquitous ducks and geese along the shore or in the water.

Tow building barge packages

Power plant cooling tower ahead making a cloud

One of many grain silos 

Exiting today’s last lock we proceeded three miles to an anchorage just north of Ottawa, IL.  Bull’s Island seems to be what remains of an oxbow along the river, separate and well clear of the river channel.  We exited the river with caution at slow speed and watching the depth sounder, easy clearance with 10 feet of water under the keel.  We dropped the anchor at 1510 and secured the great Yanmar diesel.  (Map). The southern end of this bow is reported shoaled and only shallow draft boats pass.  So, we are well clear of the tow/barge traffic that travels 24/7.  Kim’s anchor video.  Water temp is 84 and air is 89.  Swim call!  We splash the dinghy and lower the boarding ladder from the swim platform.  There are a few water skiing boats and folks enjoying the smooth waters.  Several jet skies but not obnoxious.  Folks enjoying the water.  We have not used our pool noodles in a long time—out they came.  Refreshing water, not as crystal clear as the Great Lakes, but at least 20 degrees warmer.  So if the locals swim and ski in it, well, I went swimming in it too.  Swimming off and on until sunset. Final swim with a bar of soap in hand.  

Big full moon rising over the anchorage

5762 SM traveled; 2008.3 hours hobbs