Sept. 3, 2012 

I had to chuckle to myself as I read my last blog posting.  We had been waiting for the Dresden Lock to clear and for us to enter.  Well, it continued to RAIN and it took a total of FIVE hrs. for us to go through that lock.  One huge barge had to be divided and the tug had to take both sections through the locks while we waited and waited and waited.  Lessons learned….never think the locks are going to be speedy because they aren’t!  My OCD was kicking in at about 4 hrs.

Yesterday, we were up “at first light” as Steve likes to say to make up for lost time at the lock.  We left Sugar Island anchorage and traveled 65 miles down the Illinois River until we reached the small town of Henry, IL and anchored at their marina!  Yeah for restaurants, grocery stores, showers and laundry facilities.  (Note: we CAN shower on the boat, just easier in a “land” shower)  Today we are relaxing (Labor Day, of course) and doing odds and ends around the boat.  Highlights from our yesterday journey include: the flying Asian carp (some can jump inside of your boat, but no luck for us!), Starved Rock State park with the beautiful cliffs, and two more locks that were quite simple or we are becoming experts!  More fun and adventure await…stay tuned.   One further note, Steve’s Mom turns 92 today!  What a beautiful, independent woman whom we all love!





Nancy preparing to enter a lock.

Bill relaxing reading his Kindle

 





Straved Rock State Park



Kathryn docked at Henry Harbor Marina.  She is tied up in an abandoned lock. This lock was the first of its kind on the Illinois River.



Speaking of Asian Carp, this is the electric barrier south of Chicago that attemps to keep them out of Lake Michigan.



At the bottom of a 40 foot drop lock.  Note the gates are just starting to open.