On to Joliet

Our route today took us through the Chicago Lock, down the Chicago River, and through downtown Chicago, where we had to pass under a fixed 17 ft. bridge. That meant we had to lower our radar tower, which is easy to do, and Don made a pole to put a warning flag on the bow, 3 inches higher than our bimini.  If the flag made it under...all was good!

 Flag is pretty close....

Radar arch resting on the davits...

The Chicago River leads into the man-made Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. Around 1900 there were so many major epidemics in Chicago, cholera was one of them, caused by their polluted drinking water coming from Lake Michigan. Something had to be done....so the course of the Chicago River was changed to flow south, The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and locks were built to connect to the Illinois Waterway, and presto....human waste and stockyard waste no longer polluted Lake Michigan...it went south to St. Louis and the Mississippi! 

 It almost looks like we will go through the Trump Tower...but the river curves to the left. The lovely architecture, however, would soon be replaced by very commercial areas.

 Kate was not impressed by the architecture!!!

 There was a 10 mile stretch where barges were docked on the side of the narrow Canal, as well as coming up-river towards us!

We could smell the peat moss before we saw it. Not sure why there is a little pile of coal in front.

 Lots of sand for the sandbox!

We went through the electric fish barrier that is trying to keep the Asian Carp from entering the Great Lakes. 

After 39 miles of no-wake zones, we tied up to the free dock, including free electricity, at Joliet, IL, in Will County!