We had a big day on the Illinois River with barges, beautiful scenery, industry, a lock, and finally for the night a side tie dockage on the city municipal wall in Peoria. Woke up to a beautiful day in Ottawa, IL.Passed beautiful sandstone cliffs…Scenic, quiet, rural Illinois River.The one lock of the day – Starved Rock Lock & Dam. Five of us Loopers were able to lock through together going downbound the Illinois River after a 2 hour wait for a barge to lock through upbound. Our comfortable pilot house with new electronics thanks to Skipper John during the winter months. John working Stickfast business as I am on the helm for most of the day. We are a good team. Dangerous double bend in the River as we meet big barges making their turns with very shallow water on the edges for us to escape…Add a bridge to the experience it’s nerve racking…Then River opened up. Still shallow outside markers like ICW – Intracoastal Waterway in Florida. Made it to Peoria, IL and stayed at a city free dock…with I- 74 bridge right here…but ready to wait the line for Peoria Lock tomorrow.
2 Replies to “Ottawa, IL to Peoria, IL 79 miles. 1 Lock. Wed. Sept 21, 2022”
Nice cruising along the Illinois River!
The pup beside Skipper Dad- Wild, right?
Nice cruising along the Illinois River!
The pup beside Skipper Dad- Wild, right?
Right! Wild.