Aug 2-3 Leaving Chicago to The Illinois River.

LEAVING CHICAGO -SANITARY SHIP CANAL TO THE ILLINOIS RIVER The trip from Chicago, IL to Mobile , AL runs over 1,300 miles through a system of rivers and canals.

We started our last day in Chicago looking at the city passed the flag for the Columbia Yacht Club one more time. Decided to do the tourist thing and see the Sears Tower
Looking down from the observation deck at the River Place, condo, park your car above and your boat below.

Interesting sights through the window at the top.


We toured the city on a sightseeing Double Decker bus . Picasso sculpture.


Chicago's architecture is amazing.

The Aqua Building fascinated me.

Wednesday morning we left through downtown Chicago, via the Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal, going under about 40 bridges in about 5 miles. The lowest fixed bridge was about 16 feet, so we had to take the entire bimini top and the radar mast down. Waiting for this railroad bridge to open, too low to pass even with our top down .

Then we passed the area where the electric current is in the water to keep the Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes. Last year they kept boaters from passing this area for months.

Now they just want you to wear a life preserver and stay in your boat. What a difference

We arrived at Three Rivers Marina, still in Illinois, later than we wanted about 8 pm. Harry the owner, wanted to chat for a half hour or so before he assigned a slip. By now it was dark. Just what we wanted to do slide into our slip at night. Fierce rains that evening with 60 mile an hour winds blew our seat cushion under the next dock which was in such disrepair we could not walk to it. Harry took his small boat and retrieved it.

Passing barges two and three wide has become common place. At first you feel they are wider than the channel, but soon you can breathe as the pass.