While we were hoping to leave Chicago under bright blue sunny skies showcasing the skyscrapers in all their glory as we cruise the Chicago River, such was not the case. It is overcast, but at least no storms or rain.
Before we can cruise down the Chicago River, we must go through the Chicago Harbor Lock. This lock, finished in 1938, sits at the mouth of the Chicago River and reverses the flow of water from Lake Michigan. The purpose being to improve the water quality of the lake. It takes about 12-15 minutes to lock through, bringing us down to the Chicago River, a difference ranging from 2 to 5 feet. We estimate our lowering at 4 feet. As the water level is lowered, a line is held to keep your boat near the lock wall. While the lock can hold up to 100 vessels, we were all alone this Saturday Morning. Definitely a smart move leaving before 9 as most sightseeing boats have not began their day. The Chicago Harbor Lock is the 4the busiest lock for commercial use and the 2nd busiest for recreational use in the US. We are fortunate to be solo this morning!
Entering the Chicago River and navigating the meandering path it weaves through the city is one of the most amazing and scenic legs of our journey. The river is quite congested, and once again we are thankful the sightseeing boats are still mooring and not touring. Except for those brave kayak tourers!
The architecture is stunning from the river, which is probably why the architecture tours are so popular for tourists. One of the first skyscrapers we cruise by, and one we saw daily from the marina, is the St. Regis.
Once we leave the skyscrapers of Chicago in our wake…
the views quickly turn from glitz to grime.
Further down river in Lemont, we encounter a first for us…an electrical fish barrier.
Our last segment of the journey takes us through the lock at Lockport. Once through this lock, the Chicago Sanitary Canal will end and we will be in the waters of the Des Plaines River.
We arrive to Joliet and pass by Harrah’s. Joliet is the only city in Illinois which has two casinos within its city limits…Harrah’s and Hollywood.
We arrive to our dock for the night.
Tomorrow we leave Juliet and head for Heritage Harbor, Ottawa, IL. For the rest of the night, and into the overnight, I will try not to think how close the barges travel to our mooring location.