Sept 15-17 Down River

After spending all day travelling on 9/14 from New Mexico, we expected to be underway to Hammond, Indiana the next day.  But Lake Michigan decided it would be better for us to stay by kicking up 4 to 7 foot waves.  So we spent that day running errands.   The next day (9/16), there were still 3 foot waves but we made a dash to Hammond which was only 2 hours away.  We had supplies mailed to the marina there and took the afternoon changing the engine(s) oil and other maintenance items.  Then, on 9/17 we made way in 3 foot waves to the mouth of the Cal-Sag canal to start the river adventure (first pic).  I was quite anxious because we had 44 bridges and 2 locks in order to get through to Joliet.  However, more pressing were the gigantic tow barges throughout the narrow canal.  As soon as we entered the canal, we were boarded by the coast guard (second pic) for an inspection.  That helped to increase my anxiety as we made way for a couple miles going under low bridges with the coast guard rummaging through the boat.  But all went well.  Right after that, we encountered the Agiee C (third pic), a large tow that we followed into the first lock.  But it took the Agiee C almost 2 hours to get into the lock and secured.  So, it looked like a long day ahead.  Still, it was really neat to watch the tugs work the barges.  The tugs here operate with a telescoping cabin.  When they come to a low bridge, it is "down periscope" and then after the bridge, they raise up the cabin.   We made way to the Chicago Sanitary and Ship canal and arrived at the lowest fixed bridge on the great loop (fourth pic).  We had taken the anchor light down, and planned to celebrate going under this low bridge, but we were really busy dodging all the barge traffic.  Shortly after that, we arrived at the electric fish barrier (last pic), that was constructed to shock Asian carp in order to keep them from entering Lake Michigan.  They say, that if Asian carp were to get into the lake, the fishery there would be destroyed.  We arrived late (6 pm) at Joliet and tied up to the city wall there.  We found that every section of the loop has its own unique challenges.