Port #22: We Love Horseshoes...

Great Loop II Date: 9/15/2014

Day #46 (Monday): 42 miles (1233 total miles)

Locks: 0 (8 total locks) wickets down in 1 lock

Port #22: Havana, IL

Morning ritual completed, OB was off the dock and on her way to the Peoria Lock with Roundabout and Andante close behind.  Having looked ahead, we all knew the Peoria Lock was flooded and the wickets were down.  That allowed us to travel midstream down the river past the Peoria Lock without stopping.

As we were passing over the wicket dam, looking at the flooded lock.

The open area on the far right is where the wickets are located.

A wicket dam is a metal dam or a series of metal plates attached individually to a system creating a dam.  During flooding, it can be lowered to the bottom of the river to allow the rushing river water to move by the lock preventing damage from debris and erosion to the lock from the water.  It is both advantageous for us as well as a little frightening with the rapid water.  However, our passage was easy and controlled.

The day started and continued cloudy with periods of rain.  The Asian Carp jumped frequently hitting the back of our boat.  They sounded like logs hitting the bottom.  I was up and looking quite a few times making sure there wasn’t a dead head bobbing behind us in the water.  Dead heads are logs that float vertically and are usually just below the surface of the water making them impossible to see or avoid.

The clouds are pretty in pictures, but it got pretty monotonous seeing every day like this with no sun.

Flooding along the Illinois River

Unloading coal from a barge for the coal fired power plant below

We went under a lot of lift bridges too...mostly railroad.  This bridge operator seemed to have a nice little house to stay in while on duty.

We arrived at Havana, IL in good time and tied up the Nature Center dock, another free dock.  Havana restaurants are known for their famous Horseshoe open faced sandwich.  We made way to Babe’s for a late lunch.

OB at her free dock...the Nature Center in Havana, IL.

The famous Horseshoe...from bottom to top: 2 Texas Toast, 2 hamburgers, fries, cheese sauce, bacon, tomatoes, green onions and probably some stuff I left out.

When we came back to the dock, we were met by Loopers we’ve been in the last ports with.  We mentioned having docktails at Babe’s and set a time for later in the evening..  It was ‘Wing’ night.  The wings were delicious shared with lots of conversation and laughter.