September 20, 2013 Ottawa, Illinois at Heritage Harbor marina

We woke up when a few of the boats at the dock began to leave around 8am.  SInce we were'nt concerend about leaving at a certain time we didn't rush out of bed.  Besides our coffee maker seems to have entered a cryptic state of  electronic noncompliance.  It doesn't work any longer.  This leaves certain individuals in a less than optimal state for early morning departures.  So needing to stretch my legs anyway I hopped off the boat and ran into town on a quest for coffee.  Didn't find any.  On my way back I noticed the 2 remaining boats,  Acapella and 5 O'clock, had started up their engines with the intent of leaving around 8:30.  They wanted  to be at the next bridge and lock in time for their opening.  We hadn't quite planned all this out yet but  having learned never to ignore opportunity I hurriedly switched over the electrical system, started up the engines and brought in the lines.  So on a coffeeless morning we followed them out into the river heading for Ottawa.



The first bridge was quick and easy since they knew we were on our way.  The lock a mile or so downstream from the bridge was open for us but we were instructed to raft up to 5 O'clock (tie our boat to the side of their boat).  This was a new locking procedure for us but it was rather easy since we just tied off to their boat and sat around relaxing while they hauled on lines to keep the boat from thrashing about.

Acapella and 5 O' Clock in the distance

Once we cleared the lock we found ourselves at the tail end of the group.  They were cruising around 9mph which is something we can't do very easily.  I did, though, bump it up beyond 8mph so we didn't fall too far behind.

 Meanwhile I found a way to brew some coffee for Mary.  Necessity is the mother of invention no matter how cockamamie the solution.

On the way we actually overtook a 3 barge tow, the Duey-R.  It was a 2 whistle pass meaning we passed him on his left side.  Basically our starboard side to his port side as we passed him.   Whistle passes are commonly used on the river to negotiate passing situations.  Really had to put the peddle to the metal to get around him.  Luckily we had the help of current pushing us otherwise it would have taken us a good thirty minutes.

We made it to the Marseilles lock but learned it was going to be at least an hour and half wait because they were locking through a split tow and were just emptying the lock to get it down to the level where the barges could enter.

 A tow was at the bottom of the lock with too many barges to fit in the lock all together.  So they split the tow apart and lock up the first 6 barges and then haul them out with cabling.  Then the lock is emptied again and the rest of  the tow is brought in.  Once they are raised up the barges get rejoined and off they go.  But its a very time consuming process.

We arrived just in time to see the barges about to be pulled from the lock.  And to make it really exciting the Duey-R had sped up and was coming into the lock area.  A traffic jam of cosmic proportions!   The area around the lock was not all that large and the tows are not dainty.

5 O'Clock tied off.  Duey-R in the distance on left

Going by the lock master's instructions we hung off to the LDB (left descending bank).  Acapella and our boat just floated there occasionally hitting the engines to keep from going aground or hitting one another.  5 O'clock though tied off to one of the large circular pylons barges used to pivot or tie off too while waiting for a lock to clear.

Barges pulled out of lock and Acapella floating behind us

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After many minutes the first 6 barges had cleared the lock and we were instructed to enter through a very narrow opening since the barges were still in the lock entrance blocking the normal entrance.

Narrow entrance into the lock

Another exciting episode requiring an additional application of medicinal rum later on

Entering the lock to tie up on the right

We tied off on one wall opposite and struggled with keeping the boat relatively straight as the wind had picked up and was swirling around in the chamber.    Luckily they had floating bollards (post which float up and down to which you can tie your boat).

Tied up at the end of C dock

We left the lock and were still undecided whether to follow Acapella and 5 O'Clock to an anchorage a few miles down stream or stick with our original plan and stay in a marina hoping to get a rental car on Saturday.

We opted for the marina.  Heritage Harbor near Ottawa Illinois.   Nice, developing marina and resort and very cheap.  Only drawback was the depth which hovered a little more than 5 feet.  Very soft mud bottom though so no real worries.

C dock to the left and us sticking out

Noticed some other looper's here at the marina.   And another looper I was corresponding with back in Chicago is traveling here too so we may have a little flotilla by the time we leave.  But our departure time is still up in the air right now while we wait to hear about a rental car and dentist back in Green Bay having my crown. Meanwhile there are fun people here and they have a nice little bar.  Alas, the temp aren't tropical.  Actually the tree's are looking less green every day.  Hope I can find some warm clothes somewhere on board.