Tuesday, August 5, 2008

PEORIA LAKE

8/5/08---Left Heritage Harbor at 9:00 a.m. (mile 242). Said our goodbys to Capt Moe. He provided us with several ears of his home grown corn last night. We could hardly wait to get it cooked and it proved to be absolutely delicious. Arrived at the Starved Rock Lock at 10:00 a.m. It was another wait as there was a tow in front of the lock. It was the same one (tug named Morgan)we had been in the Dresden Lock with yesterday. Once he was in the chamber, we moved in near his tug and held ropes on the starboard side. Everything was fine until the downstream gate was opened and the tug started to push the barges. His prop wash pulled the bow of our boat off the wall and it just cleared his stern. He recognized my dilemma and stopped his engines. I was then able to manuver the boat back over against the wall where Keith tied a line to a pin in the wall. All is well and we fianally cleared the lock at noon. We called ahead to the Illinois Valley Yacht Club located at mile 167.9 on the RDB of Peoria Lake. They said we could tie up just past the fuel dock. The entrance to the marina is very narrow, so it was a blessing there was no wind at the time we arrived. At 5:00 p.m. the lines were secured to the dock without incident. We drained water from the sediment bowels for the second time today. After checking the engines we enjoyed using the club's showers. The restaruant on site was very good. The abbriviation for the club is I.V.Y. as seen behind Maryann.

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