September 13, 2014 - SLIPPED AT IVY CLUB IN PEORIA, IL

We made it from Sheehan Island, south of Ottawa, Illinois to IVY Club (Illinois Valley Yacht Club) in Peoria, IL., a full day but 67miles along our journey.  Fueled up, pumped out, and slid into our slip for 2 days and connected tonight with fellow Loopers on our first official "docktails" event. It is SO much fun talking to people who are on the same journey, comparing notes and sharing information!

This morning upon leaving from our anchorage in Sheehan Island, we saw our first Asian carp.  Saw 2 (or maybe just one enjoying our company and jumping twice), but that's all we saw along the way. We were told that the Asian carp weren't very active because of the cool weather (48-59 degrees today). Even though it may make our "fishing fanatic" family crazy, it was exciting to see them.  :) We were told by one of the lock masters that they are pretty tasty if prepared properly and there are some restaurants in Chicago that sell them as a premier menu item. Who would have guessed?!!

As we traveled along the river, it really was beautiful country...truly America's heartland with cornfields and granaries along the way.  The riverside is very undeveloped for 99% of the journey along the river and very natural looking countryside...very peaceful and pleasing to the eye.

We made great time progressing down the river, as the current added to our speed over ground.  While our speedometer read often 8.5 knots, we were actually traveling at least 9.5 knots.  Great way to save on fuel!!!

They have this unique gravity-fed system in the locks, developed in the early 1900's to allow a boat to wrap lines around this "floater" which drops as the water drops in the lock and holds the boat tight to the wall of the lock.

In this particular lock, there were leaks around the back wall so it felt like we were near a mini-Niagara Falls.

Another view of our boat tied to the "floater"

A companion boat leaving the locks at Lockport

This is the vision we awoke to this morning...very cool but sunny with steam rising from the warm river water

Cant' say enough about this anchorage...beautiful...Sheehan Island, just South of Ottawa, IL

White pelicans resting in the steamy water. To them, it probably felt like a hot tub in the fall.

Multicultural fowl gathering

View of the State Park adjacent to the Starved Rock Lock & Dam

Fellow Looper "Freedom" waiting for the lock with us at Starved Rock Lock & Dam

White pelicans...an interesting sight for us

One of the many granaries along the Illinois River

Just one of the picturesque sights along the river

Most of our day was like this.  Such a surprise, as we never expected to see sights like this along the Illinois River

The only thing better would have been warm weather to enjoy it from on the deck...

View from our dining location tonight across the street from IVY Club

We plan to stay at IVY Club tonight and tomorrow night, then leaving for our next destination of Grafton, Illinois (which will take 2-3 days).  Following Grafton, we will begin the journey down the Mississippi.  We, as a Looper group, are watching closely the river conditions on the Mississippi and will not embark upon that part of the journey until the river has calmed down and it is completely safe.  It is very comforting to know that we have an entire "family" of boaters that are on the same journey and are looking out for one another.  Many Loopers are currently waiting it out in Grafton until conditions on the Mississippi improve.  In the meantime, we will all heed the conditions and enjoy being together until it is time to make the next part of the journey.