Happy Labor Day!!  

We departed Ottawa, IL early this morning southbound toward Chillicothe, IL.  We locked through the Starved Rock lock with four other Looper boats. There was only one floating bollard so the rest of us were given long lines, dropped to us by the lockmaster.  Going down in a lock is faster and simpler than going up -- all you have to do is hold on -- and we were in and out in 15 minutes with no wait to enter the lock.

By noon the sun was quite intense and it was sticky hot and humid.  The landscape began to change from industrial to verdant forests, beaches and lovely  homes along this area of the Illinois River.  There were a lot of pleasure boaters on the water today and only a few tugboats.

We arrived at Hamm's Holiday Marina mid afternoon and tied up on the end of a dock.  C-Bay, Queen Kathleen, Native Sun and Quest -- the same Looper boats we were with in the lock this morning are also staying here.  The marinas are few and far between now and the water levels are so low that you can't get into the entrance to some of the anchorages.

Hamm's is a nice marina but there are no amenities, except electricity and water.  The owner, Dick Hamm, is very friendly and offered to take our friends into town to do their laundry.  Unfortunately, once they got there, the laundromat was closed for the holiday. It was kind of Mr. Hamm to offer.  Payment for dock rent was by cash or check --- no credit cards.  We are seeing a lot of these cash only places since we've been in Illinois.
 

On one of the docks there is a small pool that the slipholders purchased and set up.  They offered us the use of it and we gladly accepted, changed into our bathing suits and took a cool dip.  We also caught up with Glenda and Carl, who we met in Fennelon Falls, and we sat and chatted with them a while.  We traveled 60 miles today.

Attached are a few photos:

Inside Starved Rock Lock

Four other boats are ahead of us in the lock

Mid-afternoon Ralph cooled off with river water from the fresh water pump on the foredeck.

Grateful for a refreshing dip -- the pool is so shallow we could sit on the bottom -- we didn't care, it was cool!

Chatting with Glenda and Carl

Homes along the Illinois River

There was minimal tugboat traffic on this Labor Day holiday

Peaceful landscape

Homes along the Illinois River