Day 88, 89 & 90 September 16 -18, 2022

Day 88 Friday September  16, 2022

More Chicago

DuSable is a very busy harbor.  We were awakened at midnight to what sounded like gunfire! We learned this morning it was fireworks, celebrating Mexican Independence Day.  Streets were closed and peaceful revelry abounded. Only problem was the lack of Uber transportation due to blocked traffic.

Today we watched as helicopters and water rescue drills took place from the nearby Coast Guard station. We Ubered to Chinatown with The Grand Wazoo and lunched at Minghin, complete with chopsticks.  Food was good but our expectations were higher. 

 

Next excitement was groceries at Mariano's.  Three stories of food with a wine bar, piano and a 3 piece band!  Not the cheapest place to provision but within walking distance to the boats.  

 Groceries put away we ended our day eating pie with Laura and Joe while chilling on their docks.

Day 89 Saturday September 17, 2022

Laura planned on shopping/exploring the Magnificent Mile; we stepped out on our own.  First job -- picking up our prescriptions at the nearby Walgreen's (1.1 mile walk).  We asked them for a refill transfer from our home pharmacy yesterday.  Easy, peasy.

Now off to Navy Pier for a ride on the Ferris wheel.  Great view of Chicago.  

 

 View of DuSable Marina. 

We walked the Riverwalk -- shops and bistros that line the Chicago River.  It is the same route taken by the Architectural Riverboat tour.  We enjoyed people watching with a beverage and snack at Tiny Tapp. 

Saturday mass at St. Peter's Church In the Loop.  Run by Franciscan Friars of the Sacred Heart Province it serves tourists and downtown workers, without traditional registered parishioners.  It has over 20 brothers/priests in residence.  Stories claim that the Church was spared during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 because parishioners gathered at the Church and prayed to St. Anthony.  Novenas to St. Anthony are held every Tuesday in gratitude and honor a promise made by the church pastor to spare St. Peter's from the fire.  The current building was built in 1953. They will celebrated175 years in October 2021. 

 

Lou Malnati's for dinner with a 2nd opportunity for deep dish pizza.  It did not disappoint.  Forty five minute wait turned into only 5, with lines out the door.  Excellent pizza and wings.  Pizza was saucier and tastier than Giordano's.  Leftovers too!!    

We covered a lot of ground  over 5.5 miles walking plus Uber rides to dinner and back.  We slept well.

Day 90 Sunday September 18, 2022

DuSable Harbor Chicago to Hammond Indiana

Although we traveled to a different state it really wasn't far away.  After much debate we decided to take the Calumet River route from Chicago to the inland rivers instead of through downtown Chicago. The city route has bridge restrictions that were questionable for our boat with the recent rains. It would have probably been okay but no worries with Calumet.  We had enjoyed the route when we did the tour so we wouldn't be missing anything.  We've been told it's difficult to enjoy the route when you are trying to drive the boat and navigate around the tour boat, pleasure craft and kayak congestion.

Leaving DuSable Harbor and passing Columbia Yacht Club's Abegwit.

 The Grand Wazoo coming through the mooring field in DuSable Harbor at Columbia Yacht Club

 

Hammond Harbour Marina is 12 miles from Chicago and would stage us 3 miles from the entrance of the Calumet River for the next day.  So we had a short 2.5 hour travel day with The Grand Wazoo.  We had a nice leisurely start at 10am with waves less than a foot and sunshine.

We fueled up for $5.09/gallon and headed to our slip where we met local boaters Vikki and Tony (a retired Chicago detective).  They invited us to join them for docktails.

Leftover pizza for dinner!