End of the Illinois River
September 18, 2025
I failed to mention in the last entry that we had gone on a “hike” with Kevin and Tina Rhodes on Cross Rhodes when we were in Ottawa at the Heritage Harbor Marina. The area was originally referred to as “Deer Park” in reference to the large deer population. The original 176-acre park consisted primarily of a long, narrow canyon with a small stream flowing through it; these formations were called “dells”; a name that stayed with the park. The park has grown to 1,938 acres and includes much of the significant natural land along the main dell, some former prairie land and some forest land. After Spring rains, this park is definitely a highlight when the waters flow through the dells. At the time of our visit, there was barely a trickle of water flowing from the crevices in the rocks and little standing water because of the drought. It was still a good walk and a nice distraction from the boat.
Our last day at Heritage, Bryce Wallace, the marina host, gave a group of us Loopers a tutorial of what to expect after leaving the marina to the upper Mississippi. There was a lot of information, a bit overwhelming. Earlier in the day, we also got our mast, boom, antennas and flopper stoppers up off the fly deck; most bridges will be high enough to navigate under. We will encounter train bridges, but for the most part we were told they will be in the up position; if not, we just call and ask when the next opening will be.
Before we untied our lines in Heritage at 7:00, Paul from Pelican called the lock master at 6:30 this morning asking about freight traffic; should we stay put til we heard from him or were we able to leave right then and there? Thankfully, they were not expecting any freight traffic and we were told to head out. It took about 1 ½ hours to get to the lock and the attendants had the gates open for us to head right on in and tie off. Beside us and Pelican, there were two other Loopers joining us. This was the only lock for today. After another three hours, we stopped at Hennepin Marina in Hennepin, IL. It is a really small marina where tugs are also tied up. Our ride today was very pleasant. When we first started out, there was a mist on the river; very picturesque. We saw numerous bald eagles and immature bald eagles, white pelicans, egrets, heron and vultures. We encountered two tugs pushing barges; one coming from the opposite direction and another we had to pass. One tug was pushing 15 barges – quite a site. We were told, when we get to the Mississippi, we will see three times as many barges being maneuvered by tugs – it will be something to see, but not sure we want to have to encounter them as we are negotiating the river. Jill on Pelican invited us to dinner on their boat. It was delicious and we taught them how to play the card game we call “Liverpool”. Jill and Paul both enjoyed the game.
Tomorrow, we head to Kuchies. It’s actually a restaurant and a small dock. We were lucky to be able to snag a spot for both us and Pelican. With all the Loopers out there heading in the same direction to beat the fall weather, we have to keep ahead a few days in figuring out where we can either tie up or anchor. Marinas are getting scarce on the Illinois River and we will be dropping anchor often. I believe we will travel just under 50 miles to get to Kuchies and the weather is predicted to be about the same as today; high 80’s. We’ve been navigating the rivers from the fly deck; great for viewing the wildlife. Payment for tying up at Kuchies is having dinner in the restaurant. We’ve heard the food is delicious!!
Brian reading: Concrete Blonde by Michael Connelly
Lauren: The Winner by David Baldacci
September 19, 2025
Left Hennepin Harbor Marina at 7:00 along with Pelican. We navigated from the fly bridge even though it was a bit chilly and then it lightly rained for about an hour. Along the way we saw bald eagles, white pelicans, large fish jumping out of the water, herons, egrets and lots of vultures. Because the river floods at least once a year, we’ve noticed the roots exposed on trees near the water’s edge; just neat to look at. There were several little orange/red buoys marking what we think are long-line fishing traps. However, state website recommends not eating more than one small fish per week from the Illinois River because the river is so polluted. It is not safe to swim in either. We only encountered two tugs pushing barges, so it was a rather leisurely ride. We arrived in Peoria and docked at Kuchies. Lauren’s looking forward to another meal she doesn’t have to cook or clean up afterwards. Jill invited us over at 3 to learn a new card game (for us) called Jokers. The marina is tiny; our boat and Pelican fit on one dock. There is another dock long enough for one 40ish foot boat and then there are a few finger docks for about 12-16 footers. Tomorrow, we head to Havana and will anchor behind Quiver Island. We are actually looking forward to anchoring.
About 3 we went to Pelican’s boat and learned how to play Jokers. First round was a test run, so that we understood how it was played. The second time around, it was everyone for themselves. The third time, we teamed up, Lauren and Jill, Paul and Brian. Lauren & Jill won. We really enjoyed the game. Lauren was all set for another round, but it was time for a dinner at Kuchies just up the ramp from our boats. We all liked our dinners and had a wonderful evening chatting.
Back on board, Brian took Heidi out for her business then we spent some time reading before bed. Actually, looking forward to anchoring tomorrow; should be a fairly short day.
September 20, 2025
Untied lines from the dock in front of Kuchies at 7. Our one and only lock of the day was just a little over a mile from the dock. Brian called the lock master at 6:30 this morning to see if we should sit tight because of commercial traffic. We were given the okay to proceed to the dock. Rich Life (also at the dock) accompanied us along with Pelican. There was also a tug proceeding to the lock and was in front of us all. He requested we all pass him and enter the lock before him. The drop in the lock was only 10 feet and went smoothly. Once out of the lock, we meandered down the Illinois River; not as many bald eagles as we’ve seen the last two days. We did notice nice round holes every so often in the banks. At first Brian thought they were from river otters. But after giving it some thought, he thinks they are catfish holes. He researched it, and yes, that’s exactly what they are. When the river rises, these holes are underwater and the catfish live in them. There are small floats with lines between them. The lines have hooks hanging from to catch the catfish.
Encounter three tugs with barges. Passing the last one, the tug captain radioed us and said “Cool looking boat.” He actually came out of his pilot house to check us out. Brian thanked him and told him what kind of boat it is and gave him a wave.
We dropped anchor a few minutes after noon near Quiver Island in a town called Havana. It took us about 10 minutes to get the dinghy off the fly bridge into the water – a record for us. The block and tackle system Brian had set up made it so much easier to get the dinghy in the water. Brian took Heidi for a ride so she could do her business on land, but the banks are very, very soft with mud. There were no areas you could actually walk on; so back to the boat so Heidi could use her pee pad. Jill and Paul on Dolphin were doing the same thing with their dog, Charlie. They did find an area and got Charlie off, but Jill had to hold him by the leash while they stayed in the dinghy not taking any chances in the muck. Jill and Paul are both having a not-so-easy time getting around. Jill tore her meniscus and is using crutches and Paul uses a cane because of a prior accident, so it would have impossible for either one of them to navigate the muck. After the pets were taken care of, we all dinghied to the town dock near the boat ramp and walked into town to Babes on Plum for a bite to eat; we were all content with our meals. Walking around afterwards, we notice a number of churches and quite a few bars. Havana was once a notorious gambling and fishing town. We also spotted an Ace Hardware store. Brian was able to find #10 stainless steel bolts to plug the lifting holes on the Seakeeper. When we had the Seakeeper serviced, the technician informed Brian that the lifting rings should not have been left in during the installation process. He took them out and advised Brian to replace them with #10 bolts – another job done. Brian also bought a syphon to put antifreeze in the engine coolant system overflow; and another job completed.
September 21, 2025
Yesterday early evening another two boats came into the anchorage; one was a Looper – both homeports were Louisiana. It was a cloudy evening, so unfortunately no star gazing, but glad to be in a nice snug harbor. Anchor was up by 7 this morning and we headed out of the anchorage with Pelican. It was an overcast day, but absolutely beautiful on the water. There were no locks to deal with and encountered only three tugs with barges. The river was so calm, the sun peeped out and we just meandered down river. We did have to wait just a few minutes for a railroad bridge to raise. Other than that, there were no delays. Arrived at Beardstown Logston Tow. They have a barge they allow pleasure boats to tie up to. There is no electric or water; just a place to tie off after a day of cruising – very convenient if there is room.
Pelican tied up first and we came in behind them – plenty of room. Pets were walked, everyone took a short breather, turned on a/c as it got really hot and muggy and then about a ¾ mile walk to a Mexican restaurant for lunch; there are 13 Mexican restaurants in town to choose from (seriously). Beardstown has a population of under 6,000. It has become a major center for hog processing, leading to its nickname “Porkopolis”. There are two grain terminals on the Illinois River for transferring farm products to barges. Abraham Lincoln practiced law in the city’s courthouse, which is still in use today.
Lauren: Harlan Colben – I Will Find You
Hope all is well and stay safe out there
September 22, 2025
This morning, we left Logston Tow barge at 6:45. It was an uneventful ride; one lock about an hour into our day. We had to wait about ½ hour. A tug and barge were just entering the lock, so we were instructed by the lock master to hold about a ½ mile back. While in our holding pattern we had to wait for the gates to close behind the tug and barge, then the water was drawn down, then the gates open in front of the barge and once the horn is blasted, the barge begins to exit. Then gates close behind him and the water is raised (10 feet in this lock), gates then open for us, but we have to wait for the green light to let us know when it is okay to enter the lock. Once we are in the locks, lines are dropped down to us to hold onto. The gate behind us closes and the water starts to refill the chamber. Once it reaches its targeted level, the gates in front of us open. We wait for the horn to blast that it's okay to leave the chamber. After leaving the lock, we encountered several railroad bridges and only had to wait for one because a train was actually using it. Because the water levels in the Illinois River are low, we were able to safely pass under all other train bridges. Other than bald eagles, Brian finally spotted turtles; he’s been on the lookout for them. We, along with Pelican arrived at Golden Eagle after a run of 9 hours and tied off at a small dock. If you eat at Mel’s River Dock Restaurant, the charge for tie up is only $20 for the night; can’t beat that. After getting the dogs out and taking showers, we walked to Mel’s (very short walk) and actually had a decent meal. The guys ordered ham steaks. The steaks covered the whole plate – huge and delicious! We all ordered dessert (unusual), but the pies they advertised all sounded wonderful and they were! Tomorrow, we get to sleep in – woohoo! We will leave at 8:30 and head to Alton’s Marina; the first marina on the Mississippi after exiting the Illinois River. It will take us about 4.5 hours – short day. We are checked in for two days.
September 23, 2025
Before the lines were off the dock, Lauren made breakfast sandwiches that consisted of the ham from Mel’s, fresh spinach and a fried egg on a lightly toasted English muffin. About a ½ hour into our ride, we decided to navigate from the fly bridge. It was an overcast day, but not cold. We discovered that the port hole between the lower and upper nav station is the perfect pass through for all of our paraphernalia (reading glasses, binoculars, phones, Heidi’s blanket, sweatshirts and hats, sunscreen and our water. We even put Heidi through the port hole. We are thinking about putting up a safety net all around the upper deck even though Heidi curls up in a corner and doesn’t move til we move back downstairs.
Today we noticed the topography on both sides of the river have significantly changed; no longer flat with trees, but very hilly with rocky bluffs along the eastern shore. These bluffs had some mansions on them overlooking the river; what a view for them!
About 1.5 hours from reaching Alton Marina, the Illinois River emptied into the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is so much wider giving boats more room to maneuver passing barges. We were going to get diesel at the Alton Marin, before tying up in our slip, but there were five boats ahead of us. So instead of floating out in the river waiting, we decided to head to our slip. We were asked if we needed assistance; Brian told them we were all set – yikes. Lauren feels if assistance is offered, you don’t pass on it. We squeaked into our slip just fine with the help of fellow boaters already docked; there’s only inches between our boat and both docks we are sandwiched between. We can always get diesel when we leave the marina. We met Fred and Genny on Miss Genny next to us. There are over 20 Loopers in this marina; guess that means when we leave, we will mostly likely have company along the way. This is the first marina we’ve encountered that has covered slips, though we are on an end slip not under cover. Sue from Lake Effect stopped by as she had seen our boat on NEBO. We met Sue and Peter months ago in Canada. They are having issues with their generator and not sure when they will be leaving here. We got together with Pelican, Lake Effect and Kathryn and Corey on Tuxedo Cat and went into town for dinner at Macs Downtown. It was a large eatery with two separate bars and lots of televisions; so, I guess technically it would be called a sports bar. The food was good and plentiful.
September 24, 2025
It rained all during the night. We will look into staying an extra day; we can’t get to Green Turtle Bay too early where we plan to leave our boat to go back home for a few days. We are looking forward to visiting St. Louis while here and other places of interest. Plans were made to tour the St. Louis Arch tomorrow with Pelican. We saw that Iron Marriage is also docked here, but were told they are off the boat now and in California.
This morning Brian went for a run. Lauren started the first of four loads of laundry then decided to defrost the freezer. She shortly discovered that our water tank (s?) was dry and turned off the washing machine. When Brian returned from his run and was told of the problem, he thought maybe just one tank was empty. Nope, both were and because we were unaware, the water pump burned itself out – at least that’s Brian’s theory. Luckly, we had a spare and Brian changed it out, ordered another spare and then the laundry was started up again. Breakfast wasn’t eaten until about 10. After breakfast, we decided to go and fill up on fuel while the fuel dock was not busy. After that job, Brian worked on his spread sheets for expenses and fuel/mileage. Then he and Paul were off to the grocery store and came back with just a few items – he said it was slim pickin’s; we won’t starve. It took all day to do the laundry and quite a while to defrost the freezer. While the fuel dock was free, we left our slip and filled up and also emptied our holding tank.
September 25, 2025
Last night we got together with Pelican, Tuxedo Cat and Lake Effect for dinner at Tonys Restaurant in downtown Alton. We were told the restaurant was a bit classier than what we’ve been eat at along our Loop. So, we all “dressed” up a bit. On board, Brian had a pair of tan pants and and casual shoes for just such occasion. Lauren had a pair of black jeans and black sneakers; so pretty classy. We had a “room” all to ourselves at the restaurant. Everyone enjoyed their meals, though Lauren thought her fettuccini alfredo with broccoli was rather bland (she will always compare that dish to one she had at an Italian restaurant in Chambly in Quebec).
Brian had arranged Hertz rental to pick him up at about 8 this morning. We were going to tour the Gateway Arch across the river in St. Louis, MO. After arranging the Uber, Brian received a call from a Hertz driver stating he was at the marina. That was a full hour and half after the pre-arranged pickup time. It was too late by then to take the ride back to Hertz for the paper work and bring back the rental and then drive to St. Louis. We had tickets for the Arch for a specific time and we would not have made it in time to start our tour. Taking the Uber actually worked to Paul and Jill’s benefit, as they are slowed down by crutches and a cane. The Uber dropped us off right at the Arch; so, no worrying about parking and having to walk a great distance.
The Gateway Arch National Park is a park centered around the 630-foot-tall Arch. It is the tallest monument in the U.S. and a symbol of America’s westward expansion. The park includes an underground museum detailing St. Louis’ history and the westward movement, the Old Courthouse and a unique tram system that takes visitors to the top of the Arch. The tram system is a series of egg-shaped pods that can seat 5 people (tightly packed with almost no head or leg room). The door consists of a window so you can see some of the infrastructure of the arch as the pods are climbing to the top. Even though the ride only takes 4 minutes to get to the top; if you are claustrophobic, it may not be for you. Lauren was not all that comfortable being in such tight quarters.
Once the pod reached its final destination, we exited the pod and walked up a few stairs to reach the viewing area. The viewing room comfortably fit at least 30 people. There were small windows along both sides of the room for everyone to get a peak of the surrounding countryside. One side looks west over Missouri and the east overlooks Illinois. They were spectacular views! The museum had great exhibits about the history of St. Louis and the expansion into the great west.
After touring the Arch, we walked to a deli that seemed to be a popular place to eat. Back on the boat, Brian is researching our next move down the Mississippi. We will be anchoring for about 3 days before arriving at Paducah where we hope to get dock space.
Brian reading: The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly
Lauren: The Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Hope all is well and stay safe out there.