Still playing catch up!!!

Getting to Chicago was not without difficulty or peril. We had an overheating situation with the main engine...Boat US could not come out for us, nor could Manitowoc Marine, where we were headed for routine service...Soooooo, the US Coast Guard, my Alma mater, came out for us...As you can see, the visibility was under 100 feet, so it was a long slow tow...

 Coming into Chicago, we had the tops of the towers visible for 40 miles, but it was an impressive skyline

 The ship below is a retired ferry boat from Canada...The Columbia Yacht Club uses it as a Clubhouse...

This is a view from the bridge of our little tug...Our friends on Penny Pinchin were docked in front of us ...

They let us wander around the ship...A real classic old helm...Brought back memories of my first CG Cutter (circa 1937)

 Coming out of Chicago via the Chicago River, we were treated to magnificent architecture...

These signs were posted as we passed through the Electric Fish Barrier...It's supposed to keep invasive Asian Carp out of thr Great Lakes...No one is sure how well it works, but apparently they don't want you to touch the water...

 

Of course, Eagles and White Pelicans added a lot to the trip down the rivers...We were impressed...

 The rivers are noted for riverboats, and we saw many...

Passing the St.Louis Arch was a real thrill...Not as much as the Statue of Liberty, but really cool...

 A minor interruption to our trip in the form of Hurricane Joaquin...Our neighbors were worried enough to request we be in New Bern...Although it wasn't as bad as it could have been, the water came up a lot...I always told Linda I could walk on water - I just had to prove it...I'm still having trouble with that water-wine thing...

This is a sunset on Raccoon Creek, an anchorage off the Tennessee River...

 At one of the marinas, Billy got up early and baked cinnamon bus fresh every day...

 This is an exclusive private high school on the Tennessee River

Just another crappy day at the office...A little early for the fall colors ...

From Raccoon Creek, on the way back from Chattanooga.. Our alternator burned up and we needed BoatUS to tow us to Goose Pond...18 miles, $742... Insurance covered it all...As an aside, we had no cell coverage and no contact on the VHF Marine Radio...Our little Delorme tracking device uses satellite comms and we were able to text BoatUS for assistance...

As you can see, Chewy proved he could sleep anywhere, anytime...

A picture of our boat at Joe Wheeler State Park in Alabama...Chewy and I were in the tender going for a relief stop...

This is one of our fondest memories...This is a pin, or floating  bollard in the locks...There are ten in each lock...You pull up to one and tie on to it...They go up or down with the lock water...Very easy...This one was autographed to us by two of our friends, John and Jan on Mitzvah, and Dennis and Carol on Reunion...We wondered what the chances were that we would pick this particular pin?  Great karma...

 Linda getting a little big dog time with Lucy on Grand Baron...

 Another majestic eagle...

 A different type of Eagle...Lots of military along the way including several Air Force and Naval Flight facilities...

 DON'T ASK...WE DON'T KNOW...ON THE TENN-TOMM WATERWAY...

 A BETTER VIEW...