October 7, Saturday, Hennepin to Peoria, IL
Very windy today with gusts up to 25 knots. We are glad we on the Illinois River and not a Great lake. Before the rains started I was looking back and seeing a number of large lakes joining the river in this more rural area. We also went under an Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe RR bridge (can you sing it?)
There are also many odd lumps of green near and far from our shores. These are duck blinds and I’m glad it isn’t duck hunting season yet!
While Dirk took a short break I took a photo of our new navigational aids that help us remember if we are “red right returning” or not. Turns out many loopers do this since the markers change sides depending on which way the river is flowing, etc.
The rains began lightly and then became a downpour along with heavy winds and 2 foot swells. We were getting so wet that for the first time we used the lower helm to pilot the boat. Whew – it all works. And we just fixed the windshield wiper a few days ago!
The Peoria Municipal docks are free with free electricity and are right downtown. We docked in the rain, set up electric, dried up inside, and the rain stopped – magic! The docks squeak and are right next to a town park so aren’t very private, but the price is right. (Oh and since it is Saturday we are being entertained by a band up the way.)
After resting a while we walked around some of the town and found about a Sculpture Walk that began for us in front of the Peoria River Front Museum. Dirk is to the right of the huge statue of Lincoln and passer-by – can you see little him? There was also a statue of Richard Pryor and then some more modern works. And then a very large mural honoring the Astronomers Society. I wish we could stay longer and go through the museums of art and sculpture in the town but they are closed on Sunday.
Wandering Star 