Day 339 Chicago 8/17/10

Burnham Harbor




Chicago skyline on a cloudy day






Coming into our harbor





Skyline with Chicago River







Tom at the Viet Nam Memorial










The bean at Millenium Park - The 110-ton elliptical sculpture is forged of a seamless series of highly polished stainless steel plates, which reflect the city's famous skyline and the clouds above. A 12-foot-high arch provides a "gate" to the concave chamber beneath the sculpture, inviting visitors to touch its mirror-like surface and see their image reflected back. Inspired by liquid mercury, the sculpture is among the largest of its kind in the world, measuring 66-feet long by 33feet high.







Stage at Millenium Park with orchestra playing





Before we left our slip, we checked 2 weather web sites for lake conditions and NOAA said 1-2’ and Weather Underground said 2-3’. Who do you believe? We left New Buffalo, Michigan with instant 3 footers out of the west and grew to about 4' to 5’waves an hour later. about 10 miles out of Chicago the waves decreased to about 2 footers but swung around from the north to catch our beam - little bit of a roll coming into Burnham Harbor. The heaving and pitching broke the stainless steel fender baskets on the bow of the boat, ruptured a spare fuel tank in the dinghy and spilled fuel, cupboard doors flew open, and dishes we thrown, but Diann salvaged them and got the doors secured. Anchor locker door flew open and anchor chain came out onto forward berth. Glad to be safe in slip, all damage is repairable. The dinghy was a concern of flying off the hardtop, it made lots of noise and strained against fasteners; however it stayed in place on its chocks. Lake Michigan can be rough and it was today.

Getting a confirmed slip in a Chicago Harbor is a challenge. When my messages weren’t returned, I kept calling until I had a live person. They take all your information plus your credit card # and put you on a waitlist. Okay, now I’m on 3 waitlists and only one called us back (Burnham). DuSable, the marina I really wanted, just called us at 1:45 to say we could have a slip. Sorry we’re tied up now! Thanks for the advance notice!

Burnham Harbor is near Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium, Museum of Natural History, McCormick Place and Soldier Field. We had a wonderful afternoon riding around the lake front and through the parks. The City of Chicago offers many miles of user friendly bicycle paths thorough out the City. It is actually easier to get around on bicycles than automobiles. And parking your bike is painless and easy on the wallet. The photo opportunities are endless, however today was mostly overcast with a light sprinkle thrown in. We hope to have a sunny day for photos Wednesday

We stopped in the Chicago Yacht Club to check out using our local LPYC yacht club privileges. Looks good to have lunch or dinner tomorrow.

Now for your history lesson - In 1885, a cholera and typhoid epidemic killed thousands when sewage was washed into Lake Michigan which was the source of drinking water for the city. By 1890 the Chicago Sanitary District succeeded in reversing the flow of the Chicago River to divert sewage away from Lake Michigan. Now the river flows west and south via the Sanitary and Ship Canal to the Illinois River. The Illinois empties into the Mississippi River and eventually reaches the Gulf of Mexico instead of Lake Michigan.