If You Think It's Hot Here...

The last week I've spent enjoying the 100 degree weather.  So far on my trip I've needed to wear long johns and use an electric blanket to the extreme of watching the mercury climb to 100 degrees and wearing wet t-shirts to stay cool.

Back on Lake Erie where the weather was cool.

Ohio River At Last

This morning I have finally reached the Ohio River.  She is much wider than the Mississippi and the current is pushing against me at 2 knots.  But even with the slow down, I'll be glad to reach the temporary home port at Warsaw, KY.  

Thanks to my friend, John, for finding the place and for helping me locate a ship yard that will help with the repair to the stuffing box, which is leaking.  

Where the Mississippi River meets the Ohio River

You just never know what you'll see....

Update Aug 31, 2013

Friday 23 August on the Illinois river from Hennepin to Peoria

Gary & Christelle, Mike & Yonetta out to a "free" chicken dinner.

Many thanks to Gary and Christelle for taking these pictures along the Illinois River.  They are friendly folks from Canada; here's a link to their Great Loop Journey Blog:  http://timeandtidetravels.blogspot.com/ 

"You load sixteen tons and what do you get?  Another day older and deeper in debt...St. Peter, don't call me 'cause I can't go...."  Well, it has been quite a day; but it's been one of the best of this trip.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIfu2A0ezq0

Sixteen Tons made it through several locks, even with the skipper's accent.  It was exciting and exhausting. The first lock was Lockport Lock in Chicago:

It was a long wait and then we were through.

It's amazing the people I have met along the way.  Must be the prayers that are said on my behalf.  It seems there's a helping hand at every turn.  Like Dave & Doris Ann from North Carolina, and a new couple Mike and Yonetta from Evansville, Indiana. http://mytherapygreatloop.blogspot.com/2013_03_01_archive.html 

Did not actually meet these Loopers

Chicago Sanitation and Shit Canal

Naita kun tulee vastaan suhteellisen kapeassa kanavassa tuntee itsensa - ah niin pieneksi. Ohi ne eivat menneet kun meilla kaikilla suurten jarvien kippareilla on sama mahtava 7 solmun vauhti.

When you meet this kind of ship in a relatively narrow channel you feel yourself oh so little.  They never passed me because all we Great Lake skippers have the same magnificent 7 knots speed.

Mackinac saarella pakottivat kiinnittamaan veneen kovassa vastatuulessa tallaiseen paikkaan. Kuvasta puuttuu vene, joka oli viela pienentamassa tilaa.

At Mackinac Island they forced me to fasten the boat in a heavy headwind in a place like this.  Earlier there was another boat parked in front of me but this is later when I took the picture; real "pocket parking".

Voisiko fillari enaan menna pienempaan tilaan?

Could you have a bicycle that is any smaller?

Taas on mahdollista lainata internettia erikois WIFI antennini avulla.

8/15/2013 olin Pentwater MI:ssa ankurissa, 8/16 Port Sheldon MI:ssa ankurissa ja nyt olen ankurissa Old Buffalo MI:n ja Michigan City:n valilla. Avain kivenheiton paassa on jallen yksi atomivoimalan nakoinen laitos. Jees, kylla vahan pelottaa.

Tasta voisi periaatteessa ajella jo Chicagon ensimmaiselle sululle mutta kun en halua lahtea joelle tayttamatta seka vesi-, diesel- etta bensatankit ja tyhjentamatta holding tankkia on poikettava yhdeksi yoksi johonkin marinaan. Chicagossa diesel on taalan kalliimpaa kuin naissa Michiganin satamissa. Satama on tarpeen myos siksi, etta ihan Illinois joen alussa on pari rautatiesiltaa, joita ei enaan avata. Matalin on 17 jalkaa ja seuraava 19 jalkaa. On laskettava masto, etta mahdun alta. Onneksi vesi on pari jalkaa alempana joten pitaisi selvita alta.

Vahan jannittaa nuo sulut kun vene on niissa kiinnitettava seka keulasta etta perasta lakeutuvaan/nousevaan pollariin. Yhden miehen miehistolle voi tulla kiire.

Again it is possible to borrow Internet using my special Wi-Fi antenna.  
8/15/2013 I was anchored in Pentwater, MI, 8/16 Port Sheldon, MI anchored, and now I am anchored between Old Buffalo and Michigan City.  Only the stone's throw is again something that looks like a nuclear power station; yes, I feel a little bit scared.  

In principle from here you could already sail to Chicago's first lock but I don't want to go to the River without filling my water, diesel, and gasoline tanks, and without emptying my holding tank.  I have to stay one night in some marina.  In Chicago diesel is $1/gal than these Michigan harbors.  Harbor is needed also because in the beginning of Illinois River there are two railway bridges that are not open any more.  The lowest is 17' and the next 19'.  I have to lower the mast that I have to go under the bridges.  Luckily the water is 2' lower so I shall be able to go under the bridges.  

I'm a little bit excited about those locks because the boat has to be fastened both bow and stern to the cleat that goes up or down.  One man crew.

Tanaan oli mahtava paiva ajella. Tuulta noin 11 solmua ja aallot alle 3 jalkaa. Tuuli tuli styyrpuurista ja takaa. Laiva keikkui kuin... mutta vauhti nousi 1650 rpm:lla melkein 8 solmuun! Kaikkiaan tein matkaa n. 60 mailia.
Olen nyt Pentwater MI:ssa ankkurissa. On vahan syvaa ja ulkona on vain 120 jalkaa ketjua ja naurua. Toivottavasti anchor alarm herattaa jos laiva lahtee liikkeelle.
Huomena on kovempi keli mutta halajan Chicagon lapi niin akkia kun miellyttavasti paasee. Koko ajan puhutaan, etta sulkevat kanavan kun asian carp aikoo vallata suuret jarvet.

Today was a magnificent day.  Wind was about 11 knots and waves under 3 feet.  The wind came from the starboard and behind.  The boat was rocking like…  but was speed was almost 8 knots when running 1650 rpms!  Altogether I traveled about 60 miles.

I am now in Pentwater, MI anchored.  It’s a little bit deep and I have out 120 feet out of chain and rope.  Hopefully the anchor alarm wakes me if the boat starts to move.  Tomorrow  will be rough weather but I want to get to Chicago as soon as possible to be able to drive without  suffering.  All the time there are rumors that the channel will be closed because the Asian Carp will conquer the Great Lakes. 

Taman blogin yllapito nailla nettiyhteyksilla tuntuu tuskallisen turhauttavalta.

Olen nyt toista paivaa Franfort MI 'ssa. Pohjoistuulen sanottiin yltavan 22 solmuun ja aallonkorkeuden 10 jalkaan. Ei huvittanut lahtea kun NOOA viela uhkasi, etta vesi tornadot ovat mahdollisia. Olisihan se ollut hauska nahda mutta ei kantti kestanyt.
Huomenna aion tankata joka ikisen tankin tayteen kun taalla nafta on noin 4 taalaa gallona ja Chicagossa 5.20. Kaikkiaan minulla on silloin 340 gallonaa laivalla. Alle 2 gallonan tunnissa kulutuksella pitaisi paasta melko pitkalle.
Ei kun terkkuja kaikille tutuille. Laittakaa blogin osoitetta henkiloille joiden uskotte olevan kiinnostuneita. Jos nettiyhteydet etelammassa paranee yritan saada kuviakin mukaan.

To update the blog with these internet connections feels painfully frustrating.

I am now for the second day in Frankfort, MI .  They warned that north wind will reach 22 knots and waves to 10 feet.  I wasn’t very eager to leave because NOOA warned that water spouts are possible.  Well, it might have been nice to actually see one but I didn’t have enough guts.  Tomorrow I will feel every single tank up because diesel is about $4 a gallon and in Chicago it is $5.20.  Altogether I have 340 gallons of diesel on board and when using under 2 gallons an hour I should be able to travel pretty far.  Nothing else but regards to everybody.  Please share the blog’s address to everyone you think may be interested.  Comments are welcome.  If I have  better internet connections when I am further south I will upload more pictures.