We motor past the Caterpillar plant VISITOR CENTRE in the early morning sun

The tow delaying us at Peoria Lock pushes out of the chamber

Indigo and Flour Power (a Fleming 55) about to follow us into Peoria Lock

The Lockmaster has handed me the bow line, which I pay out as as we drop (all of 10 ft)

A look across at the dam... just a 10-ft drop here

Here's what a barge tow looks like as we pass. He's got 15 ahead and one 'on the hip'.

Departing Peoria Lock beneath the Chicago & North Western Railroad bridge

An old, abandoned Lock, now used as a harbour by rec boaters

Canada geese take a breather on their way south

An old (VERY old) barge ruin lies on the bank. One of many to be seen along the river.

The Beardstown railroad bridge lowers for a train as we depart the area

"Flour Power" follows us into the anchorage at Beardstown

Preston deploys the anchor (by remote control)

Day 13: Peoria to Beardstown (at anchor)

October 15 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

Away from Peoria town we go, and into another calm morning. We have Peoria Lock & Dam a few miles downriver, and we need to be ready for whatever drama rears its head there. But first we have a railroad lift bridge to get through. As we approach, wouldn'tcha know it... the bridge tender is on the radio warning all traffic that he's about to lower. Since we've recently re-erected our mast, we need it to be 'up'. Preston throttles up and we scoot through just in time.

We ride past the enormous area occupied by the Caterpillar plant (11 or 12 separate HUGE buildings), and head for the Lock. Here we wait for an hour and a half as a tow coming upriver pushes its load (three abreast and 4 in line, i.e. they're pushing 12 barges lashed together) through in two tranches because the chamber, again, is too short for more than 3 barges in line, and these tows have 4 in line.

The Lockmaster finally calls us in and we complete our second-last Lock-through for this Illinois River. 77 miles to go to the final Lock at La Grange, which we'll see tomorrow.

We have a long day on a peaceful and glassy Illinois River, passing and overtaking plenty of barge traffic. One exciting moment appears and then disappears almost within 15 seconds... I see some wildlife on the bank. I run to grab my camera and yell at poor Rosie, who is at the helm, NOT TO LOOK! (I don't want her to swing on the wheel and put us into the bank). She doesn't look, we don't run into the bank, and the bluddy wildlife moves just as I point and shoot. Bugger! It was a fox family with two cubs.

We arrive at the Beardstown railroad lift bridge as a light tug comes through toward us. We hear its captain alert the bridge tender that there are three 'pleasure' craft coming toward him. Preston says, "I need the bridge up"... the bridge tender says, "Come on through, I've got a train in 40 minutes." We make it through and within a few miles we three boats arrive at our chosen anchor location... partly behind a small island that will help to 'shelter' us from the wash of barge tows passing in the night.

Rosie has thawed a bag of meatballs. We will not starve tonight.Read more