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Trip Day:
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183
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Latitude:
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41°20.65 '
N
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Locks Today:
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1
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Miles Today:
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21
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Longitude:
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088°50.47'W
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Locks Total:
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86
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Total Miles:
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3,616
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Location:
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Ottawa, IL
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Our anchorage at Sugar Island was so peaceful and still and we awakened to a mist as the sun rose. Swallows were flitting about, then perching on our lifelines and mast stays. The River was wider today and although there was still industrial plants and tugs pushing barges there were also fields of corn.
We only had one lock with a drop of twenty feet today. We pulled into the city of Ottawa where there is another free city dock with electric hookups where the Fox River joins the Illinois River. After lunch on the boat, we bagged our dirty clothes, loaded our cart, and walked about a half mile to the laundry. The good news—there was an ice cream shop just across the street!
On the way back to the boat, we stopped at the visitors center since we had decided to stay here tomorrow. It is here, in Ottawa’s Washington Square, in 1858 that the Lincoln vs Douglas debates took place. A crowd of 14,000 flooded the square that hot August day to hear the two orators debate the issues of the day; slavery and state’s rights.
Later in the day we walked to the grocery and really loaded our cart since the owner of Handy Food, IGA, Larry, offered to return us to the boat in his van. This is another town that welcomes boaters with friendly smiles and offers of assistance.
There is a small, perhaps 30 ft, sailboat anchored across the river because the boat draws six feet and the water at the dock is too shallow. We met Heinrich who is a journalist. He sailed his small boat from Germany and when he reaches the Gulf of Mexico he will head to South America. Amazing! Dinner was on the Betty L with cards after.
Remember . . . Spot us on Google Map by clicking on Location: Ottaws in the footer below.
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