Days 53-57, total of 383 statute miles traveled in 4 states (MI, WI, IL, IN)

It has been a good few days for us and for the Namaste. We left Kenosha with a gift bottle of champagne from Gary and headed for Waukegan, which means Little Fort and is Jack Benny’s hometown. Legend has it that he used Waukegan as some of his best joke material but that he also loved his city. We decided to have a lay (rest) day in Waukegan so took the Metra train into Chicago. We spent a lazy afternoon wandering the Shedd aquarium and then walking Lakeshore to the Marina where we have reservations for our family visit during the weekend of August 28^th_.   Love the ability to visualize coming into a busy harbor.

We left Waukegan on a clear day and watched the Chicago skyline appear just like a pop-up greeting card. Our destination was Belmont Harbor, North of Chicago. We arrived late Friday afternoon to a circus at the gas dock where we were instructed to tie up, get our slip assignment and pay. Up to this point, the harbors have been easy, friendly and with lots of help for about $40/night. Here, no one answered the radio or phone, there were a half dozen boats pacing at the gas dock, they finally sent us to a slip at the end of a very long and narrow fairway that already had a boat in it so we had to go back and repeat the entire procedure.  All for $100/night. It did turn out to be a fine marina with friendly boaters and a nice park for Sammy.

Belmont to Hammond was the perfect photo day as we sailed the entire Chicago skyline early in the morning.  Stay tuned for those postcard pictures. We will return to Chicago after having our masts removed near Hammond, a huge, new marina connected to a Casino but with no working wifi – can you imagine?!  I am posting this through a hot spot with my phone and proud of my high tech abilities!  We took the complimentary commuter tour of Hammond and Whiting IN where we were amazed at the incredible improvements they have made to what had been a most ugly waterfront!  Van driver, Larry, is proud of his city. We ended up at Walmart for some much needed perishable provisioning but couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

Our best news, as we were getting a little lonely, is that we met two Looper boats. Pat and Bob onboard the VELO-MER (Sea Bike in French). They have been out for about a year (Maine to Key West, back again and through the Great Lakes). They shared important information and we had a social evening together. Sadly for us, they are flying to Colorado tomorrow to see their grandchildren for two weeks. Hopefully we will meet up again along the way. Bob even shared some of his priceless homemade ginger snap cookies!

Well, the sails are folded and in their bags (just ahead of a rainstorm here), awaiting transport along with the masts to Mobile, AL where we will all be reunited in due time. Our beautiful masts will come down tomorrow.

Boat Name of the Day: “Seas the Day”

Bad Boat Name of the Day: “All Mixed Up”

Quote of the Day*: “The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.” Albert Einstein

*Thanks to my real and facebook friend Erica Shifflet-Chila for her great quote posts!

Big jumps but even better smells.

Note what looks like a very large dog toy these beautiful animals played with together using their mouths.

Marina City Life