Departing Chicago on Sunday, September 27th we chose the scenic route through the city by way of the Chicago River. The day was bright and sunny, adding to the excitement and the beauty of this particular stretch. 
Once through the Chicago Lock, the Chicago River passes through downtown under a series of bridges before turning onto the South Branch, passing under 40 bridges in the first 5 miles.
The lowest fixed bridge along this stretch has a 17 foot “air draft” (the distance between the water and the bottom of the bridge), limiting many boats from taking this route. One railroad bridge which is usually in the up position was down awaiting the arrival of not one but two trains.
Once these trains passed, it was raised to allow us to pass underneath.
The Chicago River becomes the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal which is very industrial. The flow of the river was actually changed in order to allow refuse, etc. to flow away from Lake Michigan from which drinking water was obtained for Chicago. As we continued along, several rivers joined to become the Illinois River, the location of the now infamous “Carp Barrier”. This ¾ mile stretch of the Illinois River receives a strong electrical charge designed to stop the spread of the invasive Asian Carp into the Great Lakes.
For a time this summer the river was completely closed to recreational vessels. Subsequently they were allowed to be towed through as long as all electricity within the vessel was disabled, all batteries were disconnected and a substantial towing cost was paid. After a series of tests, the Coast Guard now allows vessels to proceed slowly through this area under their own power once the owners agrees they understand the risks and will assume all responsibility. We were happy to be through this area and once again on our journey. The trip along the Illinois River was very pleasant with some beautiful scenery interspersed with some very industrial areas. We stopped in Joliet where we spent an extra day due to high winds and tornado warnings.
Ottawa, at the confluence of the Fox and Illinois Rivers had a very pretty waterfront dock. This historical town was the site of one of the Lincoln-Douglas Debates and attractive murals decorated many of the downtown buildings.
The river passed through rural farmland and areas with high banks which were heavily wooded, beginning to show their fall colors. 
We saw elaborate duck blinds being prepared for the upcoming hunting season and hundreds of white pelicans gathered together in calm water, many taking flight as we passed. 
We spent an enjoyable night at the Illinois Valley Yacht Club; their dining room had fabulous views across the river, then stopped in Havana where we were treated to the high school Homecoming Parade.
Our last stop on the Illinois River was at Grafton, located at the confluence of the Illinois and the Mississippi Rivers. Grafton bills itself as the “Key West of the Midwest”. We were there on a Saturday, it was a lively place. We traveled through eight locks on this stretch; these were large commercial locks, 110 feet wide by 600 feet long. We were told that 17.5 million gallons of water was moved through one lock each time it was raised or lowered, this lock lowered our boat 35 feet. Each one is a new experience.
Once through the Chicago Lock, the 
The lowest fixed bridge along this stretch has a 17 foot “air draft” (the distance between the water and the bottom of the bridge), limiting many boats from taking this route. One railroad bridge which is usually in the up position was down awaiting the arrival of not one but two trains.
Once these trains passed, it was raised to allow us to pass underneath.
The 
For a time this summer the river was completely closed to recreational vessels. Subsequently they were allowed to be towed through as long as all electricity within the vessel was disabled, all batteries were disconnected and a substantial towing cost was paid. After a series of tests, the Coast Guard now allows vessels to proceed slowly through this area under their own power once the owners agrees they understand the risks and will assume all responsibility. We were happy to be through this area and once again on our journey. The trip along the 
The river passed through rural farmland and areas with high banks which were heavily wooded, beginning to show their fall colors. 
We saw elaborate duck blinds being prepared for the upcoming hunting season and hundreds of white pelicans gathered together in calm water, many taking flight as we passed. 
We spent an enjoyable night at the Illinois Valley Yacht Club; their dining room had fabulous views across the river, then stopped in 
Our last stop on the Illinois River was at Grafton, located at the confluence of the 
