Here's the Great Loop Route map with our red line going all the way back to Chicago. There's only a teeny little line between Chicago and Wilmington, IL that I have yet to color in red. I'll do that Monday.
Today, we cruised straight across Lake Michigan, cutting the South end off by coming directly to Chicago. Lake Michigan was just like glass. There are a few little ripples in the picture above, but they weren't big enough to even feel any waves. It was a very nice, easy day cruising. I just got a bearing for Chicago, set that in my autopilot heading, turned on the engines synchronizer, turned on the alarms that watch engine oil pressure, engine temps, bilge water levels and fire sensors, and then didn't have to touch anything at all for the next 5 hours across the lake. Daisy and I were just alert passengers for the trip (actually, Daisy wasn't really alert much... she slept a lot).
Very soon after leaving Benton Harbor, there was nothing but lake in sight for all 360 degrees. The front view is two pictures above and the aft view is this picture. At 10 knots, Nonchalance makes a significant disturbance in the still waters. Benton Harbor has long gone out of sight behind us. There's something about being out of the sight of land that's exciting... like you're challenging the elements in some small way. However, the "elements" were extremely friendly today. 
After a couple of hours had passed, Chicago started coming into hazy view as a small dot on the horizon. In the picture above, it looks like a small dark streak on the horizon just to the right of the bow. My heading to the harbor is just to the left of the Chicago skyline. Maybe you can't even see it here, but it becomes visible here at 20 miles out on a day like today.
Then, it gets bigger.
...and bigger. Wow.. this is getting exciting!
...and bigger. That's Navy Pier with the green dome down near the water in the middle of the picture. Chicago really does have a beautiful skyline.
In Burnham Harbor, the downtown skyline view is straight off the bow.
And Soldier Field is off the port side. Very Nice! The sun will set behind Soldier Field tonight. That part of the building in the middle that has Greek columns, like the Parthenon, is the old, original Soldier Field. That huge glass hotel looking thing surrounding it is the new "update" to Soldier Field. It's the only structure I know of that had it's registry revoked from the National Registry of Historic Places. They say it looks like some giant space ship just landed on top of Soldier Field.
It's kind'a pretty at night though!
And so was the Navy Pier fireworks.
No comments:
Post a Comment