The intense heat on shore and the 52 degree
lake made the view very hazy. It was comfortable on the water and there were lots of boaters enjoying the day. We watched a sailboat race as we passed by. The bright sails are called spinnakers. They can only be used when the boat is headed downwind. Notice in the left corner of the photo the white marker. This was one of the points the boats had to sail around. Ross said it takes a skilled sailing crew to be able to drop a spinnaker (which they must do in order to turn around) without having it fall into the water. If it drops in the water it slows the boat down. Not what you want during a race. The water supply for Chicago has always come from the lake.
Back in 1842 a system of cribs (no idea why they call them that) was built off shore to gather water. As the lake became contaminated from sewage and the slaughterhouse waste, the cribs needed to be moved further out into the lake. This crib is known as the Wilson Street Crib. It is about 3 miles offshore. It is one of the five remaining out of 8. The last time we came by here with our boat was shortly after 9/11. At that time there was a large perimeter of warning buoys around it because of the potential of terrorist threats to the water supply. Now each crib has motion detectors, video cameras and door sensors that are linked to the Chicago Police Department. 
Chicago certainly has a beautiful skyline!
The Navy Pier. Must walk down to tomorrow and check this out!
I know this has a name, but to me it is The Married With Children fountain.
No comments:
Post a Comment