This picture is taken from the back of our boat. It is where the Illinois River meets the Mississippi. The majority of Loopers take a left at this point and head downriver. But we take a hard right, and after so many, many months have our nose pointed toward home.This is a perfect example of a wing dam. Piles of
rock and rubble are strategically placed in hundreds of areas along the river. Before the lock and dam system was built, this was the only way of directing the flow of the water to a main channel. They are still used to direct water flow but the locks, dams and dredging are much more critical to the channel depth. The majority of wing dams are only visible when the water level is low. This is why it is so important to pay attention to where you are in the channel and were the marker buoys are. If this wing dam was below the surface and you strayed on the wrong side of the buoy, it would cause severe damage to your boat. Possibly sink it if you were going fast. 
Stopped for the night at Two Rivers Marina in Rockport, Illinois. They have a very nice courtesy van so Tami and I took advantage of it and made a grocery run.
Hi Ross & Nancy!
ReplyDeleteWe just got caught up on your travels; you hadn't written anything last time we checked. Loved the guys with the bows and arrows! What a hoot! I'd forgotten about the carp, saw quite a few of them in St Charles on our way south.
Hadn't heard about Ross, so happy he up and cruising!
You are in the home stretch with lots of water coming your way! There goes the mileage per gallon!
Take care, may the locks be with you!
Denise & Paul