Yesterday, Sunday 11 September, we set sail in overcast and decidedly cool conditions for Bar Island. It was easy sailing with more sightings of bald eagles and bird life.
On the way, I baked biscotti whilst Mark helmed. At our anchorage, we did the biscotti run – delivering to Stay Cool and My Time Too.
Preparing for a long sailing day, we all left the anchorage at 6.30am, before sunrise and with barely any light, in the hope of racing tows and other pleasure craft to the La Grange lock. Alas, we stooged around for almost two hours waiting for a tow to be locked down. In the meantime, four other pleasure craft caught up to us.
Upon leaving the lock… we had a flotilla! For Bushranger in the rear, the waters became quite choppy,
All the boats, except one, were faster than Bushranger. And this is where history was made – we actually overtook a boat! In the six years we have been boating on Bushranger, this is the fourth boat we have overtaken! Yahoody!
All the pleasure craft, including our buddy boats, quickly disappeared down the Illinois River. Even though Bushranger, with ears pinned back and in racing goanna mode producing speeds or up to 9 mph with the aid of the current, could not keep pace with the ‘hares’.
But Bushranger performed steadfastly, rounding Willow Island nine hours after setting out, to find her buddy boats nestled securely and waiting to welcome us ‘home’!
Such is Life!
Bushranger's Legs 