Monday, September 2, 2013

A Little Chicago History and Some Good Fellowship



This afternoon we decided to find a bus that would take us down to the historic Water Tower.   We never found the bus but did enjoy walking several blocks in the cooler & delightful 73 degree weather today.  On our way over the Chicago River we saw these two Kayakers...... brrr, too cold for us but they were having fun in the clear clean River.



Here is the Water Tower as we approached it.... the round tower in the middle of photo.



Lower part of the Water Tower.



Directly across the street is the Water Works building still being used by Chicago. 



These two stone structures are some of the few buildings that survived the Chicago Fire of 1871 that destroyed this major American City.  Thus making it one of the great disasters of the 19 century. The fire lasted for nearly 2 days and at least 300 people died and nearly all the buildings were destroyed.... 3.3 square miles of the city.  Most every building was made of wood as lumber was plentiful. 

Inside Water Works building... in the foreground of this picture is the large, maybe 6 feet in diameter pipe that brings Lake water to the city.



A better view of the large pipe.



Back at the boat we were invited to join some loopers that had gathered at our neighbor's boat, Second Wind.  WOW!  What a nice boat they have... it held 13 of us comfortably around their dining table & other seats in the salon.  I took one picture before I set the flash to go off but I am including it here as some folks had left before I took the next one.  Some of the loopers at this gathering had just come in today and yesterday.




The older man at the end of the table is the 87 yr old father in law of the man next to him.  He is traveling with his looper family and is just amazing.  I hope I am as much fun when I grow up!



We had a great and informative time listening to other stories of navigation problems, etc.   It is always fun for me to talk to other First Mates.  However, I was not happy to hear that two of these couples have experienced near break-ins on their boats!  One at Norfolk said a drunken young man climbed on their boat and started yelling at them to get off “HIS” boat!  They quietly called the police who took 8 minutes (seems long to the Captain and I) to get there!

Another couple had just come in here on Saturday to our Marina ....too late for the looper party at the Harbor Host's home.  So they decided to walk around town a while and then headed for bed on their boat. They were awakened at 1:30a by two guys on the boat..... the husband got up and found these men were trying to break into their salon door!  Well, they picked the wrong couple..both are retired Marines!  And they quickly chased them off.  How could this happened?!  All of our docks have lock codes on the gates but they think the guys climbed over the fence!  Their boat is the first one off the main dock on their pier... just like ours!

We will lie down and sleep tonight because, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” Ps. 28:7

This does not mean trouble will not come our way but if/when it does we know in whom we trust and that He will help us.  God is good!

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