2011: A SPRUCE ODYSSEY

Blog S/V Visitor   Sun.  11 Sept.  2011   Pos.  N  41  53.7  W  87  36.8

Anchored just Nth of Navy Pier

An inauspicious date-  every siren ashore gives one a frisson of danger. An unmarked black Zodiac just passed with a contingent of booted, camo-ed warriors aboard (to whom Dave, of course, yelled,  sotto voce, “Allah Rules!), and the Chicago Harbor Patrol has a 50 cal.  mounted on the bow.  “Don’t tread on me.”   Who’s to say whether the Chicago Board of Trade is a force for good or evil?  Probably both.   What a gorgeous day with the sunlight changing against the “cement, clay, and steel”  towers of man and the breeze wafting the clamor and odors of the streets in and out of range.  The powerboat day trippers are blasting what is no longer rock’n’roll except one who had the excellent taste to boom some Stones and Jimi.  We are under the big black monolith of the John” Handcock” (now that’s Freudian).  “Open the{ lock} doors, Hal.”  “I don’t think I can do that, Dave.”  “Open the {lock} doors, Hal.”  “This conversation is useless.  Goodbye, Dave.”  2001:  A Space Odyssey. 

After scrubbing the boat down (op Zontag????) and eliminating- with prejudice- a couple hundred spiders,  we had a fine outing with Don and Jane, Joan and Clare, Jerry and Deb, and Nick and Tim.  Fine weather, fine snacks, fine people- thanks for the Old Style, Clare  (Drink Local- Think Global).  What could be more preciouser (Jan says this isn’t a word). Sat. night we saw a confluence of a full moon, fireworks, and the ferris wheel.  As Douwe-age 4?- would say-  “That’s awittahwation”. 

  Spent the night on the wall between the Chicago and Columbia Yacht Clubs.  Huntin’ with the big  dogs.

pyramid scheme

treats

Dave's security breech's

We are now known as “loopers” for doing part of the Loop from the Great Lakes down to the Gulf, thence around Fla. , up the East Coast, thru the Hudson R. and the Erie Canal, and back to the GLs.  Better than “Yoopers”, I guess.  Cat was gonna join us for the trip thru Chi-town but, unfortunately it didn’t pan out- as the gold miners used to say.  We miss you, Cat, you would have loved it.   Peace, out.