Day #78: Up at 6:40 A.M. for coffee, grapefruit and gingersnaps/maple cookies. We worked on a few boat jobs. At 9:15 A.M. we thought that "Baytripper" was leaving for Alton so Mike and I went to say "Goodbye". Bruce was just running the generator they are planning on leaving at noon today. Mike and I talked to Bruce and Bev for about 15 minutes we told them that we would help them cast off their lines at around noon. Mike and I back to the boat to complete our boat jobs. Time for paperwork while sitting in front of the fans. Today is going to be another hot, 95 degree and sunny day here in Grafton, Illinois. Mike and I worked on paperwork while it was a bit cooler. Around 11:00 A.M. Bruce and Bev came over to say goodbye. At 11:40 A.M. we they left with "Antonia" heading for Alton. After lunch we headed to the pool. We had the pool to ourselves until about 2:00 P.M. when "Knight's Kingdom" Jim and Justine joined us in the pool. We had seen a Michigan Wolverine flag. It was on their boat and they are looping as well. We talked to them until it started to thunder and rain. We headed back to the boat for happy hour. After dinner we went up on the flying bridge for a bit as the temperature is comfortable. The one thing that we really haven't talked about are the Asian carp. We didn't seen any when we crossed the electric barrier in Chicago. We have seen them jumping especially in the wakes of the boats. Other boaters have talked about the carp landing on their swim platforms. The carp are very messy as they bleed. Bev from "Baytripper" mentioned yesterday that she figured that they must have had a dead carp under their dock, I told her that Mike and I had wondered if we had one under the dock that we are on as well as we have been smelling a dead fish. Bev sent me a text today when they got to Alton. They found a dead Asian carp in their dinghy. It had made a mess as it was decaying. We figure that it must have jumped in the dinghy when they had their dinghy cover off when we were anchored or traveling to Grafton last Saturday. They good news is that "Baytripper" found it today versus next week when they returned from their trip home.
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| This is a very common site floating down the Illinois River to the Mississippi. We are hearing that the Mississippi is loaded with these. |
