Kenosha to Hammond, IL (Hammond Marina)
Travel Day #2

I am using this as a sort of Float Plan to keep our kids updated on our travel plans.

Click here to download the USCG Float Plan.
Phone numbers for USCG offices can be found here.

So many changes, reservations made and cancelations made for a marina in Chicago. The Chicago marinas are so expensive, around $180 a night. Planned on making a reservation in a mooring field in Chicago. Reasonable price, $1.50 a foot. Then I called Hammond Marina again and they have room for us, so I made a reservation with them. About $50 a night! Big difference, plus I need to get fuel and I don’t want to pay Chicago prices for fuel!

You may notice notes for travel day weather for Sept. 24, 25, and 28th below the photographs (they are not too important to this post.), My weather notes for the 29th are below. Looking at the weather a few days ago Tuesday appeared to be the best day. Then Monday looked better than Tuesday, but Thursday was even better. Friday the 29th was just as good as well so we decided to just go on Friday. Why? Don’t the Chicago locks open on October 1, and didn’t we plan to move to Joliet on Saturday, October 30? Yes, that WAS the plan!

But, yesterday, we were notified by the director of the AGLCA (America’s Great Loop Cruiser’s Association) that our flotilla’s date for the locks has been pushed back 5 days. One lock isn’t completely operational, and the Chief of the Locks asked our director to push the flotillas back 5 days for them to work with just the commercial traffic for the first week. I am OK with that. Hopefully the river will be less crowded.

Plus, we were notified the Olmsted Lock on the Ohio River, just before Paducah, KY will be closed Oct. 3-12. Thus, we can’t get there before the Oct. 12, so I am planning to get to that lock a couple of days after it is scheduled to re-open.

On a side note, the AGLCA has volunteer harbor hosts throughout the route and other places. Basically, a harbor host is someone who lives in the area and is a good person to contact for local knowledge. Kenosha’s Harbor Host Patrick gave me a ride to and back from Festival Foods for me to provision for a few days. So helpful and much appreciated!

Initial Plan
Date: September 29, 2023
Route name in Aqua Maps: TD: 09/29/23 (Kenosha to Hammond)
Nebo Link: Click here
Crew: Captain Scott, 1st Mate Rita, & K9 Jazzy
Start at: 6:30 am
End at: 2:15 pm
Total Time: 6:36
Distance: 66.2 miles (planning 10 mph to see what is does on fuel usage)
Fuel Plan: 60 gallons
Mid stop: Wilmette Harbor

Weather Prediction
Date/Time Check: 09/28/23
Leaving from: Kenosha 09/29/23 @ 6:30 am

Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: 5 mph, gusts to 6 mph, out of the East
Temp: 62 degrees
Waves: 1 ‘ from the SE, 1’ swell with 3.4 sec period
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 6 mph, gusts to 7 mph, out of the NE
Temp: 61 degrees
Waves: 1.3′, from xx66.3 degrees, 3.2 second wave period

Arrive at: Hammond @ 3:00 pm
Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: 2 mph, gusts to 1 mph, out of the E
Temp: 69 degrees
Waves: 1′ from the NE, 0′ swell with 3 sec period
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 9 mph, gusts to 7 mph, out of the NE
Temp: 66 degrees
Waves: 1.4′, from 34.9 degrees, 3.0 second wave period

Top Left: Us at the Farmer’s Market next to the marina.
Top Right: I had dock tails with some other Loopers here Wednesday night
Top Right bottom: Just a photo of the local Coast Guard boat and a couple of sail boats enjoying the windy weather
Bottom left: More sail boats, the marina is to the right of the wall
Bottom Right: Planned route for 09/29/23, Kenosha, WI to Hammond, IN

OLD Not Important Weather Predictions
Date/Time Check: 09/24/23 @ 5 pm
Leaving from: Kenosha 09/25/23 @ 7 am

Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: 9 mph, gusts to 14 mph, out of the SE
Temp: 64 degrees
Waves: 2′ from the East, 1′ swell with 3.6 sec period
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 13 mph, gusts to 18 mph, out of the SE
Temp: 64 degrees
Waves: 1.6′, direction 101 degrees, 3.2 second wave period

Arrive at: Hammond, IN @ 2:00 pm
Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: 8 mph, gusts to 12 mph, out of the NE
Temp: 67 degrees
Waves: 1 ‘ from the NW, 0’ swell with 2.9 sec period
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 12 mph, gusts to 13 mph, out of the NE
Temp: 67 degrees
Waves: .8′, direction 49 degrees, 2.4 second wave period

Weather Prediction
Date/Time Check: 09/24/23 @ 5 pm
Leaving from: Kenosha 09/26/23 @ 7 am

Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: 12 mph, gusts to 20 mph, out of the E
Temp: 64 degrees
Waves: 2′ from the East, 1′ swell with 3.5 sec period
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 16 mph, gusts to 25 mph, out of the SE
Temp: 64 degrees
Waves: 2′ direction 103 degrees, 3.5 second wave period

Arrive at: Hammond, IN @ 2:00 pm

Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: 9 mph, gusts to 16mph, out of the NE
Temp: xx degrees
Waves: 1′ from the SW, 1′ swell with 3.1 sec period
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 13 mph, gusts to 19 mph, out of the E
Temp: 68 degrees
Waves: 1.1′, direction 65 degrees, 2.6 second wave period

Weather Prediction
Date/Time Check: 09/24/23 @ 5:45 pm
Leaving from: Kenosha 09/28/23 (Thursday) @ 7 am

Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: 8 mph, gusts to 12 mph, out of the NE
Temp: 63 degrees
Waves: 2′ from the NW, 1′ swell with 3.6 sec period
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 510 mph, gusts to 13 mph, out of the E
Temp: 63 degrees
Waves: 1.6 ‘, from 80 degrees, 3.2 second wave period

Arrive at: Hammon, IN @ 2 pm
Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: 8 mph, gusts to x13 x mph, out of the NE
Temp: 66 degrees
Waves: 1′ from the NW, 1′ swell with 4 sec period
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 10 mph, gusts to 11 mph, out of the NW
Temp: 65 degrees
Waves: 1′, from 32 degrees, 3.1 second wave period