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09/11/23 - 10/10/23 - Racine, WI to Seneca, IL - FINAL LEG

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  SWEET HOME CHICAGO!! Since June, the Army Corp had been doing extensive maintenance that required the complete shutdown of (3) Illinois River Locks: Brandon Road, Dresden Island and Marseilles.  They opened as scheduled on 10/1/23 but asked pleasure boats to hold off for another 5 days.  Kim Russo, Director of the AGLCA, worked diligently with the Army Corp to coordinate daily lock throughs for Looper flotillas of approximately 16 for 24 days! Almost 300 Looper boats were scattered throughout Southwest Lake Michigan, with at least 75 in Hammond, IN; many that we have cruised/chatted with over the past year. We were scheduled with flotilla #5, locking through on Tues, 10/10//23. We spent 3 weeks going back and forth between home and Racine so we could put our hands on our grandchildren and prepare for life on land. We met our Reefpoint dock neighbors for next season - seems like a fun group. Thurs, 10/5/23 - Racine, WI to Chicago, IL (54.7NM) .  Cap's trusty weather apps indicated

8/25/23 - 9/10/23 - Detour Village, MI to Racine, WI (Lake Michigan) PORT-A-GEE IS GOLD!!!

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Fri - Sat 8/25-26/23 - Detour Village, MI to Mackinaw City, MI (Mackinaw Municipal Marina) (39.7NM) Our buddy boats agreed on an 8:00 a.m. departure. We enjoyed a gorgeous day on Lake Huron via St. Mary's River.  Calm seas and sunny skies!! It was very exciting to see the Mighty Mac Bridge and lighthouses coming into view.   Mackinac Suspension Bridge As we got closer, we were thrashed around by the huge wakes left by the speeding Island Ferries. Port-A-Gee secured a slip in the Municipal Marina while our buddy boats stayed at the adjacent Strait's State Harbor. The Municipal Marina is the aforementioned ferry boats' port, so we were alerted to all departures with the blast of their horn. We walked around town.  It was pretty touristy, and kind of tacky, with LOTS of tee-shirt, ice cream & fudge shops.  It was kind of hard to find a good place to dine.  Mackinaw City has really benefitted from being the source of transport to Mackinac Island. The crews of Summer Place,