So the trip was planned and reservations called in to Burnham and DuSable Harbors on May 15, the first date the Chicago harbors accept reservations for the transient slips for the summer. No luck at DuSable but got slip Q29, end of the dock on south end of Burnham. We left Grand Haven about 7:45 AM with bright sunshine, warm temperatures and calm seas...just what we had hoped for! Our good friends Scott and Nancy accompanied us on Sum Escape and our friends Rich and Paula and their two girls (and two friends of the girls) came along aboard Andiamo. 
We pre determined that we would stop halfway, 53 miles into the trip, for a swim in the middle of Lake Michigan. It was about 72 degrees and oh so clear! Very enjoyable and refreshing!
We pre determined that we would stop halfway, 53 miles into the trip, for a swim in the middle of Lake Michigan. It was about 72 degrees and oh so clear! Very enjoyable and refreshing!Upon arriving in Chicago at around noon Chicago time (45 minutes were spent relaxing and swimming!) we immediately got in line to go through the lock into the Chicago River for a city tour. The weather was absolutely perfect and the jets were already practicing for the air show. We went a couple miles up both branches and spent the better part of the afternoon slowly taking in the sights.
Friday night we went to Buddy Guys for a bite to eat and a bit of the Chicago Blues. Sat morning we went to a great little outdoor breakfast place about a mile away. A very nice walk and great breakfast crepes! We toured some refurbished old neighborhoods on the way back to the boats.
We got out to the air show, and anchored out from North Ave Beach, the center of the air show. What a mass of boats and people, but what a great spot to watch! The Thunderbirds were the best, flying right over the boat a number of times!
Sunday morning we had family visitors from the Chicago area and we wnet back out to see the show but it was too rough for us to anchor comfortably so we retied at Burnham. Not as nice but the jets did make a number of turns right over the marina as well. Had a couple rain delays but the jets closed out the show around 3 PM. Another good rain storm came through shortly after and it was nice tto be in the slip rather than fighting the wind and rain to tie up like so many other boats did. Sunday night we went to Howl at the moon, a dueling pianos rock and roll bar. Lots of fun there!
We returned on Monday morning after a good thunderstorm went through about 5:30 AM. We saw this nice litle boat as we left the harbor...
We left around 8:30 and had flat seas for about 30 miles followed by increasing SW rollers the rest of the way back to Grand Haven. Julie was checking out the radar on the satellite TV most of the way back...need that Siruis radar! Nice shot of Chicago on the calm ses leaving. Not bad water at all for the trip home. A great trip.
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