Land ho! Hurry, before the storm unleashes a torrent of rain.
We sailed past Chicago Harbor Lighthouse with Navy Pier on our starboard side, in a race with the storm clouds coming in from the west. One of us was going to reach Navy Pier first. I prayed it would be our vessel, the Tall Ship Windy, a magnificent 148-foot, four-masted gaff topsail schooner better equipped for choppy waters and mind numbing headwinds than yours truly.
Cold and wet is not my best look.
Cold and wet is not my best look.
Why not take to the seas/lake! The weather was beautiful.
I prefer sunny and bright, which is what Jimmy and I were enjoying several months ago when we set sail with travel buddies Joan and Jerry for a Lakeside Architectural Tour of Chicago courtesy of the city’s flagship, Tall Ship Windy.
Thar she blows!
The views of Chicago don’t get much better than those offered on Lake Michigan.
Storms are really a photographers dream come true. The light was exceptional.
A crew of five entertained and educated,
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while we land lubbers sat back and enjoyed those views from Lake Michigan.
The Chicago skyline was a crowd pleaser.
We learned Lake Michigan played a pivotal role in the growth of the city of Chicago; and also vessels much like the schooner providing us an afternoon of sailing. Trade rather than tourist was the order of the day in the early 1800's when settlers began arriving in the area.
Fort Dearborn was built in 1803 on the south bank of the Chicago River. In 1835, piers to protect the harbor entrance and a lighthouse to guide shipping were built.
Fort Dearborn was built in 1803 on the south bank of the Chicago River. In 1835, piers to protect the harbor entrance and a lighthouse to guide shipping were built.
The 111-foot tall cast iron lighthouse was constructed in 1893 for the World's Columbian Exposition.
Completion of the Illinois-Michigan Canal in 1848 secured Chicago’s future, connecting the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico. That connection established Chicago as the transportation hub of the United States before the railroads came along and cemented the deal.
Today’s skyline was a powerful reminder of that past. Our tour guide connected the dots, or should I say skyscrapers and parks, mentioning visionaries like Aaron Montgomery Ward (yes, as in the now defunct Montgomery Ward), who helped guide the development of Grant Park;
Today’s skyline was a powerful reminder of that past. Our tour guide connected the dots, or should I say skyscrapers and parks, mentioning visionaries like Aaron Montgomery Ward (yes, as in the now defunct Montgomery Ward), who helped guide the development of Grant Park;
Inspired by the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles, Chicago's Buckingham Fountain is one of the largest in the world.
architect Le Baron Jenney, who introduced the world to the first modern skyscraper (10 stories!) in 1884 on the corner of Adams and LaSalle Streets (today the 45-story Bank of America Building occupies the site); and Burnham and Bennett, architects of the 1909 Plan of Chicago that promoted lakefront property become park space for all to enjoy.
Those truly familiar with Chicago’s history know that “Chicago’s front yard,” Grant Park, was mostly landfill going back as far as the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, when debris from the fire (2,000 acres of land, 17,500 buildings and 73 miles of roads were destroyed) was used to fill in the swampy lagoon bordering Lake Michigan just east of Michigan Avenue.
Those truly familiar with Chicago’s history know that “Chicago’s front yard,” Grant Park, was mostly landfill going back as far as the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, when debris from the fire (2,000 acres of land, 17,500 buildings and 73 miles of roads were destroyed) was used to fill in the swampy lagoon bordering Lake Michigan just east of Michigan Avenue.
Looking very ship shape today.
Time had done wonders for the place; not so much for the weather.
So close, yet so far away.
The peace and calm of the last 40 minutes of sailing
Very little phases Jim, Joan and Jerry. Jimmy, especially, has always been my port in every storm.
gave way to a flurry of activity in the wake of the winds suddenly churning the waters of Lake Michigan. It was all hands on deck (well, okay, they were already on deck) as the blustery weather announced her intentions. The crew (and a handful of hearty passengers) went into action lowering the sails before the bow of the schooner came about,
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gingerly maneuvering through a 180 degree turn before steering a course for Navy Pier. The race was on.
Bad weather is great when it comes to dramatic pictures.
The Tall Ship Windy and crew delivered that day; just in the nick of time, I might add, as the first drops of moisture while disembarking hinted at more (much more) to come; kudos to the captain.
Into every life a little rain must fall. Just not ON me, if I can help it.
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