Good luck with that extension Pat. But DuSable is a nice marina and great location. You can easily walk to all the neat things everyone has been mentioning. (or catch public transportation.) I think the Chicago harbors are way overpriced and the facilities are not as nice as many other more reasonably priced marinas. But, it is Chicago... I think you'll enjoy the river thru the city, but we found there really are no places that you can dock and eat. Unless you don't mind paying an hourly fee of $20 or more! All the commercial traffic in the city on the river will use ch. 16. I'm not sure what the working tugs use as you go down river outside the city. Some monitor 16, but I found those "mule" tugs positioning barges in the tighter areas didn't always reply. And I'd try 16, 13, 9 and 10. The Chicago lock will have lines hanging down for you to grab and hold. (And be sure to have your PFD ON!) As for the other locks, you will be using your own lines to hook around a bollard. Be prepared to stand on your gunnel or use a hook as the bollards are set more for the barge heights! And specially at the Chicago Lock, stay out of the way until the green light as all the commercial tour boats get to enter on the yellow and they get kind of testy if you are not way off to the side. You can give the Chicago lock a courtesy call, but I found they are just constantly running boats thru and you are just another number in a gaggle of many... But rarely more than a 15-20 minute wait. The other locks down stream on the other hand, might pay to call them a few miles out (either by phone or radio) to see if you will have much wait when you get there. I zipped thru twice at one of the locks, but seemed like a hour - 2 hour wait at the other. Make sure you have enough fuel leaving Chicago to go at least another 50 miles! And if you do stay on the wall at Joliet, fender well and have chaffing protection on your lines! Enjoy! Colby
