Practicing to Get Ready

You don't just get a boat and then start sailing it. Well, you can but it isn't really a good idea. There's a whole book written about the results.

But these smart folks were doing it right: taking a class before the boating season starts so they are prepared when (if?) the Spring weather decides to finally make an appearance and stick around for a few days.

Half and Half

The Columbia Yacht Club is getting a little restorative work. Looks like they are about half done. At least with the priming for eventual re-painting stage.

Where The Buoys Are

The Chicago Harbors officially open on May 1st, so they have a few more weeks to finish putting all the buoys in place in Monroe Harbor. They actually are almost done - there's just one middle section that still needs to have the buoys - these buoys and anchors (below) set in place.

Winter Sunset

I loved how the sunset turned the horizon and the smoke from the buildings a delicate shade of pink.

Crystal Blue

It is cold here. Monroe Harbor is starting to ice over.

Theme Day: Night

Today is Theme Day on City Daily Photo. The theme, chosen by vote of the CDP participants is "Night".

This theme day has been a bit of a NIGHTmare.

It's not like I didn't have any night pictures.

• That one of the moon over the sailboats would have been good ... if I hadn't posted it back in the beginning of July.

• Any of the ones from the movies in the park (Sunset Blvd. and Duck Soup) would have worked quite well ... if I hadn't posted them in the last two weeks.

• The Bug Zapper one was at night and would have fit the theme ... if I hadn't posted it earlier this week.

Like this black-crowned NIGHT heron, I'm scratching my head and wondering what I was thinking posting those night scenes already. It's not like I haven't known the theme was Night since July 2. Duh!

So here is my Night photo.
That's not an anchor light on the top of the sail boat mast, it's the moon.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants - all of whom saved their good Night Shots for the Theme Day!

Catching the Moon

These two sailboat masts seemed, to me, to have captured the moon. The July Full Moon has many names:

• Full Buck Moon (since this is the month that new antlers on male deer start to appear)
• Full Thunder Moon (since this month has a lot of thunderstorms)
• Summer Moon
• Hay Moon
• Hungry Ghost Moon
• Crane Moon
• Ripe Corn Moon
• Mead Moon
• Moon of Claiming

One additional name for it is the Rose Moon. Pretty appropriate in this case since the light clouds give this moon a pink hue.


P.S. At 4:05 (and 6 seconds) today, it was 04:05:06 07/08/09.

Big Bang Theory

Chicago holds its main fireworks display on July 3 at the lakefront. It draws a lot of people (somehow the crowd count is always "1 million people") and it's a good-natured crowd. Here are a few photos from last night's show.


After the show, the crowd disperses and, as one may expect when 1 million people leave all at once, some of the streets get backed up. Several years ago, they started closing Lake Shore Drive to traffic, allowing people to walk on it to ease the pedestrian congestion. It doesn't seem like too many people take this route anymore (in prior years it was heavily traveled), but the tradition continues.
Have a safe and happy weekend.

Theme Day

Where are the boats?

The slips by the Columbia Yacht Club are EMPTY!

The mooring buoys in Monroe Harbor are EMPTY!

But the Playpen
(the local name for the area by the Ohio Street Beach)
is FULL!

Today is the CDPB July Theme Day and the theme is EMPTY. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Morning in Monroe Harbor

Monroe Harbor is filling up with its summer residents.

Preparing for Class

The Columbia Yacht Club has a sailing
school - Sail Columbia - for children and adults.
Looks like they were setting up for a class or a practice session.
It was certainly a nice day for a sail.