Chicago

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	==Chicago==		==Chicago==
-	[[Image:imagename.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Caption<br/>''Click for larger view'']]	+	[[File:Chicago Skyline Panorama.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Chicago Skyline as captured by [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Jcrocker J. Crocker] <br/>''Click for larger view'']]
	===Background===		===Background===
-	Historic details, etc.	+	Chicago is the third most populous city in the United States, trailing only New York City and Los Angeles. It has more slips in the city limits than any other city in the United States. Chicago is part of the Great Loop route in the US, where it serves as the key transition point from Great Lakes to the Midwest, south-bound river leg of the trip.
-	Submit details about the sailing/cruising in the area, etc.	+	===Charts===
		+	NOAA provides thorough coverage of the Chicago area through multiple means.
		+	* Lake Michigan - [http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/14901.shtml 14901]
		+	* Southern Lake Michigan - [http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/14905.shtml 14905]
		+	* Chicago - [http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/14927.shtml 14927]
		+	* Main Chicago Harbors (large scale) - [http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/14928.shtml 14928] In 2015, this chart had not been updated to show 31st Street Marina.
		+	* Detailed approach charts by area of Chicago (1:10K scale) [http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/14926.shtml 14926] - A book of 30 charts. Pages A, B and C are instructional on charts. Chart 1 of this book is a guide to the coverage of other charts.
-	===Charts===
-	Submit the chart details that are required for safe navigation.
-	*
-	*
	===Radio Nets===		===Radio Nets===
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	===Weather===		===Weather===
-	Local weather conditions?	+	Chicago is located in the middle of the North American continent and experiences weather impacts from all directions. In general, the cruising season starts in April and ends in October. The start of the cruising season and the opening of marinas depends on how cold the winter has been. The favored periods for cruising Lake Michigan are July, August and September.
		+
		+	The lake gets significant surface ice over winter and is generally impassable from November through March. The average date of greatest ice coverage for Lake Michigan is March 17th (St. Patrick's Day) and ice coverage recedes fairly rapidly following that peak. The spring time periods of 2014 and 2015 have seen record levels of ice coverage and delayed openings of many marinas.
		+
		+	Lake Michigan is technically one bay of the Michigan-Huron body of water. One should recall [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgI8bta-7aw Gordon Lightfoot's warning] about the gales of November coming early. On October 31, 2014, the waves started the day at a manageable 2 foot height and grew to the limits of the measuring equipment, which is 25 feet, by midnight. Such abrupt changes in surface conditions are common to the Great Lakes and boaters accustomed to salt water should be aware of the rapid degree of change that can be encountered in these fresh water seas. The light water does return to lower levels more quickly than salt water as well.
		+
		+	Chicago is sometimes referred to as the "Windy City," but be advised that the label originates from the verbosity of the politicians, like the famed speech-making ability of U.S. President Barack Obama, rather than any weather or climatic factors. The city can experience significant breezes, up to hurricane strength, and boaters should be prepared for rapid changes.
		+
	Sources for Weather forecasts:		Sources for Weather forecasts:
-	*	+	* [http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-87.61411&lat=41.88908 NOAA land forecast] The U.S. Met bureau, titled NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency), provides the official forecasts and records most historical data for the U.S..
		+	* The Chicago regional headquarters of NOAA's NWS (National Weather Service) provides [http://www.weather.gov/lot/marine marine forecast] for Lake Michigan. These forecasts include both an Open Waters forecast that cover the whole lake, as well as near shore forecasts that cover individual regions, in approximately 10 mile increments of the coast. The open waters forecast looks forward seven days. The shore line forecasts look forward 48 hours.
		+	* The NWS broadcasts for Chicago are on VHF WX1 (162.550 MHz). In case of sudden change, the NWS will announce on Channel 16 that it is preparing a broadcast and advise mariners to switch channels for the announcement. [[User:Iowajason| Jason]] has experienced hurricane force winds in the city and heard the warning 15 minutes later to warn mariners further offshore.
	===Approach and Navigation===		===Approach and Navigation===
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	===Marinas & Yacht Clubs===		===Marinas & Yacht Clubs===
-	Submit Marina details.	+	Within the city limits of Chicago, all marinas on Lake Michigan are administered by WestRec on behalf of the Chicago Parks Department. [http://www.chicagoharbors.info The website] includes rates and [http://www.chicagoharbors.info/forms/transient/ on-line booking]. Reservations for the season are accepted starting May 15th by phone, typically, and May 16th by web request. These dates due change from year to year and are posted on the website. Peak days, especially weekends, fill up on May 15th and a waiting list is started.
-	*	+
-	*	+
-	*	+
		+	From north to south in the city:
		+	* [http://www.chicagoharbors.info/harbors/montrose/ Montrose] - The most secluded of Chicago marinas accommodates boats from 25-50 feet. Home to [http://www.corinthian.org/ Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club].
		+	* [http://www.chicagoharbors.info/harbors/belmont/ Belmont] - Near historic Wrigley Field and able to accommodate boats from 28-80+ feet. Home to the [http://www.belmontyc.org/ Belmont Yacht Club] and the [https://www.chicagoyachtclub.org/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=366038&ssid=277333&vnf=1 Belmont Station] of the Chicago Yacht Club. CYC uses Belmont as home to its youth sailing program and one-design race fleet.
		+	* [http://www.chicagoharbors.info/harbors/diversey/ Diversey] - While able to accommodate boats of 25-50 feet, a low-clearance, fixed bridge covers the harbor mouth and is generally unsuited to cruising yachts. This marina provides walking distance access to the "Gold Coast" area of Chicago, which includes some of its finest dining establishments.
		+	* [http://www.chicagoharbors.info/harbors/dusable/ DuSable] - Once part of Monroe harbor, DuSable offers slips with direct access to shore, in the heart of downtown Chicago.
		+	* [http://www.chicagoharbors.info/harbors/monroe/ Monroe] - All mooring balls with marina supplied tender service to shore. Both DuSable and Monroe marinas offer convenient access to the [https://www.chicagoyachtclub.org/ Chicago Yacht Club], Chicago's flagship yacht club and host of the famed Chicago Mackinac race, and the [http://www.columbiayachtclub.org/ Columbia Yacht Club], a former Canadian train ferry converted to a floating club house.
		+	* [http://www.chicagoharbors.info/harbors/burnham/ Burnham] - Located on the celebrated Museum Campus of Chicago, with one side adjoining Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears NFL franchise, and the other on Northerly Island, once Meigs Airport and now a music venue, Burnham slips are some of the most sought after in the city. The [http://bpyc.com/ Burnham Park Yacht Club] has a clubhouse on the Northerly Island, east, side of the marina.
		+	* [http://www.chicagoharbors.info/harbors/31st-street-harbor/ 31st Street] - The newest addition to Chicago's list of marinas offers slips for boats up to 200 feet of length. Slips can be obtained easily due to the low demand since its location provides few attractions and access to public transportation is limited. The marina does offer direct access to the lakefront bike trails and those cruisers whose primary means of transportation is bicycling can bike a mile or two to get to the Burnham area.
		+	* [http://www.chicagoharbors.info/harbors/59th-street/ 59th Street] - Another marina generally unsuited to cruising boats with a fixed bridge over its entrance. Could serve as a useful dinghy dock to visit the Museum of Science and Industry, one of the most famous museums in the USA.
		+	* [http://www.chicagoharbors.info/harbors/jackson-park-outer/ Jackson Park] - On the south side of Chicago, this marina offers mast unstepping services, which could be useful for Great Loopers.
	===Anchorages===		===Anchorages===
-	List details of all safe anchorages in the area.	+	Chicago, in specific, and western Lake Michigan, in general, offer few places to anchor. In a pinch, you can get inside the outer harbor wall and get relief from high waves when winds are coming from the east.
-	*	+
-	*	+
-	*	+
-	===Offshore Islands===	+	===Tourism & things to do ashore===
-	* [[Northerly Island (Chicago)|Northerly Island]]	+	Chicago is a major metropolitan area with attractions suited to most tastes. Known as the arguably top sports city in the USA, the city hosts two major league baseball teams, the Cubs and the Sox, the NFL founding football team, the Bears (and once, also, the Cardinals), the Original 6 hockey team, the Blackhawks, the one-time home of Michael Jordan, the Bulls, and numerous other sports teams from soccer to polo to rugby. The Theater district often hosts plays as a test market before they got to Broadway in New York City. The Magnificent Mile along Michigan Avenue holds some of the world's finest shopping. The city has numerous award-winning restaurants, from fine dining to treasured dives that win James Beard awards.
-	*	+
-	*	+
-	===Tourism & things to do ashore===	+	There are numerous websites and guidebooks that cover Chicago, that should be listed here in the future.
-	List places of interest, tours, etc.	+
-	*	+
	===Fuel, Water, & Electricity===		===Fuel, Water, & Electricity===
Line 82:		Line 93:
	===Routes/Passages To/From===		===Routes/Passages To/From===
-	Popular passages/routes, timing, etc.	+	Most long distance cruisers encounter Chicago as part of the Great Loop, a route using the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway, the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River, the Ohio River, and other inland lakes and rivers. If you are a sailboat, Chicago is where the mast goes down and you become a powerboat.
	===References & Publications===		===References & Publications===

---

Revision as of 01:29, 23 June 2015

Contents 1 Chicago 1.1 Background 1.2 Charts 1.3 Radio Nets 1.4 Weather 1.5 Approach and Navigation 1.6 Marinas & Yacht Clubs 1.7 Anchorages 1.8 Tourism & things to do ashore 1.9 Fuel, Water, & Electricity 1.10 Laundry 1.11 Grocery & Supply Stores 1.12 Eateries 1.13 Internet/WiFi 1.14 Motorbike & Car Rentals 1.15 Marine Stores & Facilities 1.16 Repairs 1.17 Garbage Disposal 1.18 Transportation 1.19 Routes/Passages To/From 1.20 References & Publications 1.21 Cruiser's Friends 1.22 Forum Discussions 1.23 External Links 1.24 Personal Notes 1.24.1 Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here) 2 Contributors to this page 3 Cruising Wiki Navigation

Chicago

Background

Chicago is the third most populous city in the United States, trailing only New York City and Los Angeles. It has more slips in the city limits than any other city in the United States. Chicago is part of the Great Loop route in the US, where it serves as the key transition point from Great Lakes to the Midwest, south-bound river leg of the trip.

Charts

NOAA provides thorough coverage of the Chicago area through multiple means.

• Lake Michigan - 14901
• Southern Lake Michigan - 14905
• Chicago - 14927
• Main Chicago Harbors (large scale) - 14928 In 2015, this chart had not been updated to show 31st Street Marina.
• Detailed approach charts by area of Chicago (1:10K scale) 14926 - A book of 30 charts. Pages A, B and C are instructional on charts. Chart 1 of this book is a guide to the coverage of other charts.

Radio Nets

Also see Cruiser's Nets

Weather

Chicago is located in the middle of the North American continent and experiences weather impacts from all directions. In general, the cruising season starts in April and ends in October. The start of the cruising season and the opening of marinas depends on how cold the winter has been. The favored periods for cruising Lake Michigan are July, August and September.

The lake gets significant surface ice over winter and is generally impassable from November through March. The average date of greatest ice coverage for Lake Michigan is March 17th (St. Patrick's Day) and ice coverage recedes fairly rapidly following that peak. The spring time periods of 2014 and 2015 have seen record levels of ice coverage and delayed openings of many marinas.

Lake Michigan is technically one bay of the Michigan-Huron body of water. One should recall Gordon Lightfoot's warning about the gales of November coming early. On October 31, 2014, the waves started the day at a manageable 2 foot height and grew to the limits of the measuring equipment, which is 25 feet, by midnight. Such abrupt changes in surface conditions are common to the Great Lakes and boaters accustomed to salt water should be aware of the rapid degree of change that can be encountered in these fresh water seas. The light water does return to lower levels more quickly than salt water as well.

Chicago is sometimes referred to as the "Windy City," but be advised that the label originates from the verbosity of the politicians, like the famed speech-making ability of U.S. President Barack Obama, rather than any weather or climatic factors. The city can experience significant breezes, up to hurricane strength, and boaters should be prepared for rapid changes.

Sources for Weather forecasts:

• NOAA land forecast The U.S. Met bureau, titled NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency), provides the official forecasts and records most historical data for the U.S..
• The Chicago regional headquarters of NOAA's NWS (National Weather Service) provides marine forecast for Lake Michigan. These forecasts include both an Open Waters forecast that cover the whole lake, as well as near shore forecasts that cover individual regions, in approximately 10 mile increments of the coast. The open waters forecast looks forward seven days. The shore line forecasts look forward 48 hours.
• The NWS broadcasts for Chicago are on VHF WX1 (162.550 MHz). In case of sudden change, the NWS will announce on Channel 16 that it is preparing a broadcast and advise mariners to switch channels for the announcement. Jason has experienced hurricane force winds in the city and heard the warning 15 minutes later to warn mariners further offshore.

Approach and Navigation

Details?

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

Within the city limits of Chicago, all marinas on Lake Michigan are administered by WestRec on behalf of the Chicago Parks Department. The website includes rates and on-line booking. Reservations for the season are accepted starting May 15th by phone, typically, and May 16th by web request. These dates due change from year to year and are posted on the website. Peak days, especially weekends, fill up on May 15th and a waiting list is started.

From north to south in the city:

• Montrose - The most secluded of Chicago marinas accommodates boats from 25-50 feet. Home to Chicago Corinthian Yacht Club.
• Belmont - Near historic Wrigley Field and able to accommodate boats from 28-80+ feet. Home to the Belmont Yacht Club and the Belmont Station of the Chicago Yacht Club. CYC uses Belmont as home to its youth sailing program and one-design race fleet.
• Diversey - While able to accommodate boats of 25-50 feet, a low-clearance, fixed bridge covers the harbor mouth and is generally unsuited to cruising yachts. This marina provides walking distance access to the "Gold Coast" area of Chicago, which includes some of its finest dining establishments.
• DuSable - Once part of Monroe harbor, DuSable offers slips with direct access to shore, in the heart of downtown Chicago.
• Monroe - All mooring balls with marina supplied tender service to shore. Both DuSable and Monroe marinas offer convenient access to the Chicago Yacht Club, Chicago's flagship yacht club and host of the famed Chicago Mackinac race, and the Columbia Yacht Club, a former Canadian train ferry converted to a floating club house.
• Burnham - Located on the celebrated Museum Campus of Chicago, with one side adjoining Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears NFL franchise, and the other on Northerly Island, once Meigs Airport and now a music venue, Burnham slips are some of the most sought after in the city. The Burnham Park Yacht Club has a clubhouse on the Northerly Island, east, side of the marina.
• 31st Street - The newest addition to Chicago's list of marinas offers slips for boats up to 200 feet of length. Slips can be obtained easily due to the low demand since its location provides few attractions and access to public transportation is limited. The marina does offer direct access to the lakefront bike trails and those cruisers whose primary means of transportation is bicycling can bike a mile or two to get to the Burnham area.
• 59th Street - Another marina generally unsuited to cruising boats with a fixed bridge over its entrance. Could serve as a useful dinghy dock to visit the Museum of Science and Industry, one of the most famous museums in the USA.
• Jackson Park - On the south side of Chicago, this marina offers mast unstepping services, which could be useful for Great Loopers.

Anchorages

Chicago, in specific, and western Lake Michigan, in general, offer few places to anchor. In a pinch, you can get inside the outer harbor wall and get relief from high waves when winds are coming from the east.

Tourism & things to do ashore

Chicago is a major metropolitan area with attractions suited to most tastes. Known as the arguably top sports city in the USA, the city hosts two major league baseball teams, the Cubs and the Sox, the NFL founding football team, the Bears (and once, also, the Cardinals), the Original 6 hockey team, the Blackhawks, the one-time home of Michael Jordan, the Bulls, and numerous other sports teams from soccer to polo to rugby. The Theater district often hosts plays as a test market before they got to Broadway in New York City. The Magnificent Mile along Michigan Avenue holds some of the world's finest shopping. The city has numerous award-winning restaurants, from fine dining to treasured dives that win James Beard awards.

There are numerous websites and guidebooks that cover Chicago, that should be listed here in the future.

Fuel, Water, & Electricity

Laundry

Grocery & Supply Stores

Eateries

Internet/WiFi

Available?

Motorbike & Car Rentals

Marine Stores & Facilities

Submit addresses and contact details of marine related businesses that are of interest to cruisers.

Repairs

Garbage Disposal

?

Transportation

Transportation (local and/or international)

Routes/Passages To/From

Most long distance cruisers encounter Chicago as part of the Great Loop, a route using the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway, the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River, the Ohio River, and other inland lakes and rivers. If you are a sailboat, Chicago is where the mast goes down and you become a powerboat.

References & Publications

Publications, Guides, etc.

Cruiser's Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forum Discussions

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

External Links

Links to relevant websites.

Personal Notes

Personal experiences?

Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)

Date of member's visit to this Port/Stop & this page's details validated:

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Contributors to this page
Names:

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