The Eagle has landed, or Invasion of the Asian Carp.

After two long days, we are at Grafton, IL at the junction of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers.  The Illinois River has alternated between rural and industrial.  We spent the night at the Peoria City Dock.  Peoria is highly industrial and home to Caterpillar Engines.  We arrived at the city dock after about a 10 hour run, and there was a big sign No Overnight Docking!  There was a sailboat staying over so we did too, and were not run off.  This has been about the only city that did not feel warm and toasty, with that sign.  So we did not get off the boat, but left at first light, for another 10 hour day to the LaGrange Lock.  The lockmaster let us anchor below the lock, in a pool downstream of the dam, out of traffic.  We stayed the night and headed out at first light for Grafton.

As I mentioned in another post, Asian Carp are a big problem here.  These are non-native fish that are taking over.  The electric fish barrier we went through is to prevent them from getting into Lake Michigan and destroying the native fish stocks.  There is a lawsuit by some states to permanently close the Illinois River from Lake Michigan, to stop the spread.  Naturally, commercial and recreational interests have opposed that measure, and the fish barrier is the compromise.
 

Asian Carp are the jumping fish and there are many videos on the net of hundreds of them jumping when spooked by a motor.  They are dangerous to small boaters, as they can knock a person out of a boat!  We even hear that there is a bow hunting industry that will take you out to shoot the carp from a boat on the fly.  The boats are equipped with batting cages to protect the shooter from flying carp.  Well, we were attacked by the carp on several occasions, with them hitting the side of the boat, and some even landing in the dinghy-what a mess!  I thought about breaking out my trusty shotgun, and having some sport, but was overruled by Alexis…

We will stay in Grafton for a few days, taking in the many sights and then head down the Mississippi River to the Ohio River. 

Starved Rock Dam.  

We have seen about 100 eagles on the river.  Many are juveniles, but this pair are fully plumed.  The locals tell the same story as back home.  DDT wiped out the eagles in the 60s.  It was a pesticide used by farmers that got into the water.  It caused the egg shells to be brittle, and no more eagles.  When DDT was banned, the eagles slowly reappeared, and now are common.  

We have been underway early each morning.  Thankfully, the fog has been minimal.  

The trees are just starting to color.  

Juvenile Bald Eagle.  

Duck season is just around the corner.   These blinds piqued my "Inner Bubba's" interest.  

They are on the river.  I guess they don't shoot when a tow is passing?

Best dressed blind.

The dinghy was carped!

The carp are messy!  Several hit the boat, and these landed in the dinghy which hangs off the stern.  

A teenager-just getting its plumage.  

Fellow Looper, Lady Shenanigan's, hit a log and had to be towed to the Grafton area.  "Deadheads" (underwater obstructions) are a constant danger on the rivers.