I've been studying some of the rivers and canals I want to explore next year. Up to now I've only been on lakes and never really looked at them 'from above' like this. This is a picture of the cal sag by alsip.


My question is the appearance of 'white water' in the couple of sections. I would have assumed that was a bad area caused by rocks and rapids, but it doesn't seem to faze boats going up and down there. Other than looking at areas to boat and what might be interesting places to visit, is there something you can tell from an image like this as to what areas to avoid? (That picture, by the way, is right by the launch ramp there in Alsip. It is on the right hand side of the picture on the North side of the canal.)

Although I have been on the Cal Sag several times I cannot remember enough to determine what you may be looking at. If that is white water caused by a shallow area chances are the safe water is marked by navigation aids showing you where the chanel is. That can be determined by having an up to date chart of the area you are boating in and knowing how to read it. If you need a chart to the Cal Sag I believe you can go to the Corps of Engineers web page and download one for the Ilinois Waterway. I believe the Cal sag is included in those charts. I will see if I can locate them online and post a link soon.

thanks, I found those. I also bought a map of Chicago waterways (but was sort of disappointed that it really only included LM and the harbors on the big lake. Nice, and will be used, but I thought by the title it would be the rivers and canals too. The only thing with the C of E web page charts is that each page is such a small section at a time. It will be better when I print them all out though I suppose. It's hard to really read them consistently on the computer because you have to keep opening the next page for the next section.

http://www2.mvr.usace.army.mil/NIC2/ilwwcharts.cfm
Just in case I have something different.

http://www2.mvr.usace.army.mil/NIC2/Documents/chart134.pdf
Chart shows the chanel there bank to bank.

Thanks, LB. Yeah that's the one. I downloaded the "all Illinois Waterways" link at the very bottom of the links page. It's a massive file.

Don't know what the white water is - it's really not there!
The only shallow spot on those canals is where the Cal-Sag meets the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal. If you head south there from the Cal-Sag, you don't want to cut that corner or you'll be churning mud and possibly grounded - been there, done that!

By the way, that's the ramp at Worth. The Alsip ramp is a couple of miles east of there just before 127th street.

I'll have to look specifically for that spot on those maps and see if there is a note there about that, or add one of my own because eventually I would like to do that and wouldn't want to forget that warning. ACtually though, that section I posted above is only one of many, and some more 'fierce' looking than that above, maybe it's just wind or something making waves that makes it look like that in the pictures.

I think it's glare from the sun, but that's a guess. I've looked at quite a few satellite images of water, and seen that numerous times.

Thanks casualboater.

Thats not the corner if you leave the Worth ramp, and are headed down the cal sag then up the sanitary canal, towards downtown, is it?

Yep, sun glare. If you look at the spot not far from Lake Michigan where I-57 and Ashland Ave. cross you can see the same thing and see its glare.

Just stay near the center, watch for barges and watch for the occasional partially submerged snag or floating object and you will be fine. No whitewater...though kayakers would love it if there was some!

Also, I remember elsewhere you posted about being nervous about locks I believe. They are no big deal. They are either on a schedule or have a button on a side rail to push to call the operator. Red light don't go, green light go. Don your life vests, grab your boat hook and SLOWLY enter the lock after the gates have fully opened. The light shouldn't turn green until all boats have left the lock. Mind commercial traffic if any...usually there is not. Grab a dangling line from the sidewall or just hook something w/ your boat hook and hang on. The water rises pretty slowly, but steady...don't put arms or legs between you and the concrete wall...your limbs will lose in a fight between them and the boat/wall. Fenders (bumpers) are a good idea.

Again red light don't go, green light go. Also they also usually sound a horn when it is okay to leave the lock. No big rush, but want to make sure you have enough speed for steerage, especially if there are swirls left from the gate opening and you are first out. No planing!...no wake speed is the speed. On some locks you will see the tender ride his golf cart from one end to the other...though some seem to have gotten some Homeland Security money and have fancy towers now where they don't need to move from one end to the other to operate the locks.

Last time we did have a huge wait. Finally found out they were waiting for a big multiple commercial barge rig w/ chemicals. We were not going to be able to go through for a long while so we actually ended up doing the loop to get to Chicago instead of going out at Calumet and running up the coast. That was unusual.

Like most things...locks are a bit nerve wracking the first time and then you wonder what you were nervous about. Anyone that's taken the time and cares about learning and doing the right thing like you have been doing aren't going to tick any other traffic off or do anything rude or inappropriate...like cutting an entering boat off to grab a spot or making a big wake entering or exiting. Telling someone you are new and need help goes a long way in most any situation if you do happen to make a mistake.

That's the corner.

Now there is some whitewater at that corner!....but not in the the waterway...they tumble down from the bank. I was surprised to see the waterfalls at that corner the first time I went that way.

I'm not sure if they are just decorative or serve a purpose but kind of neat...and manmade. Maybe so you don't miss the turn to the city?...or the end of some water filtration process? It looks like it is simply pumped out of the Cal Sag (into a boat shaped pool!) and then immediately tumbles back in both sides of the corner. There is also a statue/monument on the corner...anyone have more info on it?

OMG Athiker you have NO idea how your post made my day. You've answered a HUGE question that I've been so afraid to ask (I just knew it would make me look like a total idiot, and seeing how simple the answer was I know it would have made me look like one, haha) one of the BIG fears of locks for me has always been... HOW THE HECK DO YOU TIE UP ON ONE. If the level is down how do you reach the dock cleats way up on top, if the level is up how do you unhook from the lock when you leave? I didn't know the lines were there all the time and you tied them, untied them to your boat. I'd seen pics and videos of going through the locks, but none of them ever had THAT point involved. I don't remember the boating course mentioning that either, they tell you to tied up, but not where the lines come from. I always just assumed they were the boat's lines. lol

Thanks for all the info on that, you have really settled my mind on it.

Oh, question: you mentioned that time you didn't want to wait for the commercial traffic so you turned around and made the loop the other way to Lake Michigan... how long does it (on average) take to do the loop?