Today we bid goodbye to our friends Dean and Beth and their bird Ziggy and headed out on our own again for the first time in months to move on down to Shytown, the Windy City, hog butcher to the world, that toddling town of Chicago.
Within 30 minutes we were suddenly surprised to find a stowaway onboard Cbay. He fluttered into the flybridge some 5 miles out in Lake Michigan and landed on the floor bold as brass. We named him Zippy in homage to our friend Ziggy, and for the next 4 hours he rode with us hopping about eating insects all over the boat, flying out one window and back in another, sitting on the helm and on Jan’s arm. He was totally unafraid as we went about our usual tasks. He followed us down to the cockpit and ventured out on the bow. He flew wide circles around the boat but always came back and in the window next to the helm. We have never seen anything like it and likely never will again.
Zippy finally decided he was ready to leave as Chicago came into view. He actually flew back in one last time and sat on the dash, told us goodbye in his own way and launched himself out the front window and up over the boat toward the land now close enough to be reached by a bird rested and well fed. We wish he could have stayed but that is not the way with free spirits. Good luck Zippy.
Chicago is a big place. Burnham Park Harbor is right downtown. Soldier Field where the Chicago Bears play is on the shore. We see Sears Tower off the bow and had dinner at the Burnham Yacht Club. This is going to be a great stop and tomorrow we start our tour at 1000. So get some rest because you are going to need it.
