With Lake Michigan at our doorstep, it’s easy for some of us to overlook that other large body of water on Lake County’s western edge — The Chain O’ Lakes. The wandering waterway is a playground for all those who love boating and outdoor recreation.
To that end, it was time for a long-overdue tour of the Chain. It took place under blue skies on a late-September day, when seagulls vied with turkey vultures for air space.
It’s a tough job taking a mid-week journey on water. Yet, somebody has to do it.
Hosts were Naperville residents Jim and Nancy, who have a charming cottage near Petite Lake by Antioch after first owning one on Bluff Lake. Growing up, Jim spent idyllic summers at his grandparents’ cottage on Bluff Lake. Not all Chicago area residents head to Wisconsin cabins or Michigan fish camps for summer fun.
Like those who own iconic summer cottages or live full-time on the Chain, they are making memories for extended families by enjoying the recreational activities offered on the waterway. It stretches from the Wisconsin state line to Pistakee Lake, and south to the Fox River. The river continues its journey along Lake and McHenry counties into Kane, Will and Kendall counties and beyond.
The Chain is comprised of 15 lakes, with more than 7,000 water acres, nearly 500 miles of shoreline and almost 30 miles of channels interconnecting the various lakes once home to several tribes of Native Americans. Historians say Joliet and Marquette passed through what is now Chain O’Lakes State Park — founded in 1945 — in 1673 as they traveled Illinois in their explorations of what was the New World.
Since those humble beginnings, the Chain has become an engine of economic development along with being a summer mecca for boaters, fisher folks, canoers, tubers, swimmers, kayakers and personal watercraft sailors.
One estimate is the Chain is one of the nation’s busiest inland waterways for recreation. On busy holiday weekends, upwards of 100,000 people may be on the Chain, according to estimates.
Close to 30,000 boats are registered for use on the lakes. The Fox Waterway Agency, which controls the Chain, charges boaters an annual sticker fee — $60 to $250 on a sliding scale — based on motor sizes (there is no size limit) to use their vessels on the water. The funds are used to maintain dredging of channels, and address flooding concerns and other environmental projects through a 2024 projected budget of more than $4.5 million.
We journeyed through Petite Lake, Spring Lake, Bluff Lake, Channel Lake and beyond in a three-hull pontoon boat, passing similar craft during a day on the water. Waterfront mansions on some of the lakes rival a few of those on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin., where Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has a summer manor.
Floating along, it occurred to our party that while many this election season have been complaining about the state of the U.S. economy, it doesn’t seem to have affected us in the northeast portion of Illinois. Boats cost money, gas is needed to propel them. Then there are marina and storage fees, plus incidentals. Living along the Chain takes some real investment.
From a day on the Chain, it seems pontoon boats are the vessel of choice for boaters on the county waterway. While Illinois isn’t considered a major boating state — unlike Florida, Texas, Wisconsin and Michigan — it looks like area boat dealers have sold quite a few of them. Pontoon boats have been a leading segment in the recreational boating industry over the last decade, according to Boating Industry magazine.
The vessels are versatile boats that can be used for cruising, partying and water sports. Sales of pontoons have risen steadily since the pandemic waned, as Americans seem to relish spending time on the water. As a nation, we spend $700 billion annually on outdoor recreation and equipment.
One can understand that lure of being on the water, catching some rays, appreciating the camaraderie of our captain and his able crew, while celebrating the Chain O’ Lakes and all that it offers to those of us who are normally landlubbers.
Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor.
sellenews@gmail.com
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