Flood submerges waterfront businesses

Business owners who rely on boaters hope the flood waters recede before the busy Labor Day weekend on the Chain O' Lakes and the Fox River.

Blarney Island spokesman Clem Haley said if the water starts to quickly recede on the Chain, there's the potential they'll be able to clean up and reopen the island tavern on Grass Lake in time for the Labor Day rush.

"It can be done, but only if the water starts to drop soon," he said. "This is the highest I've ever seen it. This is a bad flood."

Haley said the island, which is packed daily between Memorial Day and Labor Day, has been shut down because of high water on the Chain.

To make it worse, his parking lot at the land tavern -- the Port O' Blarney on Grass Lake Road -- is completely submerged.

"People are just pulling in, seeing the water, and leaving," he said. "This was supposed to be a good weekend for us, but there's nothing we can do."

Blarney's isn't the only business affected by the water, which is approaching 2 feet over flood stage.

C.J. Smith's Tavern on Grass Lake Road is closed and completely surrounded by water, while Captain Quarters Bar and Marina remains open despite 2 feet of water surrounding the marina.

Owner Lynn Becker said her bar business is way down because boaters don't have a place to park when arriving off Fox Lake.

"I can't say how much money I'm losing a day, but it's a lot," Becker said. "I'm usually full on a picture perfect day like this, but not today. We're going to be slow."

The Chain O' Lakes is still listed as no-wake by the Fox Waterway Agency, while the Fox River between the mouth of the Chain to the Algonquin Dam is closed to all boating because high water levels make boating dangerous.

Ed Lescher, head of the Fox Lake Emergency Services Disaster Agency, said Fox Lake Harbor, Munson Marine, Watts Marina and Famous Freddie's Roadhouse are just a few of the businesses in Fox that are experiencing some sort of flooding.

He said about 100 homes and businesses in Fox Lake and another 200 to 300 homes and businesses in Antioch Township have been affected by the high flood waters.

"We're hoping the worst of it has come and it'll start coming down now," he said. "We'll just have to wait and see."

The high water wasn't bad news for everyone.

Sunday morning, 12-year-old Matt Raw of Round Lake was seen casting for carp into the submerged parking lot of The Channel Inn in Fox Lake.

"I caught a big one on Friday," he said. "When my parents are inside eating, I can stand out here and fish."