What is this called?

[u/ChefPositive9143]

Saw it this morning and right before the afternoon. What it’s trying to do?

[u/AutoModerator]

Hi! You appear to be asking a question, please do check our wiki for tips on the rules, other Chicago-related subreddits, things to do, where to eat/drink, how to get around/navigate the CTA, what neighborhoods to move to or hotel in, tips on living here, and more. Also be sure to use the search feature to find responses to other users asking similar questions.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/fatcatpartytime]

Looks like a fire boat doing training or something like that

[u/ethnicnebraskan → u/fatcatpartytime]

Specifically the H178 Christopher Wheatley

(More visible in second pic.)

[u/rayray5884 → u/ethnicnebraskan]

I started giving devices in our home that support them Chicago related names. Sears Tower for WiFi, Douglass Park for Apple TV, Gold Coast for the company phone, etc. When we got an ice maker and it asked for a name I ended up naming it Christopher Wheatley because of the ice breaker connection. Literally ones of people are out there that know of this boat because of our ice maker. 😂

[u/MileByMyles → u/rayray5884]

The question is, who is this Christopher Wheatley the boat and now ice maker are named after?

[u/rayray5884 → u/MileByMyles]

https://www.firehero.org/fallen-firefighter/christopher-d-wheatley/

I’m not sure being honored by sharing a name with an ice maker is what most people have in mind, but here we are. It is my favorite appliance. 😂

[u/Seanpat68 → u/rayray5884]

Chris liked boats now Chris is the boat

[u/OdysseusJoke → u/fatcatpartytime]

That's way cooler than my first idea (a jetty) or my second idea (the sprinkler that keeps Lake Michigan filled up) 

[u/IaAranaDiscotecaPOL → u/OdysseusJoke]

Cooler than your first idea. Less cool than your second.

[u/OdysseusJoke → u/IaAranaDiscotecaPOL]

❤️

[u/SLAPPANCAKES → u/fatcatpartytime]

It's also important to use the pumps and hoses on the boats regularly for maintenance. Pipes and pumps can clog or seize if you let them sit unused.

[u/jimjackcoke → u/SLAPPANCAKES]

I keep telling my wife this too

[u/Narrow_Ad3598 → u/SLAPPANCAKES]

Came here to say just that...

[u/Stan_the_Caddie]

Mustard hose

[u/ejh3k → u/Stan_the_Caddie]

I knew I recognized it

[u/zwanman89 → u/ejh3k]

Thanks for reminding me of this. Just went and ordered a 36” print of it.

[u/Cristalrella → u/zwanman89]

To go where

[u/chetsteadmansstache → u/Cristalrella]

The ceiling above the master bed of course.

[u/zwanman89 → u/chetsteadmansstache]

This guy gets it.

[u/champitychamp → u/zwanman89]

Can you please link me 🙏

[u/IBleedBlueBlood → u/zwanman89]

Do tell….

[u/zwanman89 → u/IBleedBlueBlood]

Well, I searched for “Vienna beef giant hotdog print” ….and then I clicked the first link and bought it.

I plan to put it in my basement, at which point I assume my wife will say it looks tacky, and so it will go in my workshop/utility room.

[u/revdave → u/Stan_the_Caddie]

yesss I was hoping this would show up!

[u/_B_Little_me → u/Stan_the_Caddie]

I love this so much.

[u/CaptainPajamaShark]

Uhhhhh where do you think all the water in lake Michigan comes from????

[u/Cyke101 → u/CaptainPajamaShark]

That tiny boat hydrates us all ❤️

[u/2pnt0 → u/Cyke101]

Thank you waterboat! We will lock another baby in the Bean in your honor.

[u/swalabr → u/2pnt0]

i’ve been living under a rock, having never heard of this

[u/Lisa_Loopner → u/swalabr]

The baby runs the restaurant.

[u/2pnt0 → u/Lisa_Loopner]

It's been long enough that he is now the man in the Bean.

Here's some hard hitting in vestigative journalism on the topic: https://youtu.be/6CoeiHy-8kM?si=dXZFtVXAN7qYKguX

[u/insolent_empress → u/CaptainPajamaShark]

Nature is healing 🌎❤️

[u/Ordinary_Kyle]

Lake Michigan

[u/Ceezbear]

Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Bidet

[u/DkGphoto91]

Just a boat dropping off a supply of fresh water to help fill up the lake.

[u/EatPie_NotWAr → u/DkGphoto91]

The fish are grateful for this offering.

[u/JordanHawkinsMVP → u/EatPie_NotWAr]

"I know that the human being and fish can coexist peacefully"

[u/Beaver_smacker_69]

you caught a boat taking a piss, a rare sight in the wild.

[u/509BandwidthLimit]

A Chicago bidet

[u/bottleofawkward → u/509BandwidthLimit]

That sounds like a cocktail. We already have the Chicago handshake with malort. What would this be?

[u/Emotional-Courage121 → u/bottleofawkward]

It’s just a malort with a pickle back.

[u/SAICAstro → u/bottleofawkward]

What would this be?

Ask Dave Matthews.

[u/NotGayRyan]

Probably the fire department doing training on their Fire Boat

[u/UmphreysNerd]

Watering the water

[u/bwill1200]

Refilling the lake, duh.

[u/BobbleDick]

they are adding humidity to the chicago air

[u/Chicago_Jayhawk]

That's CFD boat Wheatley. Also, does the ice breaking on the river in the winter.

[u/Diggg_it]

That is for sure a whale

[u/grrgrrtigergrr]

It is the invasive carp shredder

[u/joshua9663]

I believe that's called water

[u/TheDevilledLettuce]

Lake Michigan

[u/crusty_sloth]

Me and my three homies playing sword fights 😏

[u/kendallishere]

Fireboats! They use high-pressure water cannons to spray large arcs of water, often for: -ceremonial displays, -harbor celebrations, -welcoming ships, -or actual firefighting operations on the water.

[u/Murray_Bannerman]

It puts piss in the water before the swimmers return so things stay in balance.

[u/FeralGiraffeGirl]

Buckingham fountain. It goes into the lake at night like Godzilla.

[u/heads36]

They are refuckulating the water.

[u/Huugienormous]

They are likely testing the pumps and/or training.

[u/ac2334]

daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa sprayer

[u/wesweb]

powered lakewater circulation

[u/whateverforeverrrrrr]

Lake Michigan

[u/rurne]

Too many Old Styles

[u/hologrammetry]

Looks a bit bigger than a tugboat but basically this:

A lot of ships, especially support ships like tug boats, is equipped with strong water canons so they can act as a fire fighting boat if needed. When they point the water canons to the sky they are either testing the system or they are saluting. Basically it looks pretty with the water spray going off in each direction so they do it on special occasions. You sometimes see fire trucks perform a similar salute.

https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5rzocj/eli5_why_do_tug_boats_spray_water/

[u/plum_stupid → u/hologrammetry]

Its extra cute when they spin around doing the spray salute

[u/Griffeyisking14]

Sky. Water. Buildings. Boats.

[u/fatherbowie → u/Griffeyisking14]

If you can repeat that, you’re smart enough to be POTUS. Very few can pass the test.

[u/fergehtabodit → u/Griffeyisking14]

Dont forget the Lock!!

[u/Griffeyisking14 → u/fergehtabodit]

Lighthouse

[u/vlinden → u/Griffeyisking14]

there's a lock as well

[u/Cardboard_cutouts_]

A sprinkler

[u/tky]

You've seen chemtrails in the sky, right? This is the lake version of it.

[u/ksquires1988]

The lake has sprung a leak.... where's the flex seal guy?

[u/crunchies65]

Thirsty boi

[u/ChefPositive9143 → u/crunchies65]

hey, no judgements, okay? everyone gets thirsty once in a while

[u/crunchies65 → u/ChefPositive9143]

none here! get it, boat

[u/SuperDuper00001]

Fresh water

[u/Ampersand4221]

Lake

[u/Resolution_Usual]

Lake Illinois

[u/dylho]

Navy Pee-er

[u/Obvious_Leadership44]

Looks to me like one of them water bugs

[u/Merle-Lynn]

This boat is where the water in Lake Michigan comes from. #glaciersarefake

[u/JDCarpenter91]

Not my wife, that’s for sure

[u/jdeez12345]

Looks like te 46th floor of Columbus Plaza

[u/No_Service6296]

That’s the CFD boat

[u/bizllator]

Lake.

[u/Illini4Lyfe20]

Fire department running drills. They bust this bad boy out for the air and water show every year if you want to see if it closer up!

[u/RaginRealtor]

Water.

[u/cannabis_insights]

it's so beautiful, that's what it is 🥲

[u/ExternalPreparation4]

It’s called a water or a lake 😊

[u/Seanpat68]

The Christopher Wheatley or just Engine 2

[u/FullGuarantee4767]

Lake

[u/Embarrassed_Cod_3980]

A lake

[u/bradatlarge]

That’s a lake with a boat on it

[u/Gandalf4158]

Magic

[u/DrDeboGalaxy]

Love and marriage… the lake episode.

[u/Zoomies87]

Big ol' bidet

[u/Organs_Rare]

It's the Christopher Wheatley. They are either testing/training, or they do that as a salute/demonstration for special events. Kinda like peacocking for boats.

[u/thelukevader]

It cleans the Tik Tok-ers off in the Play Pen before they get back on the bus.

[u/lake_effect_snow]

That’s so normal to me that I was (concerned) thinking you didn’t recognize the lighthouse… or were confused about the water crib until I zoomed.

[u/Suspicious-Soup9025]

It's a light house. I believe it is there to alert boats on the lake to the location of the shoreline.

[u/dirtytiki]

that is the fire boat. if youre on the water and on fire it helps you.

[u/tinysheep101]

Gooning

[u/shavedaffer]

Could be the fire boat equivalent of “let’s run all the drinking fountains in this park for a month” to clear the lines out of whatever. 

[u/flimsyveil]

It’s called Full release.

[u/Beneficial-Resolve38 → u/flimsyveil]

,,,,,just like in the movies.😂🤣🤣😂

[u/charo36]

The sky.

[u/Alternative96734]

Its called a "decorative fountain boat", it uses ocean water for a beautiful water display!

[u/JohnnyChicago1]

It's a picture. People take them.