Rene has asked for some additional information, so here's a brief itinerary for the trip, subject of course to lots of changes and side trips (see map at bottom of this page) Note that loopers always travel the circle in a counter-clockwise direction primarily due to the direction currents flow in the inland river system. Going with the current is much more pleasant than against it !
By the way, my son James who has just finished his 4th year at Queens University will be joining me for the first portion of the adventure taking us from Bayfield, Ontario to the Florida Keys. He plans on staying on board until around Christmas. James has cruised extensively with me in the North Channel on our former sail boat, he loves exploring and adventure, and we will have a wonderful father/son time together.
GREAT LAKES (August)
We plan leaving Bayfield, Ontario mid August, heading up Lake Huron, through the Straits of Mackinaw, and then down Lake Michigan on the Michigan side.. Plans are to be in Chicago around Labour Day weekend, figuring it will take 2 to 3 weeks to get from Bayfield to Chicago ... we will be travelling slowly (fuel consumption considerations) . We are also hoping to stop at Beaver Island in northern Lake Michigan to attend a Hatteras owners rendezvous during this segment..
CHICAGO TO MOBILE (Sept/Oct/Nov)
From there we're heading down the inland river system during the months of Sept and Oct. This will be a leisurely cruise likely averaging 50 miles per day, travelling perhaps four days out of very week. We are hoping to spend evenings roughly 50/50 between anchoring and staying at marinas. We won’t be travelling in bad weather (rain/fog), so we could get stuck somewhere for a bit of time. This part of the trip will be through Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama. Near the end of October there is a Great Loop Association Rendezvous in Northern Alabama (not too far from the Huntsville Alabama Space Center) which we plan to attend. Assuming the hurricane season is quiet by then, we'll then head down to the Gulf of Mexico to Mobile Al, and hang out for a bit in the Orange Beach Alabama / Pensacola Florida area.
MOBILE TO SOUTHERN FLORIDA and WINTER (Dec/Jan/Feb)
We'll start the trip across the big bend of Florida (upper Florida gulf coast) around the beginning of December and work our way down to southern Florida (Ft Meyers / Marco Island / Naples / Florida Keys and hang out there likely until Feb. Some place with a beach / pool nearby and lots of palm trees swaying in the warm tropical breezes would suit us just fine.
FLORIDA EAST COAST (March)
During March we'll then spend some time along the Miami / Fort Lauderdale / Palm Beach / Daytona Beach side of Florida (and maybe a trip to the Bahamas), working our way up to Northern Florida by early April.
NORTHERN FLORIDA TO NEW YORK (April / May)
Come April, we'll be heading north with the warm weather on the Intercoastal Waterway, along Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia etc, planning to be in New York City in early May and then up the Hudson into the New York canal system.
TRENT SEVERN / GREAT LAKES (May/June)
Six thousand miles later we'll likely "cross our wake" and be home sometime in late June, unless we get side tracked by a leisurely cruise through the Trent-Severn canal system to come out in Georgian Bay. We're not sure yet if we will take the Trent Severn through to Georgian Bay and home, or take the Erie Canal to Lake Erie and up through Detroit / Lake St. Clair. If we have a cool spring / cool early summer we'll likely head through the Trent Severn.
BTW its really nice to see some friends who have already expressed interest in following our adventure. Next blog ... maybe I'll talk a bit about the boat and why I chose the Hatteras for a trip of this kind, and some of the preparation we have done.
John
