Hi Georgs, Good idea. Should get more questions and advice going! In a message dated 3/11/2003 10:51:46 AM Eastern Standard Time, georgs@trawlerworld.com writes: > 1) How much time should I allow to complete the Loop in one season? Obviously, the time it takes is dependent on a number of factors -- cruising speed, stopping to smell the roses or not, poking around off the beaten path, straight line approach vs. the way I used to golf (seeing as much of the course as possible to get my green fees' worth!), enjoying the trip vs. "just getting it done", layovers for repairs, weather, stopping at Georg's house for a visit and wine (hey, YOU offered!), etc. I know people who have done it in 7 months at trawler speeds, but they have regretted not taking more time. My itinerary and schedule takes one full year, including spending Christmas in the Keys, and the first three months of the next year in the Bahamas. Mind you, that is starting in North Carolina in early May. So, I guess I could get it done in 9 months. > > 2) What kind of budget will I need? Again, depends on a lot -- your lifestyle, your cruising style (is speed more important than fuel burn), marinas vs. anchoring out (my vote), one bottle of wine with dinner on board vs. two, entertainment likes (walking around a village or town at no cost vs. going to museums, theater, symphonies, etc.). Fuel costs are relatively easy to estimate but can be the major cost if you aren't using an economical diesel trawler. However, it's the other stuff than can really screw up a cruising budget! "Will I be back here again, so I'll skip that this time", or "I'll never be back, so I'd better do and see all that I possibly can this time". > > 3) What's the earliest one can transit the Trent-Severn Waterway? > > 4) What's the latest I should be off the Great Lakes in the fall and > heading south? Most people try to be through Chicago in early September. That gets you down to Mobile in late November at the end of the hurricane season, before you launch for Florida. > > 5) What is the one anchorage we should not miss? Tough one! There are so many. Broken down by a few areas -- Florida, many areas in the Keys; Georgia, between Drum Island and Cumberland Island (spectacular sunsets) and the New River just off the ICW at Daufuskie Landing; South Carolina, behind Butler Island north of Georgetown; Ontario -- Trent-Severn, Harrington Bay on Buckhorn Lake; Rideau Canal, in Morton Bay just south of Jones Falls locks; !000 islands, practically anywhere, also the case in the 30000 islands in the Parry Sound area. Just a few examples. I'm a sunrise/sunset freak, so the anchorages I really like tend to give me one or both. > > 6) What are the best three marinas to stay at? I stay at very few marinas, opting for the more scenic, peaceful (and very much cheaper) anchoring out cruising style. However, St. Augustine, FL Municipal, Beaufort, SC Municipal, Smith Fall's Victoria Park on the Rideau, Gordon Yacht Club in Bobcaygeon, Ont., Sarnia Bay Marina in Sarnia, Ontario, Bay Harbor Marina in Bay City, Michigan, the marina on Mackinaw Island, MI all come to mind. Each has something that would appeal to cruisers, be it facilities, view, nice folks running them, proximity to quaint villages or towns, etc. Actually, it would be easier to name the ones to stay away from, but we'll keep this positive! On the various canal systems, if one is inclined to dock somewhere, I would vote for staying on the walls above or below the locks. This opens up a whole world of neat places to see or things to do, especially on the Erie, Rideau, and Trent-Severn systems. Frequently, the locks are located in old towns with plenty to do on shore. Watch out for the teenage thieves on the Fenelon Falls lock walls on the Trent! > > 7) What are the books, boating guides and reference materials I > should study before starting out on the Loop? Every area has its "guru" who has written a cruising guide. In the Great Lakes, the best I've found are from "PORTS - The Cruising Guides", separate guides covering many areas like the Trent, or Lake Huron and the North Channel, etc. The ICW -- Claiborne Young's various guides, the "Waterway guides", or John & Leslie Kettlewell's "Intracoastal Waterway Chartbook". I've used 'em all, and each one has helpful info and hints. I guess it comes down to how much money the cruising kitty has for guides and charts. Since I'm originally from the Great Lakes in Ontario, I've done decades of cruising there, and would suggest the websites for Friends of the Trent-Severn and Friends of the Rideau as good starting points for first-timers for those systems. Obviously, once on the systems, pick up the official charts to be safe cruisers! Skipper Bob Publications puts out very useful publications on many areas too. Hope this helps a bit. John Garrison M/V "Canatara" - Tiger 41 Trunk Cabin