Clockwise direction is preferable on this loop then you will be with the current on St. Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. Start by going west on the Erie Canal to Oswego and cross Lake Ontario to 1000 Islands. Now you have a choice of St. Lawrence Seaway or Rideau Canal. I have done both. Rideau Canal, a UN historic site, is more scenic. The St. Lawrence Seaway, commercial waterway, can also be interesting. Alan Lloyd Author, Great Loop Navigation Notes _www.NavigationNotes.com_ (http://www.NavigationNotes.com) In a message dated 10/31/2013 8:00:05 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, splagoy@icloud.com writes: My wife and I plan to embark on the "Little Loop" (Hudson River, Lake Champlain, St. Lawrence River, Erie Canal, etc.) next June. We will depart from and return to Chestertown, MD on the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay. I'd appreciate hearing from folks who've made this trip as to whether a clockwise or counterclockwise route is preferable. Thanks! Steve Lagoy Cape Dory 36 M/Y "Nora" Sent from my iPad _______________________________________________ http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com To modify your Great-Loop subscription options (change email address, unsubscribe, etc.) go to: http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/options/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com