Slow Hand 2023 To Lake Superior and back

[O C Diver]

I'm heading back up to Lake Superior for the summer and thought I might post a picture or three, maybe even a sunset. Should be getting into Superior around July 1st. It's about 2,700 miles by boat from Fort Myers, FL to Sault Ste. Marie, MI (locks to enter Lake Superior).

If you want to follow my travels, here's the link to my Garmin Inreach satellite tracking map.

https://share.garmin.com/EdwardGreen

Looking forward to meeting some TF member and reconnecting with some others.

Ted

[O C Diver]

And so it begins. 5am and time to get underway.



Weather radar doesn't look all that nice. There's some lighting over the Gulf of Mexico, but otherwise light winds.



Dishy (Starlink satellite internet) seems to be playing nicely, so far.

Ted

[mvweebles]

Cool Ted - had strong lightning overnight at home in Madeira Beach, near St Pete.

For those of us with little knowledge of The Loop, can you post an outline of your intended route? i assume you're headed across Okeechobee and up the east coast?

Looking forward to your travelogue....

Peter

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Atta boy Mr. OC! Fantastic light show last night in FLL. Almost continuous lightening for about 40 minutes. Must have run from the west right up "Alligator Alley".

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by O C Diver

Looking forward to meeting some TF member and reconnecting with some others.

When you get up to this area, have a look at anchoring in Galesville (West River) or the Rhode River... and we'll have a go at a visit by dinghy.

-Chris

[High Wire]

Safe travels.

[Cigatoo]

Enjoy your trip Ted. Will follow along. You are inspirational.

[Old Sea Dog]

Thanks for the link. Look forward to following along.

[ScottC]

Trevlig resa!

[O C Diver]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Cool Ted - had strong lightning overnight at home in Madeira Beach, near St Pete.

For those of us with little knowledge of The Loop, can you post an outline of your intended route? i assume you're headed across Okeechobee and up the east coast?

Looking forward to your travelogue....

Peter

Ok, so I'm waiting on the Ortona lock. There's been lightning, and they won't resume operations until 30 minutes after the last lightning.

So here's my projected route:

Cross the Okeechobee waterway to Stuart, FL.
AICW (Atlantic Intra Coastal Waterway) to Norfolk, VA.
Up Chesapeake Bay.
Through the C&D canal.
Down Delaware Bay.
Atlantic Ocean to Barnegat inlet (visit friends).
Manasquan inlet to Atlantic Ocean to New York city.
Hudson River to Waterford, NY (Erie Canal start point).
Erie Canal to Tonawanda, NY (Erie Canal & Niagara river).
Niagara River to Lake Erie.
South shore of Lake Erie toward Cleveland, OH.
Up the Detroit river.
Across Lake St Clair.
Up the St Clair river to Lake Huron.
Up Lake Huron to near the Mackinaw Bridge.
Up the St Marys river to Sault Ste Marie.
Lock into Lake Superior.

6 to 8 weeks later, leave Lake Superior and follow the above back to Fort Myers.

Ted

[O C Diver]

Originally Posted by ranger58sb

When you get up to this area, have a look at anchoring in Galesville (West River) or the Rhode River... and we'll have a go at a visit by dinghy.

-Chris

Either river looks fine.

Ted

[O C Diver]

Field of dreams.





Glades Boatyard and storage.

Ted

[Jc180]

Originally Posted by O C Diver

Ok, so I'm waiting on the Ortona lock. There's been lightning, and they won't resume operations until 30 minutes after the last lightning.

So here's my projected route:

Cross the Okeechobee waterway to Stuart, FL.
AICW (Atlantic Intra Coastal Waterway) to Norfolk, VA.
Up Chesapeake Bay.
Through the C&D canal.
Down Delaware Bay.
Atlantic Ocean to Barnegat inlet (visit friends).
Manasquan inlet to Atlantic Ocean to New York city.
Hudson River to Waterford, NY (Erie Canal start point).
Erie Canal to Tonawanda, NY (Erie Canal & Niagara river).
Niagara River to Lake Erie.
South shore of Lake Erie toward Cleveland, OH.
Up the Detroit river.
Across Lake St Clair.
Up the St Clair river to Lake Huron.
Up Lake Huron to near the Mackinaw Bridge.
Up the St Marys river to Sault Ste Marie.
Lock into Lake Superior.

6 to 8 weeks later, leave Lake Superior and follow the above back to Fort Myers.

Ted

Just curious, did you consider going up the Tenn Tom?

[O C Diver]

Originally Posted by Jc180

Just curious, did you consider going up the Tenn Tom?

I've gone down the Ten Tom when I did the Great Loop. Going against the current from Mobile to Chicago would be a tough at 7 knots water speed. If you had a planing hull boat, it might be a different story.

Ted

[Crusty Chief]

Keep at it Buddy! I so envy you.
We had our run, albeit on the wrong coast!
I will be following you and your journeys. Be safe but have fun!

Cheers, John

[Sailor of Fortune]

Sounds like another fun adventure for you and Slow Hand. Safe passage!

[kthoennes]

Subscribed to the thread and I'll be following your trip closely. In four years we'll be doing the same trip in the opposite direction (we're doing a clockwise half loop, Duluth to Stuart). Dad lives in Stuart and he's a serious boat guy, if you run into any trouble and need help, let me know.

[johnrupp]

If you duck into Bmore for the night give me a shout.

John

[mncruiser]

I’m waiting for you in Bayfield, but there is 16” of fresh snow here. Take your time……like I know you will!

Hope to not miss you this time, and hope Brad doesn’t wreck another dinghy against the dock because he was excited to meet you. (I know that isn’t what happened but it seems like a better story)

See you soon around the Apostles!

[O C Diver]

Good morning from the AICW (Atlantic Inter Coastal Waterway). Left the Okeechobee waterway this morning at 6:15am and turned North on the AICW. 987 miles to Norfolk, VA.

Turning onto the AICW and overlooking the barrier Island to the East.


At command central. The 3 plotters to the left are Coastal Explorer on top, Garmin software in the center, and Aquamaps on the tablet.


Not the nicest sunrise, but good to be back on the boat.


Ted