Where to escape summer heat?

As we're nearing closer to finding our boat my wife and I have already discussed cruising down to Florida each winter probably in January until around May before heading back to Louisiana. We will probably drive down every couple weeks to spend a couple weeks on the boat.
But I'm wondering where to spend the summers? I plan to keep the boat nearby on north Lake Pontchartrain, LA. How far up the Tombigbee would I have to cruise to have nicer summer weather for July-August?
Or any other places to cruise to?

Anyplace in Northern Europe.
If that's too far, how about the Great Lakes or new England?
Of course there is always the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia or Southeast Alaska.

Come to Maine. We have two seasons: winter and then July. Oh wait, I forgot mud season and blackfly season. But July is the only (relatively) warm one.

folivier

When you find a place please let me know because I am following.

Let's start a caravan! I know I won't find Colorado mountain temperatures but anything other than our 95/85 + high humidity would be great. Don't mind the temp getting up to the high 80s even low 90s if they are just there for an hour or two and the low temp gets down in the 70s.

Huntsville, Al. 97 degree today, keep heading North. Also years ago when we " looped" the Trent Severn was in the 90's in August. The grass growth in the water was so thick you could see the path mowed by the boat props as they left the locks. Alaska or Maine seems like a safe bet.

Come down here to the Southern Hemisphere during your summer. 22 Celsius here in Brisbane today, not a cloud in the sky and about a 5 knot southerly blowing,

Brett

Don't come to Maine. It was HOT here today. It hit 65.

We are in Tennessee right now just outside of Tellico Lake. Daytime it's warm (low 90's) but at night it cools right off. Tonight it's in the upper 60's.

Fall mushrooms are popping up around here.

It's been 90's and high humidity all week here in Sarasota, ..more coming. When it gets like this, I don't make much headway on boat projects. Typically, I do a full day and overheat, then take two days to cool off. I've tried the two hour thing in the AM and afternoon, but once I get moving on a project, I usually stick with it. If I had an air-conditioned space to do work I might bring projects inside more often. Give me 65 degrees anytime.

Veritable heat wave here, hit a little over 70 today! Seriously though, we had warmer weather in April and May than June or July so far. As per a post above, we have two seasons here, winter and August. This ain't August.

kartracer said:

folivier

When you find a place please let me know because I am following.

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Same here...its sooooo damned hot!
(I have a knack apparently for stating the obvious)

Hey Star we were in Madisonville Thursday looking at an (overpriced) Carver at Saltys. Drove over to Beau Chene Marina to check it out. Pretty nice, saw your boat there. Didn't stop but looks real nice from the street.
How long do you wait to have the bridge in Madisonville open for you?

Come to Lake Erie. Here the temps are usually in the 70's with evening temps in the 50's-60's. This week we had a heat wave and it got into the 80's but still cool and comfortable by evening. Yes there will be the occasional heat wave but they are seldom and pass quickly.

kartracer said:

folivier

When you find a place please let me know because I am following.

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Don't want to start a migration but...
IMHO there is a ton of great fresh water cruising between Hudson R...NY canals...Lk Champlain...St Lawrence 1000 Is...Rideau & Yrent Severn canal in Canada...Great Lakes. It wouldtake years to really see and experience what's there.
I know some folks that have sold house and keep a Fl boat and one in NY... best of both worlds. Others winter it N take a break and come back to continue the adventure.
I'm sure there are others but many don't even know the extent you can cruise inland in these parts

Had rain in Anacortes last night.

Hi Murray, we found chanterelles on our walk last night! Normally they are out in September. The Broughtons must near-winter as its cool here.
Very strange.

Near perfect conditions last week on the CA Delta. Temps in the mid 80s, humidity about 35%, fresh water, no bugs, no crocs or alligators, excellent anchoring, great privacy and wind protection in our secret cove while surrounded by fish and turtles while serenaded each evening by birds and frogs. To top it all off, we were a short 5-10 minute dink ride to the local marina with general store, bar, restaurant, ice cream shop and boat launch.

It doesn't get much better than this!

Well, yesterday traveling from Richmond to Vallejo (transiting San Pablo Bay), having only one open pilothouse door provided sufficient cool air (temp in the 60s and 70s with 15 mph wind). Opening another door would have created a cold draft. It would have been miserable in an open fllybridge unless well-bundled.

I can second what others have said about the Great Lakes. Some of the southern latitudes like Chicago and Cleveland will still get pretty hot. High 80's and 90's aren't uncommon, and there's generally a lot of humidity. The same can go for the NY State Canals. But farther north is generally considerably cooler. I can wholeheartedly recommend the Thousand Islands, and I hear there's a lot of great cruising in the North Channel of Lake Huron. Tons of good spots to see in the north end of Lake Michigan, too. Charlevoix, Manistee, even Milwaukee.

That's what I'd do. I'd love to check out Maine and the Canadian Maritime provinces too.

FlyWright said:

Near perfect conditions last week on the CA Delta. Temps in the mid 80s, humidity about 35%, fresh water, no bugs, no crocs or alligators, excellent anchoring, great privacy and wind protection in our secret cove while surrounded by fish and turtles while serenaded each evening by birds and frogs. To top it all off, we were a short 5-10 minute dink ride to the local marina with general store, bar, restaurant, ice cream shop and boat launch.

It doesn't get much better than this!

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Looks like your in the Medows? Live in Lafayette and been crusing the delta since the late 50's, great place, but its hard to beat the PNW. Also not as many crazies on jet ski's and go-fast boats.

mike50 said:

Looks like your in the Medows? Live in Lafayette and been crusing the delta since the late 50's, great place, but its hard to beat the PNW. Also not as many crazies on jet ski's and go-fast boats.

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Nope...even better than the Meadows. I won't go back up there in the big boat because of the problems others have had with shoaling and submerged obstructions. Besides, the Meadows is a long dink ride for ice and ice cream!

I like the PNW, but I'm partial to our micro-climates and rain-free summers.

But there's so much here for me to explore and discover...like this secret cove. I'm just getting started!!

Cheers!

I see your boat is in Vallejo, have you been up the Napa and Petaluma rivers?

mike50 said:

I see your boat is in Vallejo, have you been up the Napa and Petaluma rivers?

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Yes, frequently!

I often fish the Napa as well as a couple day trips cruising into the town. We have friends on the river with a dock that they're kind enough to let us use when we are in the area. Of course, there's also great anchoring on the Napa River.

Petaluma is a longer trip for us (4 hrs), so we go there for overnights. Love the feel of the town and the 'turning basin' dock area.

folivier said:

Hey Star we were in Madisonville Thursday looking at an (overpriced) Carver at Saltys. Drove over to Beau Chene Marina to check it out. Pretty nice, saw your boat there. Didn't stop but looks real nice from the street.
How long do you wait to have the bridge in Madisonville open for you?

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I can't even remember if we were there Thursday...lol but if you come back and you see a car in front of our boat, stop and say hi!

Where are planning to keep your boat when you find one? There's a few slips available at the marina!

I wasn't sure of the full schedule so I went looking and found this. I know on weekends we try and time it to arrive at the bridge on the hour or half hour so we're not sitting idling for too long.

"The bridge's normal daytime schedule calls for openings on the hour and half hour, except during busy weekday vehicular traffic periods – 6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. – when it opens only on the hour, the Coast Guard said. At night, from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., the span must open as requested by vessels."

Xsbank said:

Hi Murray, we found chanterelles on our walk last night! Normally they are out in September. The Broughtons must near-winter as its cool here.
Very strange.

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I laugh when people ask me what the weather is normally like around here. I've seen slugs in January, maples going red in July, and there's been snow on the ground for six months straight on the valley floor. This time last year MK Bay marina here in Kitimat had its water shut off as did Hartley Bay.

Isn't BC coastal weather always one variation of "very strange" after another?

Haven't progressed far enough on our search to choose a marina yet. It's looking like we'll end up buying a boat out of state. Anyway our plans are to keep it in Florida for the late winter, head back to LA in late spring. Then when it gets too hot maybe head up the Tombigbee to one of the lakes for the summer. That way we'll just drive over to wherever the boat is and spend a couple weeks on it.

folivier said:

Haven't progressed far enough on our search to choose a marina yet. It's looking like we'll end up buying a boat out of state. Anyway our plans are to keep it in Florida for the late winter, head back to LA in late spring. Then when it gets too hot maybe head up the Tombigbee to one of the lakes for the summer. That way we'll just drive over to wherever the boat is and spend a couple weeks on it.

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Nice plan!

We're stuck just having to deal with the heat. Lol

58 this morning in South Portland, high today in the low 60's. Thursday is supposed be high of 88