If you're thinking Erie Canal you might want to check out our first trip in
Loki:
http://www.sv-loki.com/Delivery/delivery.html

Also, check water levels on the Canal - I've heard of boats being stuck for
weeks because either low or high water shut it down with little notice.

BTW, the fog in Maine isn't really that bad if you have radar and know how to
use it. It is a fixture in the mornings, but usually burns off. Also, it
settles in a zone depending on water temps, so some years it politely stays 5
miles offshore, other years it comes closer in. I remember the first time I
took my wife to Jewell Island - we were fogged in for 4 days. When we finally
escaped, we learned that about a mile inshore from Jewell it had been clear most
of the time!

My migratory friends usually stay in Maine well into September. Last year we
visited them in Kittery Sept 26. Their timing south depends on how active the
hurricane season is. However, they have two diesel heaters on board, and
usually just try to stay ahead of the frost. The other approach is to dash down
NJ in August to be in the Chesapeake around Labor Day. Last year, however, this
would not have worked too well!

In general, the big hurricanes don't bother Maine too much, and there's
certainly lots of hurricane holes. There are always exceptions - I think it was
'78 or '79 that Hurricane David blew by Boston as a small gale and then gained
strength in Nova Scotia. But for the most part, Sept is nice in Maine because
the fog has dried up some, and you get more NW wind than in the Summer.

My wife is the Lobsta expert - she won't touch them until we get well into
Maine. The restaurant in Kittery was asking about $25 for a 1.5 pounder, but
further up in Freeport at the Pound is was a flat $10 a pound. She claims the
best she ever had was in Frenchboro, Long Island (pop 37), about 5 miles south
of Mt. Desert. We went into Lunt Harbor, took a mooring from Lunt & Lunt
Marine, radioed our order into Lunt Restaurant. When we went ashore they
apologized for not having any 2 pounders, so they gave her a 2.5 pounder for
$15.


"Michael" wrote in message ...
Thanks! I've been flipping coins on the route after the Great Lakes. Your
excellent report solved the issue. If it's unseasnably foggy, rainy, cold
take the inland route through NY. If it's unseasonably warm and clear take
the St. Lawrence all the way down and hang a right down the coast. If it's
. . . . Seriously, I appreciate your wellwritten report and it surely
helped a lot in my own plans. Once I check the inland routes for mast
lowering requirements, if any, I'm thinking of killing some time up North
and outlastingthe hurricane season by doing the Erie to the lakes then back
up to the St. Lawrence and so on . . . .tothe coast and down. As you just
got back and prior to the impending storm season can you comment on how late
in the summer it's considered OK to be off Nova Scotia and Maine. On the
Oregon/Washington coast the rule of thumbis don't start south later than
Labor Day. Also . . . . . .where'sthe best sourcefor thosegreat
lobsters!!!! Out west we often make adeal with the fishingboats.

Michael