NY Canals or St. Lawrence
 

I agree. Underline, "And radar is very handy." While the Canadian Maritimes
and Maine are some of the most beautiful and friendliest cruising in the
world, fog can be expected more or less half the time in summer.

The good news there is that while the yachting season is only two months,
the working season is long.

I don't know Lake Superior at all, but it has a reputation. Unless you're
trying to prove something, why not start at Sault Ste. Marie? Glancing at
the map, only the Apostle Islands look interesting and it would cut 350
miles from a long trip.

OTH, the North Channel and Georgian Bay get a lot of positive reviews.

Don't forget the Trent-Severn Waterway, which goes from Georgian Bay to the
middle of the north shore of Lake Ontario:
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/waterway/main_e_i.htm

You'd miss Niagara Falls, but also Lake Erie. The site says five foot
maximum draft.....


--
Jim Woodward
www.mvFintry.com



"Jeff Morris" wrote in message
...
If you want to get to the ocean quickly, I think taking the Lakes to
Oswego, NY and joining the Erie
Canal there is the most expedient. This would be about 8 days in the
Canal and Hudson River. An
easy enough trip, but with 33 locks you probably want a crew for this
stretch. In the "Delivery"
section of my website there's a description and pics.

More scenic would be to go down the St. Lawrence to Lake Champlain and
then on to the Hudson. This
would add several travel days, but you'd be tempted to linger more. Going
all the way out the
Seaway would be a lot longer, but would include some of the most beautiful
cruising grounds in the
world. Timing gets a little hard - this is definitely not a Winter trip.
And radar is very handy.

-jeff www.sv-loki.com

"Schoonertrash" wrote in message
...
Next trip I'm leaving the Pacific but not by way of Panama. Plan to
truck
the boat from Vancouver BC to Lake Superior and work my way East. There
are
three major choices. Leave the lakes at Chicago and go S. on the
Mississippi. I'll pass on that one. Leave the seaway and travel
through
Pennsylvania and New York for the Atlantic and then South. Go down the
whole St. Lawrence Seaway and then turn South for some coastal scenery.
To
compound the issue I have friends I'd like to visit in the
Connecticutt/Massachusetts area. Not so far from NYC for a side trip.

The boat is a 33' LOA Westerly twin keeler with cathedral mast so
height is
not a restriction. I will be singlehanding unless somebody pops up here
and
there to help crew.

So between my two major choices what are your suggestions? Which way .
...
and why. What time of year is best considering I'm starting somewhere N.
of
Duluth.

MST

NY Canals or St. Lawrence
 

I have seen pack ice at Marquette out over 3 miles in the last week of
April. Middle of may is the earliest I would go, and it still gets real cold
up there. Green bay is about 3 weeks earlier than Superior. Also the
Trent-Severen canal system is supposed to be nice.
"Schoonertrash" wrote in message
...
Next trip I'm leaving the Pacific but not by way of Panama. Plan to truck
the boat from Vancouver BC to Lake Superior and work my way East. There
are
three major choices. Leave the lakes at Chicago and go S. on the
Mississippi. I'll pass on that one. Leave the seaway and travel through
Pennsylvania and New York for the Atlantic and then South. Go down the
whole St. Lawrence Seaway and then turn South for some coastal scenery.
To
compound the issue I have friends I'd like to visit in the
Connecticutt/Massachusetts area. Not so far from NYC for a side trip.

The boat is a 33' LOA Westerly twin keeler with cathedral mast so height
is
not a restriction. I will be singlehanding unless somebody pops up here
and
there to help crew.

So between my two major choices what are your suggestions? Which way . ..
and why. What time of year is best considering I'm starting somewhere N.
of
Duluth.

MST

NY Canals or St. Lawrence
 

I have seen pack ice at Marquette out over 3 miles in the last week of
April. Middle of may is the earliest I would go, and it still gets real cold
up there. Green bay is about 3 weeks earlier than Superior. Also the
Trent-Severen canal system is supposed to be nice.
"Schoonertrash" wrote in message
...
Next trip I'm leaving the Pacific but not by way of Panama. Plan to truck
the boat from Vancouver BC to Lake Superior and work my way East. There
are
three major choices. Leave the lakes at Chicago and go S. on the
Mississippi. I'll pass on that one. Leave the seaway and travel through
Pennsylvania and New York for the Atlantic and then South. Go down the
whole St. Lawrence Seaway and then turn South for some coastal scenery.
To
compound the issue I have friends I'd like to visit in the
Connecticutt/Massachusetts area. Not so far from NYC for a side trip.

The boat is a 33' LOA Westerly twin keeler with cathedral mast so height
is
not a restriction. I will be singlehanding unless somebody pops up here
and
there to help crew.

So between my two major choices what are your suggestions? Which way . ..
and why. What time of year is best considering I'm starting somewhere N.
of
Duluth.

MST

NY Canals or St. Lawrence
 

Thanks to all who provided the information. Since I grew up on and near
Lake Superior I'm now thinking the best thing to do is stretch the truck
transport portion as far as possible perhaps to Sault Ste. Marie or beyond
and then travel down to the first canal entrance visit down to the Finger
Lakes area at the least and then back up to where I think the maps and
charts show a second canal system entrance and so on to Belle Isle. With
any sort of weather luck and my trusty radar set I should be able to handle
all of that and get far enough South. One other parameter is not going too
far South too soon until the hurricane season is well over. Something good
I noticed along the Atlantic coastline is the multitude of harbors. I don't
think you could go a whole day without some neat place to visit.

Most probably wonder why not take the traditional route through the Panama
Canal. Well for several reasons. I lived there and have over 60 transits.
Like Tahiti it's exotic only once then it pales rapidly. Plus the cost
measured against trucking to the Great Lakes is getting prohibitive,
especially when you add itn wear and tear and time. Finally you miss some
of the greatest scenery in the world


Thanks again.

MST

NY Canals or St. Lawrence
 

Thanks to all who provided the information. Since I grew up on and near
Lake Superior I'm now thinking the best thing to do is stretch the truck
transport portion as far as possible perhaps to Sault Ste. Marie or beyond
and then travel down to the first canal entrance visit down to the Finger
Lakes area at the least and then back up to where I think the maps and
charts show a second canal system entrance and so on to Belle Isle. With
any sort of weather luck and my trusty radar set I should be able to handle
all of that and get far enough South. One other parameter is not going too
far South too soon until the hurricane season is well over. Something good
I noticed along the Atlantic coastline is the multitude of harbors. I don't
think you could go a whole day without some neat place to visit.

Most probably wonder why not take the traditional route through the Panama
Canal. Well for several reasons. I lived there and have over 60 transits.
Like Tahiti it's exotic only once then it pales rapidly. Plus the cost
measured against trucking to the Great Lakes is getting prohibitive,
especially when you add itn wear and tear and time. Finally you miss some
of the greatest scenery in the world


Thanks again.

MST

NY Canals or St. Lawrence
 

On Thu, 6 Nov 2003 06:56:50 -0500, "Jeff Morris"
wrote:

If you want to get to the ocean quickly, I think taking the Lakes to Oswego, NY and joining the Erie
Canal there is the most expedient. This would be about 8 days in the Canal and Hudson River. An
easy enough trip, but with 33 locks you probably want a crew for this stretch. In the "Delivery"
section of my website there's a description and pics.

More scenic would be to go down the St. Lawrence to Lake Champlain and then on to the Hudson. This
would add several travel days, but you'd be tempted to linger more. Going all the way out the
Seaway would be a lot longer, but would include some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the
world. Timing gets a little hard - this is definitely not a Winter trip. And radar is very handy.

Agreed, but if you don't go the long way out the St. Lawrence, you
miss the opportunity to cruise Cape Breton and the Bras D'Or
Lakes...definitely a highlight and excellent, protected cruising.
Unless you really want to do the upper lakes in one season, you might
consider dropping in Lake Ontario around Kingston and starting in late
April...that would mean a whole season that could include Nova Scotia,
Maine and then to NYC for the fall.

R.

NY Canals or St. Lawrence
 

On Thu, 6 Nov 2003 06:56:50 -0500, "Jeff Morris"
wrote:

If you want to get to the ocean quickly, I think taking the Lakes to Oswego, NY and joining the Erie
Canal there is the most expedient. This would be about 8 days in the Canal and Hudson River. An
easy enough trip, but with 33 locks you probably want a crew for this stretch. In the "Delivery"
section of my website there's a description and pics.

More scenic would be to go down the St. Lawrence to Lake Champlain and then on to the Hudson. This
would add several travel days, but you'd be tempted to linger more. Going all the way out the
Seaway would be a lot longer, but would include some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the
world. Timing gets a little hard - this is definitely not a Winter trip. And radar is very handy.

Agreed, but if you don't go the long way out the St. Lawrence, you
miss the opportunity to cruise Cape Breton and the Bras D'Or
Lakes...definitely a highlight and excellent, protected cruising.
Unless you really want to do the upper lakes in one season, you might
consider dropping in Lake Ontario around Kingston and starting in late
April...that would mean a whole season that could include Nova Scotia,
Maine and then to NYC for the fall.

R.

NY Canals or St. Lawrence
 

I'm doing a series of enquiries on the cost of trucking from Seattle OR
Vancouver to Lake Superior, Sault Ste. Marie and one as far as the area you
mentioned. Checking costs on both sides of the border. I'l keep you all
posted on results.

MST

NY Canals or St. Lawrence
 

I'm doing a series of enquiries on the cost of trucking from Seattle OR
Vancouver to Lake Superior, Sault Ste. Marie and one as far as the area you
mentioned. Checking costs on both sides of the border. I'l keep you all
posted on results.

MST

NY Canals or St. Lawrence
 

On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 23:37:42 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 6 Nov 2003 06:56:50 -0500, "Jeff Morris"
wrote:

If you want to get to the ocean quickly, I think taking the Lakes to Oswego, NY and joining the Erie
Canal there is the most expedient. This would be about 8 days in the Canal and Hudson River. An
easy enough trip, but with 33 locks you probably want a crew for this stretch. In the "Delivery"
section of my website there's a description and pics.

More scenic would be to go down the St. Lawrence to Lake Champlain and then on to the Hudson. This
would add several travel days, but you'd be tempted to linger more. Going all the way out the
Seaway would be a lot longer, but would include some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the
world. Timing gets a little hard - this is definitely not a Winter trip. And radar is very handy.

Agreed, but if you don't go the long way out the St. Lawrence, you
miss the opportunity to cruise Cape Breton and the Bras D'Or
Lakes...definitely a highlight and excellent, protected cruising.
Unless you really want to do the upper lakes in one season, you might
consider dropping in Lake Ontario around Kingston and starting in late
April...that would mean a whole season that could include Nova Scotia,
Maine and then to NYC for the fall.

There is a point to this. Bras d'Or and Maine are both beautiful
cruising in totally different ways. The stretch of coast between them
I can't comment on, since I only saw it on radar.


Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"