Great Loop Info

[CaptainRandy]

ThanksWatson,

BTW I have Sister in Merrimack, NH.

[watson1990]

She would be about 45-50 minutes south of me . I live "ON Golden Pond "

Watson

[harmony80]

Randy,
Great thread! I look forward to updates.

[CaptainRandy]

Jackie & I will be heading downriver (Rio Dulce) Monday to the carribean and north to Isla Muferes, Mexico, looks like a good wx window openig up for us.

I took a water taxi down to the port town of Livingston yesterday and took care of our paperwork - no stopping to clear out - good precaution
as there have been 4 incidents of robberys on cruisers anchored there in the last month.

A few final preprations today , a going away party tonight & we are back underway - my favorate mode.

Probably will not have another update till Isla or Mobile.

[CaptainRandy]

Hi guys

Had a wonderful crossing from Guatemala to Isla Mujeres to Mobil, AL. Currently at Fairhope , AL in Eastern Shores Marina for a few days of R&R and repairs.

Dawgs and humans made trip in good shape!! Love the Island Packet.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by CaptainRandy

Hi guys

Had a wonderful crossing from Guatemala to Isla Mujeres to Mobil, AL. Currently at Fairhope , AL in Eastern Shores Marina for a few days of R&R and repairs.

Dawgs and humans made trip in good shape!! Love the Island Packet.

Welcome back to the States, Captain Randy. Did you stick to the most recent plan and sail directly from Isla Mujeres to Mobile? Were there any issues with your dogs when you cleared in in Mobile?

TaoJones

[CaptainRandy]

Dawgs were no problem, just have all of your paperwork and health certificates and rabies current.

Took us 3 days from Guatemala to Isla Mujeres - 2 days R&R , fuel and 5 days to the states - started out doing 6-9 knts
first two days & 3-5 the last two. usual minor mechanical problems - Jackie had a portable DVD player which helped pass the 12 to 6AM shift, put it on top of the radar screen/nav station & watched Capt Ron crossing the gulf - tanker traffic was easy to see, try to plan passage with a moon, when moon goes down its gets real dark & scarry & vertigo sets in if seas are rough. Dawgs went into the head at dark - let them out at sunrise, they are trained to go potty on sorbent pads used by people with bedwetting problems - one on foredeck (the poop deck) and one under the navigation table. In rough seas they went on the pad in the cockpit - their claws just can't dig into that fiberglass at a 20 degree heal. They do a lot of sleeping beside you in the cockpit during the day - they bark at dolphins , had a hitch hiker - a small sparrow for one night.
a small guy for a 600 mile flight over open water.

Currently figuring out how to get a 35 ft sailboat over I-10. Current reports indicate high water levels & current upstream so we may have to explore the local area for a bit till the water goes down.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by CaptainRandy

Currently figuring out how to get a 35 ft sailboat over I-10. Current reports indicate high water levels & current upstream so we may have to explore the local area for a bit till the water goes down.

Over I-10, or under?

TaoJones

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by CaptainRandy

Currently figuring out how to get a 35 ft sailboat over I-10. Current reports indicate high water levels...

Those water levels must be really high !

[CaptainRandy]

Its for real guys, Jackie and I are planning on sailing our IP35 sailboat over Interstate 10.

[itchybro]

Have a friend currently going the other way and stumbled into this thread via google.

Now I'm curious as to how the trip turned out. DISH!

[CaptainRandy]

Due to high water caused by heavy rains upstream we did have to spend about a week in Fairhope, AL - beautiful place !!!!, headed upstream past Mobile, AL into the Mobile River. Headed into current & made only 3-4 knts headway. Found numerous lakes off the main channel to anchor overnight, fuel/food no problem but carry spares just in case. stayed to the bank as much as possible to take advantage of slower current near the bank. Had to dodge a lot of debris comming downstream. Stayed at marina in Demopolis, MS a few days to get resturant meal & do laundry - entered ten-tom & series of locks - current a little less after a few locks. beautiful shoreline up to the canal but mainly rocks & pine trees until we hit Tennessee River & headed east - very beautiful !!!!!!!!!! Jackie says she likes this flatwater cruising. Very little river traffic after leaving Mobile. We made it to a TVA lake near Huntsville where our boat now is in a marina. All in all quite an adventure. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

Photos at Flickr: CaptainRandy's Photostream