Information On the Great Circle Route

[maroonedinohio]

TWIMC

Am splashing mid-summer from Lake Erie or maybe the Ohio River. Never been this far North as I purchased my last boat in NJ and had it trailered to my boyhood hometown to refit. Would like to hear the pros and cons of the NY canal systems/Hudson River route or going out the St. Lawrence and of course downstream the Ohio to the Gulf. She is a 28 Mariner cruiser approx. 5 ft draft. I would really like to keep the stick up as generally I am a solo sailor so any thoughts, good yarns and of course horror stories and places to avoid on any of the routes would be appreciated. Possibly looking for an able body (preferably of the gentler disposition who can navigate and cook)Though I am proficient in these arts you can stomach your own cooking for so long and in wilder adventures have been reduced to MRE's to help me. In this adventure I would like to end up in PR or Isla Mujeres Mx. and find out the state of the Chiapas revolutionaries as I have a lot of Mayan friends in the Yucatan or possibly flaunt the State Dept. and head to Cuba before it gets ruined. I do have treasure hunting equipment and SCUBA at my disposal if the urge hits and have done some of this on the East coast of Florida near the 1715 Flotilla at Sebastian Inlet. Florida though is not on my itinerary.
" Never trust a country that won't let you take a chicken on the bus"
p.s. They will allow you in my hometown of Barberton (non-official Chicken dinner capital of the World) to take a chicken on the bus although it must be breaded and in a box!
p.p.s. I can get along by hook or by crook and wild gesticulating in most countries but any crew having a rudimentary education in Espanaol would be a plus.
Scott Wm Lay aka MaroonedinOhio

[mooregm5]

Hello,

Going down the Mississippi River Route (including the connected canals) requires a lot of motoring and little sailing. Going down the east coast is not much, if at all, further, and thus probably a better choice.

Going the east coast route means you have the Saint Lawrence River or New York Canals to the Hudson River. Both are worth looking into, depending on the time you have and your interest in sailing vs. experiencing a different type of boating.

The Erie Canal is either entered near Buffalo or via Oswego Canal on Lake Ontario. There is no good sailing until you get close to New York City. This means about 10 days of motoring, but boat with have little problems navigating the canal. There are dozens of canal towns along the route, most with free docking, power, water, etc.

The St. Lawrence route is much further, but involves sailing in beautiful areas. Also the mast can stay up.

[S&S]

Te St Laurence is a great trip and going downstream, you shoudn't have issues with fighting the current. Upstream is another story.