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Great Lakes to Inland Rivers
  • AICW Great Loop Segment

Great Lakes to Inland Rivers

A one-way cruise from the end of the Erie Canal to (hopefully) KY Lake. In 2017, Bob Austin invited us to his home to meet Pat and Patsy, Daydream crew who were cruising the Great Loop. Thanks to them ! See Greatloop.org FAQ for more info. Read more
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  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Milwaukee, WI-Chicago, IL on Lake Michig

    July 14 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    Milwaukee, WI-Chicago, IL on Lake Michigan

    We left the beautiful, landscaped McKinley marina before 0815 for the pleasant, calm run along the 20ft contour line while avoiding the west winds. We refueled at a small harbor before the Chicago zoo to avoid the crowds. The boat is running great and the weather is fantastic, if getting a bit warmer. The brand new Navy Pier marina is worth a visit with no minimum LOA. Wifi and laundry is not yet up, since a modern washing machine can’t run unless it has a connection to secure wifi.

    Log:
    https://reports.nebo.global/c39be3b5-c00c-4ce8-…    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler
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    Chicago Day 2

    July 15 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    Chicago Day 2
    We took walks along the city and bike paths, and the highly rated ‘architectural tour’ boat cruise to see the various styles by boat. Don’t miss it if you’re in town, the average rating is 4.9/5. Anything you could want is within walking distance. Also a lot of things you won’t ever want. There’s still a lot of Canadian wildfire smoke ruining my photos. The Navy pier is right in the middle of the action, beside the ferris wheel. The Navy Pier is the #1 rated Chicago attraction per trip Advisor. Lake Michigan here is 73 rather than 63 degrees. Another 10 degrees and it will almost be warm enough to go swimming!Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler
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    Chicago Day 3

    July 16 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    Chicago Day 3

    We walked different areas of the city close to the marina plus more of the ‘magnificant mile’ and the Riverwalk. Great weather and we’re having a great time. Here’s some more boat cruise photos (Penguins only allows 20 per day plus two videos <120 sec). Eileen explored three stories of the Neiman Marcus store on the Miracle Mile but didn’t find anything she liked. Too bad there wasn’t an L.L. Bean store there. She dragged me into an Untucked boutique and insisted I get a nice $100 shirt for an upcoming small ship cruise. I’ve never paid $100 for a shirt in my entire life, as you can likely tell.
    We shared a pizza at Gino’s East, which was recommended by Chicago AGLCA Harbor Host Mike O’Malley. We met him and his Sharona (Sharon) for more local tips and the three minute boat tour. It was a very enjoyable day. We took the 20 minute ride on the ferris wheel with some photos from up there. It’s hard to believe it’s day 30 of this adventure! We feel very blessed that we enjoyed such great weather and seas for 1,116 miles on the Great Lakes in a trailer boat!    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler
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    Chicago Day 4-Joliet area

    July 17 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Chicago Day 4-Joliet area

    We think this 50 mile segment is the worst one ever! It’s all very heavy industry and barge fleeting operations loading everything from wood chips to asphalt to grain, with the tugs grinding back and forth across the river re-arranging their strings. We went through the electric fish barrier without incident (some Mycruisers have reported damage to boat electronics). My wry observation is that the only reason invasive Eurasian Millfoil could grow up to 10 feet off the bottom is because invasive Zebra mussels have made the water so clear.

    Commercial pushboats with barges have priority for the locks, so one going 4.5 MPH that we passed going 7 MPH gets to go down first while we wait idling around for 2.5 hours. Use AIS and talk to the Lockmaster (by phone) to find the best time to show up at the Arrival Point.

    The Joliet city wall (no RR or showers) is the conventional spot for loopers to stay after this tense long (in time, not distance) stretch. We made a reservation for $50 a few miles further at Harborside Marina, in a basin far off the river 100% protected from wakes and traffic. It also has a pool and 42 cute waterfront cottages.I don’t know what the City charges, but this marina is worth it after a long ugly stressful day when you want a hot shower and a peaceful night!    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Starved Rock-Peoria Lake

    July 19 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Starved Rock-Peoria Lake

    We got up at 0445 to prep for an early departure. Eileen called the Lockmaster (they seem to like to talk to ladies more than me) who advised yesterdays goat rope there resulted in double barges stranded on the starboard arrival wall before the gates. He thought there was ‘about 15 feet’ of horizontal clearance and offered to let us try it. Otherwise, it will require several hours (at least) to get those barges moved out of the way. Well, we keep big fenders on both sides and squeezed through (first video) with a little sphincter tightening. Chatting at the lock wall, I alleged I thought the clearance was more like 12 feet than 15, but he started rattling off the dimensions of the barges etc so I was wrong (that happens a lot, just ask Eileen).

    We had to slow down for some thunderstorms with lightning, but overall a pretty nice cruise down to Peoria. Laundry date this afternoon after finding some of the more expensive 91 octane E0 gas so far at $5.75/g. Still cheaper than last year. We went to two other marinas first, one had no gas and the other no dockhand, so we wasted some time as well as gas.

    Log:

    49efb59c-e684-4bab-b49c-7355e2f887b1.html    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler
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    Joliet, IL area-Starved Rock Marina

    July 19 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    Joliet, IL area-Starved Rock Marina

    This part of the Illinois River is surprisingly scenic, tree lined and with little development except for barge loading operations. Lots more locks and pleasant weather. All the locks are a ride down (up can be much rougher).

    Logs:

    https://reports.nebo.global/c39be3b5-c00c-4ce8-…

    Some storms are expected tomorrow, but nothing we can’t handle if we slow down to displacement speeds. It’s Eileen’s birthday so she can have anything she wants. She wants dinner at the marina restaurant overlooking the wide river. She had crab cakes, which I assume were made from fresh local Illinois Blue Crab. But perhaps not.    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Peoria, IL Day 2

    July 20 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    Peoria, IL Day 2

    Today is our 41st wedding anniversary and 44 years together (I may be slow to make up my mind, but when I finally do it’s sometimes the right decision). We had a relaxing day with walking and some Barefoot Chardonnay in the bottle. Fluid Motion boats (Ranger Tug, Cutwater, and Solara) boast an eight bottle wine cooler where you set the temp and range with cool blue LED digits and an alarm sounds if temp is out of your set points. Like most C-Dory owners, we usually get a 5 liter box of whatever's on sale, rip out the bladder, throw it in the cooler with a bag of ice and call it good.

    There was an overnight eruption of Mayflies our second night. We thought they were a May issue, not a late July issue, but the pics prove they were there. Illinois Valley Yacht Club is a nice resort with a pool. We visited a lovely church for Sunday services and a remarkable giant supermarket we’ve never heard of (Schmuck’s). The Uber driver gave us a tour of Granville Road along the river heights. Teddy Roosevelt declared it ‘The most beautiful BRW ever since. We’re having yet another Heat Advisory, sigh. road in the world.’ Peoria’s radio station call sign has remained MBRW ever since.    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Peoria Logdon's Tug Service Beardstown

    July 21 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    Peoria to Logsdon Tug Service, Beardstown, IL

    There are no marinas on this leg. The traditional spot for Loopers is to tie off to a barge or tugboat at this spot. Some reviews claim that power is available which would nice to run the AC during this Heat Advisory but unfortunately not true. The Office (two stories up and 300 ft away) will drop your 15A ext cord through the window to your boat but we were too far away. We made multiple 12v fans work OK with the help of the solar panel and consumed about 40 AH (25% of two combined Group 31 FLA). They charge $1/foot. The steps up the floodwall are steep and narrow. You have to squeeze around welding equipment etc and watch your step, but we’d rather be cleated in three spots to a tug than to one spot on an anchor in this fast moving river.

    It was 96 degrees under the bimini, so we spent time touring the Abe LIncoln courtroom museum where he practiced (and got the murderer off the hook. No doubt his Mom was Proud). Finally got four Verizon bars so we could make up some TV news and read the WSJ. The only grocery store is closing July 31.

    NEBOLINK log:
    https://reports.nebo.global/c39be3b5-c00c-4ce8-…

    Although we resisted changing out the septic system for 13 years, we finally tore it all out and replaced it with a composting Airhead for this trip and are glad we did. Zero odor and emptying the pee container daily into a marina toilet is no big deal. I should take some pictures!    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Beardstown-Grafton Harbor, Il

    July 22 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

    Beardstown-Grafton Harbor, Il

    We rode down the Illinois River after an early start. Being cleated to the towboat was like anchoring out with no power or water. We use one pound propane cylinders for a two burner Coleman camp stove for cooking, a SS percolator for coffee, and a Little Buddy heater (not this trip). We store the bottles in a 4 inch sewer pipe PVC container tethered outside the boat on the swim platform and replace the plastic caps with brass gasketed screw-on caps for safety

    We’ve been amazed how little development (houses) there are on the banks of these rivers. Lots of heavy commodity industries loading barges, but no waterfront homes. Also there are long stretches of just trees. There is a lot of interaction with towboats, but the bottom line is make your boat motions so it’s clear to towboat skippers that your intention is to stay far out of their way. We believe send/rx AIS is absolutely essential for safety in these areas. They must swing wide into the outside of bends. Anticipate that, slow to SSMW and make a VHF call (13 or 16 depending on the river) for their meeting preferences.

    What Broke:

    The last ten miles of the Illinois river before Grafton was a nightmare of semi-floating logs and debris. We cruise at the minimum solid planing speed of about 22 MPH with all four eyes hard on the water and pointing to floaters. Eileen was driving when we hit something underwater in the channel in 23 charted feet of water that threw up the lower unit(s) hard . Neither of us saw anything on the surface and her eyesight is far better than mine. We stopped and raised the props, and didn't see any obvious damage. However, when I took the stick I couldn’t get to the 18 MPH planing speed despite 3600 RPM, which should get us to over 25 MPH. We limped into Grafton Harbor off plane and discussed the symptoms and likelihood of one or both props having spun hubs due to striking an underwater log. We asked Dr Google and experimented with getting the raised props close enough to the marina dock that I (or preferably someone stronger) could pull the props. We knew any mechanic would want the boat on the trailer, which is 750 miles away. It was so upsetting that we went to Taco Tuesdays and rewarded ourselves with three superb tacos each and a margarita (the first in at least 10 years). Later, the AGLCA Harbor Host dropped by and recommended a nearby marina with an excellent service department. He’s been the TowBoat US captain and agreed that the ‘spun hubs’ theory was most likely. Worse case scenario, we could go fetch the rig in NY and load up at the public boat ramp next to Grafton Marina. But that would be so sad!

    Eileen’s AA battery Oral B toothbrush turns itself on when it feels the urge but won’t turn on for her. We didn’t bring the receipt for a warranty replacement, and a trip to the post office would exceed the cost of a new one. Getting some propulsion is a slightly higher priority.    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Grafton Day 2

    July 22 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

    Grafton Harbor Day 2

    The whole day was spent trying to find a mobile tech (none) and with Uncharted Service at Polestar marina. Jeff was very honest (our Travelift can’t take a boat that small; we can’t do a prop change at the dock; we likely don’t have a trailer that will work with a cat; come by and we will honestly tell you what we think).

    Oh well, we have vastly better options here than a typical 40 foot Looper with no transmission, and no matter what it will be vastly cheaper to fix it, no matter what the issue turns out to be.    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Grafton Day 3

    July 23 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    Grafton Day 3

    We slowly fought the Mississippi River 4.5 miles upstream to Uncharted Marine Service at Polestar Marina. Kurt put his hand on each cowling while running in gear up to 2000 RPM while tied to the dock with three lines. He said it was most likely fuel starvation and advised changing out the fuel filters. He made a point of reading the filter label “Change every 50 hours or 1 year, whichever occurs first.” We’re at 100 hours. Then he went out with us to test…we popped right up on plane and ran up to 5,200 RPM in Heavy Cruise mode easy peasy! Sometimes I think God dishes me some servings just to keep me humble.

    Chorus: “You haven’t had a humble day in your entire sorry life!”

    Me: You ladies are not being helpful today.

    So the remainder of this Loop segment is saved by having two spare Yamaha filters, a big filter wrench, some tools, some olive oil (as we don’t carry motor oil for the filter gaskets). Eileen sacrificed her collapsible sink basin for the messy changeout (we have a spare that was shipped to the Sturgeon Bay Harbor Host). Total cost was a very fair $150. A single prop hub is over $150. We gave Kurt a $60 cash tip for the sweaty work in a 96 degree Heat Advisory. We’re the only overnight transient boat at Grafton while the Looper Clot is on the NY canals. The Heat Advisory is going to continue in our travel areas for another week and we’d like to have shorepower for the rooftop AC, but it seems impossible.    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Grafton-Alton Marina

    July 24 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    Grafton-Alton Marina

    It was early afternoon by the time we got back to Grafton. We decided the next major leg would be to tie off to the outer lock wall a half mile up the Kaskasian River with permission from the lockmaster. It’s a slow calm river far enough off the Mississippi to not be affected by towboat wakes. We cruised 20 miles down to Alton to take on a max payload of gas since none is available between Hoppy’s and Paducah. Hoppy’s is a single pump operation on a single barge no longer taking transients since both owners recently passed and a daughter is trying to run the place. No issues getting to Alton, which has covered docks that keep the boat and bimini out of the blazing sun.

    NEBOLINK Log:
    https://reports.nebo.global/c39be3b5-c00c-4ce8-…

    We’ll pass by the St Louis Gateway Arch, but no loopers are around to share taking pics of the boats in front of the Arch. We've previously visited the winery etc so skipped all that.    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Alton-Hoppy’s-Kaskasian Lock Wall

    July 25 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 91 °F

    Alton-Hoppy’s-Kaskasian Lock Wall

    The auxiliary Lock at Mel Price L&D was down, so we were directed to the big lock after loitering for an hour with no good anchor/mooring options (lock #232 for us). The entire St Louis area was a nightmare of very heavy barge traffic making cresting three foot wakes ricocheting back and forth with lots of heavy bank logs thrown in. You can't see them behind the crests. It was a very miserable 20 miles at 7 MPH. Not friendly for small boats at all.

    We stopped at Hoppy’s to top off gas tanks and walk to ‘town’ in the heat to the Blue Owl Cafe for lunch. They have very generous portions and we each saved half our sandwich for dinner.

    Further south on the giant Mississippi there were giant eddies and whirlpools 60 feet across spinning logs and bank debris as we moved. We could feel all this like a giant hand trying to grab the boat, but we had no disasters. There are confirmed instances where an entire towboat string has been swung around 180 degrees, esp at the hundreds of bends where they have to aim for the outside of a bend. The river is high but not at ‘Action’ or ‘Flood’ stage.

    We passed the infamous “Lock” sign at the start of the 6 mile Chain of Rocks canal that eventually leads to the lock. Again we were surprised at how there are no waterfront homes or development. A couple of years ago a $250,000 sailboat missed the canal and got stuck on the dam. He and his GF were rescued in a daring SeaTow operation, but the boat was lost and not insured. Don’t miss that turn.

    Along the SC and NC AICW there are houses built on stilts on both sides. We hope to get down to the Kaskaskia River lock wall well before dark and get permission from the lockmaster to tie up for the night at the single spot available at the end…lots of ACE work boats are tied up there. He said this wall will be closed Aug 1-Sept 30. Despite reviews on WWG, there is NO power or water available. We had a good night with our two Ventastic 12v fans and a sunny day, losing only the avg 35-45 A H out of two combined Group 31 FLA batteries (the third in reserve).

    This Heat Advisory is never ending, so we’d like to get all the way to Paducah although the 165 miles is a long cruising day with all the slowing for barge strings and heavy debris. Sometimes that twig above the water is attached to a tree under the water. Paducah has shorepower and water and we’re longing for some AC at night.

    NEBOLINK log:

    https://reports.nebo.global/c39be3b5-c00c-4ce8-…    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Kaskaskia River to Paducah, KY

    July 25 in the United States ⋅ 🌩️ 91 °F

    Kaskaskia River to Paducah, KY

    We left soon after sunrise to get some of those 165 miles under our belt before the afternoon wind waves kick in. Our prior record was two 150 mile days skirting the Big Bend of Florida in late April while chasing a weather window. We highly recommend April-May for trailer boats to tackle the Armpit because there are no Arctic fronts blasting down every 5-7 days, even South FL is quite comfortable then, you don’t get the afternoon severe thunderstorms, and you’re not in the Looper Clot fighting for slips.

    For this leg you leave the Mighty Miss to hang a left up the Ohio River, against the current, over 250 miles with no fuel since Hoppy’s old rusty pump. At our overall average of 2 MPG combined, we can go 300 miles with 900 pounds (150g) of gas minus a 10% reserve…more going with the current and less going against it. We made Paducah with a range of 60 miles left, and their single gas pump was broken with no fix date.

    Eileen had an interesting radio call with the Olmstead Lock (#234) when she asked to lock through upbound:

    “We’re not locking you through. Go over the dam.” Hmmm, that’s a first. So we followed a navigation channel over the dam, which appeared to be 20 feet above the prevailing 40 foot depths without incident. Dammest thing. Maybe it shouldn’t count, Eh?

    Paducah had a 500-year flood event in 1937 that resulted in the first Federal laws re locks and dams and flood control measures. The city transient docks have the highest pilings we’ve ever seen. A massive floodwall with lighted murals describes the history of the area…very tastefully done. We docked and had the shorepower connected and the AC on in ten minutes flat. The main channel is on the far side of the river, and the towboats seem to slow down when passing the docks. We keep the AIS transmitting full time anyway so they know we’re here.

    NEBOLINK log:

    https://reports.nebo.global/c39be3b5-c00c-4ce8-…

    We’ll take a few days to unwind, see the sights and make arrangements to get back up to the storage yard in NY, pick up the truck and trailer, and load up at a large county boat ramp a few blocks away.    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Paducah Day 2

    July 26 in the United States ⋅ 🌩️ 90 °F

    Paducah Day 2

    The Heat Advisory has been following us around and continues to do so, just to irritate me.

    Chorus: “It’s always all about You!”.

    Me: “Yes, of course it is.”

    We’ll visit all the historical homes and museums that have air conditioning. We never miss a railroad museum. As a kid, I always wanted to be a locomotive engineer (until my father convinced me that doctors make way more money). The RR museum wasn’t very impressive except for the Engineer Simulator, which contained a real diesel electric locomotive control booth and very realistic video views out the windows. The sequence was shot in Montana in areas we’re familiar with and ended with pulling into the station in Whitefish, MT. One time we visited the front page story in the Whitefish newspaper was “Mountain Lion Takes Up Residence Under Ms Suzy’s Front Porch.” A volunteer staff member is at your side to remind you which dynamic braking system and throttle setting to use, which horn signals for what, etc. It was really cool!

    The Famer’s Market was cute and fun to visit. We slept well with very little wake action and enjoyed having AC and water.    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Paducah, KY Day 3

    July 27 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F

    Paducah, KY Day 3

    We’ve decided to catch the latest Greyhound Bus to Nashville (at 0600) for a Delta flight to Buffalo, NY and a Hampton Inn overnight there. Then we’ll go fetch the truck and trailer in Tonawanda and head down to Paducah, although at 750 miles it is a very long trailering day, Eileen is comfortable driving the truck and trailer without the 10,000 lbs of boat on it.

    Some more Paducah pics here….    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    Paducah-Our Oopsie

    July 31 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    Launcing at Paducah ramp into the barge traffic and downstream current was a challange but we did it on the second it was way too strssful to take video!

    https://reports.nebo.global/c39be3b5-c00c-4ce8-…

    We ended up paying $500 for a taxi from Paducah to Nashville for a flight to Buffalo, Uber to the storage lot to pick up the rig and a Hampton Inn overnight before returning to Paducah. There is a large country boat ramp in walking distance from the city docks. We were loaded by noon and planned a stop at Athens, AL for the night.

    North of Nashville where I-24 and I-65 converge (locally known as ‘crash alley’ we were told later) we crested a hill at 50 MPH and encountered 5 lanes going 0-5 MPH. Eileen called out ‘brake lights!’ (that’s her job) as I stomped the brakes. We skidded into the back of a tractor-trailer. All the air bags exploded, then there was another massive impact from behind us that sent the truck into the median barrier wall. That was the boat, which broke two 5,000# transom straps, mowed down the bow barrier bar, steps and winch stand, and the nacelle smashed the tailgate. I only had three cuts/bruises and Eileen had a palm size 2nd degree burn on her arm from the airbags, but we are alive. The EMT’s bundled us into an ambulance for the inevitable ER chest CT contrast CT etc etc. We’re at a nearby hotel pending insurer decisions. The truck is a total loss with moderate trailer damage and minimal boat fiberglass damage. There is minor skeg drag damage where the lower units slid down the bunks. The cabin door won’t close. We have to remove ALL personal items from the truck before it’s towed to a USAA inspection. Since rental SUV’s run over $300/day if not round trip we got a U-Haul box truck to return to Pensacola and plan to have the boat and trailer (not road worthy) loaded onto a lowboy for transport home and get all repairs done there. Wish us luck (as if we’re not lucky enough already!)    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    NASHVILLE-HOME VIA U-HAUL TRUCK

    August 2 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    NASHVILLE-HOME VIA U-HAUL TRUCK

    Day 47, End of Trip

    We are home safe and sound tonight! We brought the U-Haul one-way box truck back here with all the truck stuff that had to be emptied for the USAA inspection of the truck. It is very likely a total loss. The boat and (non road-worthy) trailer will be inspected by a Progressive adjuster on Wed and then towed on a low-boy flatbed to PNS so we can use our local trusted shops to do the repair work on the boat and trailer. The boat came through all this trauma with the least amount of damage, despite it mowing down ALL the bow barriers and supporting framework structures to smash into the truck tailgate. When we had our surveyor inspecting Cat O’ Mine pre-purchase, he looked up at us and said, “ You know, this boat will be around a lot longer than you two.”

    On the same day in Nashville, there were four deaths on that section of I-65 in two crashes…so we feel lucky.

    The MFD shows our total water miles now at 7,035 on Our Loop and 234 locks to date! The AGLCA site is not friendly to what the medical professionals now refer to us folks over 70 as ‘the Elderly’. However, as far as I can discern, we may be the first CD-TC255 to complete the loop if we do…we only have the top of the C&D Canal to Albany (under 400 miles total) to go’.

    This NEBOLINK log for July shows our strategy of ‘hugging the coast’ for trailer boats cruising the Great Lakes while minimizing fetch. It doesn’t include Lake Erie, but we hugged the southern coast during southern winds. We like the Windy Blue app for wind prediction, which leads to wind wave predictions.

    file:///C:/Users/HP/Downloads/Cat%20O'%20Mine%20Jul%202025%20(1).pdf

    We appreciate your good wishes and prayers. We are so blessed that our next adventure is on an American Cruise Line small ship exploration of the Down East Loop. If it’s calm enough to explore in a Tom Cat, we’ll come back on our own boat!

    In the meantime, Safe Travels and Calm Seas everyone!

    John    Read more

  • AICW Great Loop SegmentGreat Lakes to Inland RiversTraveler

    To Boston, MA

    August 29 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Considering we were flying on the Friday before Labor Day, it was a pleasant flight, even the ATL transfer. Southerners know that even if you die and go to Hell, you still have to go through Atlanta. We lucked into booking this cruise when ACL started offering free airfare, a discount, and a free stay at the Four Seasons Hotel (which was running $1,200-$2,000/night with free American buffet breakfast, brief coach tour and transfer to the ship and luggage tranferred to our cabin.

    This trip was booked well in advance of our June-August six week, 1,700 water miles Great Lakes-Inland Rivers segment on Cat O' Mine. After our wreck in Nashville while trailering home, we arranged to have the damaged boat and trailer towed professionally back to Pensacola for repairs. Alhough that cost of $4,500 not covered by the insurance, it would have been more expensive and frustrating trying to manage out of state repairs long distance by shops we did not know or trust. Around here it takes six weeks to get repairs scheduled anyway. So we have a haulout scheduled Sept 15 on our return.
    The logistics are complex because the deepest boat gouge may penetrate a sponson, so we can't launch it at a ramp then get it travel lifted onto jack stands. Oh well, it will all work out. Two couples were killed in two other wrecks on I-65 in that same area on that same day, so we feel blessed and are thankful for everyone's prayers.

    USAA (47 year member) was very generous in their ACV of the totaled 2019 F250 Lariet, which we replaced with a new 2024 F350 deisel with three miles on it. Since 2026 trucks are coming in daily, we got a $10,000 discount on it, which more than paid for an 8 year/75,000 mile Ford bumper to bumper warranty and prepaid maintanence and a bed cover and running boards. The 20,000 pound conventional towing rating with towing pkg is more than enough, even for a TC255.    Read more

  • Trip end
    August 2, 2025
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