GL: North to Chicago

[John Esch]

>I am considering to travel "backwards" from the Florida Keys, up the
> Tenn-Tom, to St. Louis and then Chicago, and then on the Lake Erie where
> we live in the summer.

We are presently doing the Loop backwards.  We left Texas in May 2005 and 
have made it to the Tennessee River.  Yes, we go slow even though the boat 
is capable of 15 and we cruise at 10 mph.  We are presently in Chattanooga, 
TN and plan to head downriver March 1st and arrive at Pebble Isle (MM 95) at 
the end of March.  We plan to start, weather permitting, the Ohio, 
Mississippi, Illinois portion of the trip around April 1.  Our destination 
is North Point Marina in Winthrop Harbor, IL. on the western shore of Lake 
Michigan.  That will be a base for us to cruise Lake Michigan this summer.

We did this same trip (from Midway Marina on the Tenn-Tom) with a friend in 
his 48Ft Jefferson last April.  Our website (www.Fet-Esch.com) shows a 
limited log of where we stopped, general river conditions and what we did. 
Let me know what specific or general questions you may have.  I also have a 
work in progress listing of stops and anchorages that I am putting together 
from various cruise logs and with help from Elliot Bray on Letitia. I could 
forward this to you if it is of interest.

BTW, I have heard 2 unconfirmed generalities about travel on the 
Mississippi.  Earlier, before the spring melt is better AND later after the 
spring melt is better.  I don't know which is better.  I do know that last 
April we had a 4 mph current and cruised at 1600 ROM and made 7 mph.  Our 
average day was 50-60 miles and there was a lot of debris coming down about 
50% of the time.

John Esch
Addison, TX

Fet-Esch,a 48' Chung Hwa Seamaster
Currently lying Island Cove Marina on the Tennessee River
www.Fet-Esch.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ben Scotkin" <keysmark@bellsouth.net>
Subject: GL: North to Chicago


>I am considering to travel "backwards" from the Florida Keys, up the
> Tenn-Tom, to St. Louis and then Chicago, and then on the Lake Erie where
> we live in the summer.