GL: New Loopers

[Jake2124@aol.com]

Our De Fever 41 is due to arrive in Mobile, AL from San Francisco, CA today. 
As soon as we have it put back together off we go on the loop. Being from the 
West Coast, we don't know too much about this skinny water we keep hearing 
about. Our first leg is from Mobile to the Fort Meyers area, and it seems like 
there are either 2 or 3 ways to go. One is Straight across from Carrabelle to 
Cedar Keys, another Carrabelle to Tarpon Springs, yet another is going around 
the rim areas. From the postings, it seems like the rim route is out because the 
rivers are too shallow to enter for the most part, so you cannot really stop 
anywhere. One of our guide books (The Great Circle Cruise by G. Bickley) 
suggests using the rim route to have calmer waters, but don't stop along the way. 
That seems appealing to us, but are we missing something? We have sufficient 
fuel range and crew. Basically, the suggested route is buoy to buoy. From 
Carrabelle channel buoy number R12 to R2 to R24 to R22, R20, R18, R16, R14 etc. Any 
experience or comments going this way.

Thanks in advance.

Fran and Brian
Endeavor
De Fever 41