GL: Great Lakes routes

[John Schieffelin]

I am in the process of buying a 35-foot powerboat located near Detroit, MI
and I am planning how to bring it back to my home port in Rhode Island this
summer. I am considering the following four routes:

 

1.       Lake Erie to Buffalo - full length of the Erie Canal to Hudson
River 

2.       Lake Huron - Georgian Bay - Trent Severn - Oswego - Erie Canal to
Hudson River

3.       Lake Huron - Georgian Bay - Trent Severn - St. Lawrence Seaway -
Montreal - Champlain Canal - Hudson River

4.       Lake Huron - Georgian Bay - Trent Severn - Rideau Waterway - Ottowa
River-Montreal - Champlain Canal - Hudson 

 

I would like to hear input on these choices - degree of difficulty, length
of time, scenic attractions etc. from people who have traveled one or more
of these routes. The boat I am buying has a low air draft so I believe I
would have no problem getting under low bridges on the western part of the
Erie Canal.

 

My wife and I are moderately experienced cruisers, but we have never cruised
for more than about a week at a time. I am not under time constraints, but I
would probably not prefer one route if it is appreciably longer than the
others. Advice much appreciated. I have received good advice from one
experienced friend that we should definitely hold off starting the cruise
until we can be reasonably sure of warm weather. When does warm weather
arrive in Georgian Bay if we elect to go through that area? I've heard Lake
Champlain boating doesn't even get into full swing until about the beginning
of July.

 

J. Schieffelin

Jamestown, RI