GL: Detroit to R.I.

[Lawrence Zeitlin]

On Feb 25, 2009, at 12:00 AM, John wrote:

> 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


All of the proposed routes will get you to R.I. without much  
difficulty. In fact the latter routes encompass about 3/4 of the best  
scenic opportunities on the entire Great Loop. It is all a matter of  
available time. Route 1 will take you about two weeks without  
pressing the pedal to the metal. Add two weeks more for each  
additional increment because there is so much more to see, i.e. plan  
at least 8 weeks for Route 4. Get as much detailed route information  
as you can before starting. Call 1-800-4CANAL4 for the NYS Canal  
Authority free canal literature. This has both planning charts and  
the availability of shore side resources. It also hasl contact  
information for the Parks Canada and the Canadian Canal Authorities.

I suspect that the hardest part of the voyage will the trip up L.I.  
Sound from NYC to R.I.

Larry Z