An interlude from the great loop to race in the J/22 worlds back in Eastport - finally 5 straight days of sailing!
From Smithville MS down to Mobile, then over to New Orleans for the workboat show
Across the FL panhandle and jum the big bend to Clearwater
The Clearwater Lights Parade - longer but warmer than Eastport
Down the coast to Ft Myers Beach where we officially crossed our wake
6711 Nautical Miles year to date aboard Escape Plan
Lake Superior
Soo Locks
Lake Huron
Lake Michigan
Calumet River
Des Plaines River
Illinois River
Mississippi River
Ohio River
Tennessee River
Cumberland River
Pickwick Lake
Tennessee - Tombigbee waterway
Traveling up the great lakes, including:
Lake Ontario
Niagara River
Welland Canal
Lake Erie
Detroit River
Lake St Clair
St Clair River
Lake Huron
St Mary's River
Lake Superior
My highlight of the month was racing 8m in Sodas Bay - these are classic machines with huge genoa, dip pole jibes and a coffee grinder. Other stops included Buffalo Naval Park, Niagara Falls, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Gordie Howe Bridge under construction.
From brackish to salty to fresh!
Back Creek
Severn River
Magothy River
Bodkin Creek
Patapsco River
Worton Creek
C&D Canal
Delaware Bay
Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Highlands
New York Harbor
Hudson River
Erie Canal
Lake Oneida
Oswego Canal
Lake Ontario
621 NM under the keel for 5 degrees of latitude gain.
On the hard for 10 days makes this my worst month to date. I'm not claiming the boat work days but there was plenty of that!
A couple of days of race committee and some sailing, too.
719 miles in 10 days doesn't leave much time to stop and smell the roses.
We stopped at Butler Island, Myrtle Beach , Wrightsville Beach, Spooner Creek, Belhaven, North River, Hampton and ran overnight up the Bay back home to Spa Creek.
Over the last 2 weeks, 356 NM +10 underway days + 5 towns + 30 degrees colder = 100 days for 2024
It's a good thing all underway days count, because I finally managed to get my first day sailing along the home stretch. I have only missed 13 days underway!
I'm looking forward to being back in Eastport for the EWE Spirit Regatta May 18. Did someone say beer and a great cause?
Even with a few days ashore in Key West, I'm only 10 days out from hitting the century mark.
In and around SW Florida. Lost 2 days to work and 1 day pierside at a marina.