Home › Forums › General Discussion › 1200 Mile River Adventure – The Great Loop Backwards

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    • 07/08/2016 at 12:24 pm #6658
      DrDan
      Participant
      • Total Posts: 2

      If the St. Francis is dry consider traveling up some of the most beautiful rivers in the heartland of America this July – All Expenses Paid!

      Attention MWA Members.  We are looking for extra crew to help move my 40 foot ocean racing trimaran up the river from Mobile Alabama to Chicago.  Our buoy is in Monroe Harbor  just in front of Buckingham Fountain, Grant Park.

      Here is a video of the boat, a Crowther 40 Buccaneer, an Australian design.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufdXQntG5F8

      Why post here? Because we will be traveling right through St. Louis en route to Chicago and MWA club members have that adventurous spirit.  Presently, I have two crew members but we are looking for extra crew to help with moving through the locks, steering, and looking for debris in the water to avoid.  With more crew we can make better time….more miles per day.

      Who Am I:  I started the St. Louis University Kayak Club over ten years ago but haven’t lived in St. Louis for at least that much time.  I did a handful of trips with the MWA when I was local and was good friends with Steve Hausladen “The Salsa Pro” and other members.  Dianne Duncil still has my old fiberglass boat which you might have seen her use in races.

      We will be using a Honda BF 150 hp mounted to the rear to push us up the river at between 15 and 20 mph.  There is also a 20 hp Perkins diesel inboard for backup.  The mast is down to clear bridges.

      This is an All Expenses Paid River Cruise through the heartland of America.  We will cover all of your expenses including transportation to our boat and back home.  Again, we simply need extra help moving through the locks, steering, and looking for debris in the water to avoid.

      Here is more information on the Great Loop and her beautiful waterways.

      http://www.captainjohn.org/TennTom.html

      http://mvlastdance.blogspot.com/2011/12/tennessee-tombigbee-waterway.html

      The leg from Mobile Alabama to St Louis is 900 plus miles.  You can come for one day or as many as you like.  Get on or off anywhere along the route or stay for the entire journey.  The best locations to get on or off would be in Demopolis, AL, Pickwick Landing State Park, TN, Paducah KY, Cape Girardeau, MO, and of course St. Louis, MO.

      See the list below for marinas along the way for additional locations to get on or off the boat.

      The Great Loop Backwards consists of entering Mobile Bay and then moving up the Black Warrior – Tombigbee River System, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (i.e. Tenn-Tom), the Tennessee River, Kentucky Lake, Ohio River, Mississippi River, and then the Illinois River to Lake Michigan in Chicago.

      Distances in Miles

      217 – Mobile Bay to Demopolis AL – Black Warrior – Tombigbee River System

      234 – Demopolis, Ala. to the Pickwick Landing State Park – Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway (i.e. Tenn-Tom)

      215 – Pickwick Landing State Park to Paducah, KY – Tennessee River to Kentucky Lake

      219 – Paducah, KY to Illinois River – Ohio River and Mississippi River

      334 – Illinois River to Lake Michigan

      Each leg of this journey is approximately 1 to 2 days on the water….maximum 3 days.   2 days to Demopolis AL, another 2 days to Pickwick Landing State Park TN, another 2 days to Paducah KY, and 2 days to St. Louis MO.  So 5 to 8 days to St. Louis.

      Number of Locks

      Tombigbee River — two locks

      Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway — ten locks

      Tennessee River — two locks

      Ohio River — three locks

      Mississippi River — two locks

      Illinois Waterway — nine locks

      Please call me if you would like to go for all or any part of this scenic journey all expenses paid.

      Dr. Dan

      seven zero two – five zero three – ten thirty five

      Marinas Along the Way to Get On or Off the Boat

      • This topic was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by DrDan.
      • This topic was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by DrDan.
    • 07/08/2016 at 6:29 pm #6667
      Michael Dee
      Participant
      • Total Posts: 138

      When do you expect to leave? When, roughly, do you expect to arrive in Chicago?

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