Fred:

First of all, get the right documentation.  Try to get a copy of Fred
Myers book, "The Tenn-Tom Nitty-Gritty Cruise Guide."  It is out of
print, and you may have to borrow a copy from someone.

Second, get Skipper Bob's "Cruising from Chicago to Mobile" cruise guide.

There are other good guides (like Quimby's Cruising Guide or Waterway
Guide), but the two above will be the most practical and useful.

You will need NOAA Charts 11376 and 11378.

You will need two USACE chartbooks: Waterway Charts, Lower Black
Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway, and Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
Charts.  Both books available through US Army Corpse of Engineers,
Mobile District or Bluewater Books or Landfall Navigation, among others.

Mobile Bay itself is big but not very deep, so in a windy situation,
the seas build quickly and can be steep.  There is a lot of
commercial shipping using the ship channel, but you can usually
cruise just outside the markers and be in plenty of water.  From the
west, follow the ICW to the ship channel and turn north.  Good
marinas are Eastern Shore near Fairhope on the east side, Grand
Mariner or Dog River Marina just inside Dog River on the west side of
the bay.  Dog River is a AGLCA sponsor, but all three marinas have
their charms and attractions.  There is a free wharf in downtown
Mobile you can dock for the night.

The Alabama River (lower part of the "Tenn-Tom") offers some of the
most isolated and best anchorages within the continental US, in my
opinion.  See Fred Myers' or Skipper Bob's books.  Bob is less picky
on anchorages, whereas Fred only suggests the best of anchorages
(same for marinas).

The best fuel prices on the entire route will be at Aberdeen Marina,
about mm 378.  Call ahead to be sure they aren't out of diesel (I
have pumped them dry twice in the last month after pumping  less than
200 gallons each time).

If you have any specific questions, feel free to contact me off line.

It is a great trip!  Have fun!

Bill Donovan
"Georgia Peach" DF 44
lying Columbus Marina

At 11:22 AM 3/18/2008, A. F. Moen wrote:

Fred,
The lower Mobile Bay and Tenn Tom has been covered by others. The only
comments I have is that you need to watch the river flow rates and find some
information sources.  Ours sources were to call various marinas on the
route.  i.e. Fred at Demopolis, Pat/Ginger at Midway, Fern at Hoppies, etc.
They have a feel for the river, have talked to people currently on the river
and are willing to share.

We are presently doing the "Loop" backwards (since 2005) and have twice 

went up the Mississippi from the Tennessee to Lake Michigan for the last 2
years. You haven't given a timetable for Lake Superior but when you do I can
help with some websites, etc.  The current one I check is the 3 day River
Forecast by the Corps. http://mvs-wc.mvs.usace.army.mil/dresriv.html This
site shows the current river levels, by area, and flood levels.  It also
forecasts out the next 3 days based on current known facts (i.e. rainfall up
river).  It also has a telephone number and I have called it and talked with
the person preparing the report.

Let me know your schedule and progress.

John & Cyndi Esch
Addison, TX
Fet-Esch,a 48' Chung Hwa Seamaster
Currently lying on the hard- Waukegan, IL
www.Fet-Esch.com