Jon, yes definitely. the Champlain will open this coming week. As long as you can make the 17 foot bridge clearance. Fred Tug 44 ---------------------------------------- From: "jonathan olenick" <jdolenickmd@yahoo.com> Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2011 1:25 PM To: "Rich" <richgano@gmail.com>, "greatlooplist" <great-loop@lists.samurai.com>, "great loop" <great-loop@lists.trawlering.com>, "fred@tug44.org" <fred@tug44.org> Subject: Re: GL: Going home the long way Fred, Can boats on the western Erie Canal, backtrack to the Oswego Canal to take the St. Lawrence River, Chambly Lake Chmplain, Hudson River route back south?? Jon. From: Rich <richgano@gmail.com> To: Great Loop List <great-loop@lists.trawlering.com> Sent: Saturday, September 3, 2011 9:49 AM Subject: GL: Going home the long way I posted this on T&T too - so skip it if you read that list too. I know of at least a couple of Florida boats caught to the west of the Erie Canal which have made the decision to hurry through the Great Lakes in the short season remaining for boating there to head south through the western part of the Great Loop. While the unfamiliar route may seem forbidding to y'all, don't worry, be happy. COE charts as well as commercially sold guides are available for the route as mentioned here earlier, and I am sure some with chart plotters using unique charting applications will want to acquire some electronic versions of the charts. There is a wealth of information on the route at the AGLCA website (cheap to join), and I know I speak for all us members along the way home who will gladly make time to help you guys get safely through our respective areas. Some of us can accommodate extra boats at our homes and others are more than happy to meet you at our local marinas and provide transportation and local knowledge. Be sure to look at the COE websites about lock closures which provide information such as: Interested cruisers should note that there will be two Tombigbee Waterway locks closed for maintenance from Sept. 8th through Sept. 24th. The specific locks are the Wilkins Lock at mile 376.3 and the Amory Lock at mile 371.1. That's not going to be impacting anybody currently near the Erie Canal, but you get the idea. Rudy will be sure to invite you to one of our impromptu luncheons when you get to the PC area, and if he's in a really good mood, he'll buy you lunch. This is more likely if you nod your head like an elephant as you listen to THE LECTURE on storm moorings (somebody in NY didn't listen, did you?). We get up to four or so of us local GL list members for these occasions. Oh, and my brother Jim, now retired and with nothing else to do, will see to your every need as you clear Mobile Bay into the Gulf Shore/Orange Beach, AL area. And me? I'll be coordinating everybody else's generosity. :) Anyway, we hope to hear about your adventures and look forward to meeting some of you who would otherwise stick like glue to the east coast. Rich Gano CALYPSO (GB-42 #295) Southport, FL (near Panama City) _______________________________________________ http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com To modify your Great-Loop subscription options (change email address, unsubscribe, etc.) go to: http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/options/great-loop_lists.trawlering.com