2020 Loop segment begins

B

BB marine

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 1, 2016
Messages
2,916
Fluid Motion Model
C-26
Non-Fluid Motion Model
Grady White 208
Vessel Name
PORT-A-GEE
My wife and I loaded the boat on the trailer Sunday (Racine Wisconsin) and trailered to Grand Rivers KY to spend the month of September exploring Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. ( We have already segment looped Racine to Grand Rivers by water. The inland river Lock system is closed now, Illinois River Lock repairs until October 31) We will be visiting with a couple of TUG and CUT owners while in the area. Our plan right now is to head south to Florida waters in October/November for this years Loop segment. We hope to see some Tugs and Cuts on the water and if so have a few social distancing Docktails. This has been a crazy year for all. We have done our best to use the boat and still remain safe and healthy. We thought that with all the anchorages in this area it would be a great place to enjoy the boat this fall and enjoy nature social distancing.
Be Safe and stay healthy.
 
Congratulations on the start of your Great Loop Brian. If you are at Lighthouse Landing Marina make sure to track down Ron n Libby on a RT 25 or the owners of Lighthouse, who own a Cutwater. Both are great couples that have done parts of or all of the Great Loop. Have a blast.

Jim F
 
Hi Brian, I might see you on the way in Kentucky Lakes. I will be leaving WPB, FL after Labor Day and slowly drive on the west side of Atlanta taking the back roads to see the South. I plan to go as far as Florence, AL then retrace and see what I missed as I go back to Grand River which is actually downstream. :roll:
 
Hope we can meet up w/ you in late October/ Nov.
 
Brian, you have mentioned your plans for this trip a number of times over months. I just want to wish you well on the trip, and am glad Covid hasn't interupted it for you.

Regards
 
trailertrawlerkismet":2fj3hpix said:
Congratulations on the start of your Great Loop Brian. If you are at Lighthouse Landing Marina make sure to track down Ron n Libby on a RT 25 or the owners of Lighthouse, who own a Cutwater. Both are great couples that have done parts of or all of the Great Loop. Have a blast.

Jim F
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Thanks Jim, we are staying at LightHouse Landing two boats down from TUG O MY Heart (Libby and Ron) and plan on spending time with Benda and Marty during our stay.

ALICE J":2fj3hpix said:
Hi Brian, I might see you on the way in Kentucky Lakes. I will be leaving WPB, FL after Labor Day and slowly drive on the west side of Atlanta taking the back roads to see the South. I plan to go as far as Florence, AL then retrace and see what I missed as I go back to Grand River which is actually downstream. :roll:
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I am assuming you are trailering to Florence AL. If so there is a nice marina there to launch and there were a couple of Ranger Tugs moored there. This would be Pickwick Lake. We went through there two years a go when doing the Tennessee River run from the Tennessee river head waters Knoxville to Grand Rivers. A trip I highly recommend doing 650 miles of beautiful river scenery. The trip from Florance to Grand Rivers is a nice trip. One lock and you will get a 1 to 1.5 mph current push as you float down stream to Grand Rivers. We will keep an eye out for the ALICE J, as we are cruising upstream.

Katmat":2fj3hpix said:
Hope we can meet up w/ you in late October/ Nov.
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Hopefully we meet up somewhere between KY. and Florida.

FWTMD":2fj3hpix said:
Brian, you have mentioned your plans for this trip a number of times over months. I just want to wish you well on the trip, and am glad Covid hasn't interupted it for you.

Regards
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Thank You.
 
Enjoy Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. They’re a marvelous place to cruise. Don’t you just love the floating docks with long fingers and no pilings? Heavenly!

As I‘m sure Marty and Brenda, Ron and Libby will tell you, the lake levels are now three feet below summer pool and dropping, which is normal for this time of year. Watch out when you go back the into the bays in search of a nice anchorage.
 
Brian, when Brenda and Marty kick you out, motor on up to Tampa Bay. Cynde and I would love to see you.

Gordon
 
gwishon":2ig2sv6f said:
Brian, when Brenda and Marty kick you out, motor on up to Tampa Bay. Cynde and I would love to see you.

Gordon
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If the weather and other issues cooperate and we make it that far during this trip we will be let you know that we are in the Tampa bay area. I'm sure our paths will cross at sometime this winter. Be safe and stay healthy
 
Maybe I'll catch up with you somewhere Brian. I'm trailering my RT 25SC from the Pacific Northwest to Texas and starting the loop there in February.

Chris Boyd
RT 25SC
Destined Nomad
 
Our fall 2020- winter 2021 has ended as of yesterday. PORT-A-GEE is back in Chicago and going into storage for a month or two for a good de-salting and yearly maintenance ( I enjoy the maintenance portion of boating almost as much as the pleasure boating portion so I consider this time as my boating time as well). The boat performed flawlessly during the trip. (It doesn't like the warm waters of the south) This year we spent 3 months living on board last fall took a Christmas break for 6 weeks leaving the boat on the hard in Cape Coral Florida. Then launching the boat the end of January and cruising till April 15th. 2 1/2 months on board this winter. We attended the Ranger Tug / Cutwater rendezvous at Burnt Store Marina (Great Job Jess and Mike). We left from there and took a slow cruise to the Keys spending a month in Marathon. After our relaxing month in WINDY Marathon we headed up The AICW to St Lucy river and across the Okeechobee back to Ft Myers. We ended our trip at Sweet water Marina. (Edgewater Ranger Tug /Cutwater dealer has a office there.) The dock-master/ Fork truck operator lifted the PORT-A-GEE and set it on my trailer without effort. This place I will return to next winter for launching. I was pleased with the service, location and operation of this facility. Now that this segment is over I'm looking forward to planning the next. My wife has kept a updated Blog through out our adventure. portageelooper.blogspot.com
 
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