Andiamo-Ranger 29 and The Great Loop

Hi John and Laurie,

When you leave Morehead City, stick your nose into Slocum Creek which runs up into the Marine Corps Air Station at Havelock, NC. We spent 3 years there with a year or so duty at the facility boat docks. Our daughter Vicki was born there. Fond memories.

We are enjoying your posts, thanks
 
Spring is running a hair late this year.
You might want to linger a bit and let that warm, calm spring weather (still sipping a drink on the beach at key West, last I heard) decide to catch up with you before moving further North.
 
Greetings Tugnutters and Especially To Those Who Have Following Us;

Andiamo's adventure for this part of the Great Loop is over. After 16 weeks, 2,000 miles, and going from Tarpon Springs, Florida to Solomons, Maryland on Chesapeake Bay, the tug will be returning home to Seattle. The tug has been absolutely fabulous and is an ideal boat to do the Great Loop with a combination of comforts, fuel economy, versatility and having a shallow draft made the cruising fun, safe and rewarding. This cruise was one of the best 4 months we have had in recent memory.

Many loopers have to change their plans to take care of responsibilities in the life they left at home. Ours is a family health event.

Andiamo will go back to finish the Loop.

You can see some of the photos and read portions of our trip journal at our website: www.andiamo-ranger29.com
 
I'm very sorry to hear this, I hope all goes well back home.
God Bless
 
After five weeks at home in the Seattle area and the death of Laurie's dad, we decided that resuming the Loop trip was the best way to heal. So we flew back to Andiamo where we left her in the Solomons and started out again on June 26 up the Chesapeake Bay. We visited Oxford, St. Michael's, several other beautiful anchorages, crossed the C & D canal and yesterday crossed the famous Delaware Bay. We now find ourselves on the New Jersey ICW a few days before the 4th of July.

We are looking for suggestions of dockage or anchorages for the next few days as we deal with weather issues and the craziness of the holiday. We are currently just north of Atlantic City, NJ. Thanks for the Tugnuts help!

Feel free to respond to our email address of john.gray@clearwire.net
 
Sounds like a great plan, I noted that Andiamo was on the move and wondered what was up. Have fun and keep us posted. Best Wishes.
 
Laurie and John, glad to see you back on the loop, wishing you continued healing after your loss.
 
Thanks for the quick responses! Found a great place in Beach Haven, NJ and will wait and see what the weather brings before deciding whether to stay here or head north.

Now that we have wifi again, we'll update the blog soon.
 
John and Laurie,
So glad to see you guys back out there. Being on the water with someone special has great healing powers.

David and Maureen
 
Well the NY City fireworks display is the best in the world. You can be there by the 4th. Anchor out and watch the show.
 
I'm glad you're both back on the loop though we'll miss you in the northwest this summer.
 
Greetings Tugnutters;

Andiamo is on the Jersey Shore at Beach Haven, New Jersey. Hurricane Arthur passed us on July 4th, about 100 miles away, and caused sustained winds in the low 30's with gusts to nearly 50. We are heading north to New York City, the Hudson River and the Erie Canal.

Our blog, photos and website have been updated. See that for some interesting cruising descriptions and also an updated lessons learned page.

http://www.andiamo-ranger29.com

Also, we have received many kind and considerate comments about our recent events and we thank you!

Best Regards,
 
Andiamo is on the Erie Canal in New York and heading to Canada. We have left the salt water behind and have turned west after months of running north and east on the ICW from Florida back in early February. After being in front of the loopers through May, we are now bring up the rear as most are two to three weeks ahead of us. We will be back in Seattle for a week in the last week of July and then will cross Lake Huron and do the Trent-Severn Waterway before the Georgian Bay.

We are doing many locks every day and have posted our process in the Operations page of the website. Also, there have been repairs, maintenance and lessons learned and those are also described.

The website is: www.andiamo-ranger29.com

Thank you for the comments and questions sent to us via the website and the PM messages. My email is: john.gray@clearwire.net

Best Regards,
 
Greetings Tugnutters;

Andiamo is on at the last part of the Trent Severn Waterway in Ontario Canada and will be finishing this in the next day or two. Then, we will be on the Georgian Bay. We are probably at the very end of the flock of loopers who are several weeks ahead of us. Nonetheless, we are having a great time and the tug is doing nicely.

Internet access is very limited for us in Canada so our postings have been delayed until we have wi-fi. You can see the photos and the journal at:

www.andiamo-ranger29.com
 
Be sure to stop at Covered Portage, Killarney (Herbert's Seafood), Baie Fine (the pool), Little Current and South Benjamin Island.

Great spots and on your path.
 
Andiamo, We enjoyed our brief chat at the Hole in the Wall bridge as we were heading in opposite directions on the Trent-Severn Waterway. Hope the rest of your trip goes well. We took a great picture of Andiamo and will email it to you when we get home in a couple of weeks.

Gregg and Kathy
Santolina, R25SC
 
Gregg and Kathy;

Andiamo just arrived in Little Current, ON and found an Internet connection! So nice to see you and a Ranger Tug on the trip. We were so excited to see you that we forgot about taking a photo! Safe Travels.

Andiamo's selected photos and journal:
www.andiamo-ranger29.com
 
John and Laurie:

Lisa and I are heading to Charlevoix tomorrow for several days, let us know if you get close.

Jim
 
Greetings Tugnutters:

Andiamo has returned to the United States after crossing the border at Drummond Island, Michigan. The tug has taken us 3,400 miles since February 1 when we left Tarpon Springs, Florida. We are probably bringing up the end of the loopers as most have passed Chicago and are on the Illinois River. During the winter and spring we were at the front of the loopers but matters at home needed attention. Yesterday, Andiamo set a new personal travel record by covering 97 miles in 10 hours because the water on the North Channel was a flat and the winds were calm, one day of peace between three days of wind and rain on each side. So, we took advantage of the opportunity.

Now, we are hunkered down at DeTour Marina on Lake Huron that is very close to Lake Michigan for a couple of days due to rain and wind. The marina staff says the wet, cool and windy summer has caused fewer boaters to be out. Labor Day Weekend and it feels like October in the Pacific Northwest. The diesel cabin heater is keeping us toasty.

The website is up to date at: www.andiamo-ranger29.com
 
Greetings Tugnutters;

Since arriving back in the states, we have traveled the length of Lake Michigan, essentially going the equivalent of the Ocean Shores, WA or nearly the halfway point between Oregon and Canada, to the Oregon-California border. Lake Michigan is huge and behaves more like an ocean than a lake. The boating was challenging and rarely relaxing with swells and wind-created chop that was rougher than anything we have seen in the Pacific Northwest. We have a new respect for boaters who make Lake Michigan their home cruising grounds. Now we know why the US Navy trains its recruits on the Great Lakes and why the Coast Guard has a huge presence. However, the small towns and refuge harbors that dot the eastern shore were great and worth the visit.

Arriving in Chicago was a milestone, not only the crossing of the lake and getting Lake Michigan behind us, but because we are re-entering the river system that will take us all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.

We have traveled about 3,900 miles since leaving Tarpon Springs, Florida in early February. We have about 1,200 miles to go to the Gulf of Mexico. The route will be down the Illinois River, to the Mississippi River past St. Louis to the tip of Illinois and turn up the Ohio River to the Tennessee River. Then south through Kentucky, Tennessee and into Alabama while the fall colors are blooming. The Tennessee-Thombigbee Waterway will take Andiamo down the length of Alabama and the Mississippi border to Mobile Bay, Alabama.

The tug is doing well and was tougher than we were on Lake Michigan. Check out the website for photos and more details: www.andiamo-ranger29.com
 
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