Milwaukee to Fresh Creek Bahamas

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Panta Rei

Panta Rei

.
Nov 3, 2010
564
Oday 39 Lake mills WI
I've just completed a refurb project on an O'day 39. See O'day bigger boats here: http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=132435&page=11

After a few sea trials the boat is back on the hard in Sheboygan Wi for the winter. My intention is to stay close to home next summer working out the kinks with the rig and the crew. Next fall we will take off on our journey to Fresh Creek, Andros Island in the Bahamas. Why fresh creek??? It's adjacent to Autech. The US government's undersea warfare test base. I go down there fishing every few years with a few buddies that work there. (tough life) they will be able to keep an eye on it while I"m back home.

My plan is to sail a few weeks each summer slowly making our way through the great lakes and onto the inter-coastal waterway.
We will take it slow when we have less serious couples aboard but also plan some trips with the guys with the intention of putting on some miles under the keel. I'll place the boat on the hard and find my way home each year. I have absolutely no goals other than to get there some day.

I enjoyed the feedback from the O'day owners during the project I hope this leads to the same.

Here is my rough guess as to what we may do.
Year one we make it across Lake Michigan and explore the east side of Lake Michigan. Next year head to Lake Huron's North Channel/Georgina bay.
After that Maybe take the Trent Severn Waterway or maybe head south past Detroit and onto the Walleyes of Lake Erie.
I know I can buy a guide to the loop but I would rather get feedback from people that sail and live along my route.
I look forward to hearing from you!!
 
Last edited:
Caboteur

Caboteur

.
Feb 21, 2010
331
Beneteau 31 016 St-Lawrence river
Hi,
The «Active Captain» looks really interesting...
From the starting plan you have, on about year three you will be faced with the choice of going south from either lake Erie and the Erie canal or from Trenton crossing lake Ontario and taking the canal at Osweego NY or going NE through the Thousand-Islands and down the St-Lawrence river. To me this is a no-brainer... there is so much to see on the river from Kingston ON to Montréal and to Sorel, this is the second choice point: you either turn right on the Richelieu, down lake Champlain, the Champlain canal and the Hudson to NY NY.
Or, keep going straight towards Québec, up & down the Saguenay Fjord (watch the southernmost Beluga whale pods, Blues, Grays and others). Make daily hops to Gaspé, then an overnighter to the Magdalen Islands, have some snow crab and other local delicacies. Go through the Canso straights (don't forget all of this is downwind), visit Cape Breton island and go on to Halifax NS and Lunenberg NS. From there it's another overnighter to Bar Harbor ME (across the mighty Bay of Fundy and it's 57 foot tides and current to match).
From Bar Harbor it shouldn't take you more than a season too make it to NY NY: just go SW along the coast and stop everywhere. All told this is a 1,500NM detour and my cruising ground; my boat is moored 45°09'N, 074°20'W.
From NY NY it's a piece of cake and overly documented.
I've cruised all of this several times and love seeing it time and again. I have several cruise and sailing guides (especially for the tide currents on the St-Lawrence). All of which I could give to you if you stop at my mooring...
Leaving the boat along the way has always been a good experience for me... and I left it in many many places... to come back home to family and friends.
Have a great cruise.
Pierre
 

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Birdman737

Birdman737

.
Apr 15, 2012
36
Catalina 400 Milwaukee, WI
Panta Rei said:
I have absolutely no goals other than to get there some day.
Click to expand

Sounds like a good idea!

Definitely check out Lake Huron's North Channel.

How much exploring have you done on Lake Michigan? The northern half is nice, even on the west side... check out Fayette, MI for sure. And of course on the east side there's Pentwater, Frankfort, the Manitous, Charlevoix, and everything on Little Traverse Bay. I've always skipped Grand Traverse Bay, which is probably a mistake.
 
25yearslater

25yearslater

.
Aug 20, 2010
1,399
Oday 27 Oak Orchard
Once you decide on the north route being the Trent Severn or Lake Erie I would be happy to pick you up as crew for the trip along the Erie or Welland Canals which ever you choose for a few days. The Erie offers some nice towns but requires the stick to come down. Ontario via the Welland offers a series of towns and cities and I could also crew here as well. Of course the Oak Orchard River is where I will be. I can provide transportation should you need it for most of the Western NY area. Then the Oswego Canal heading for New York City or the 1000 Islands which keeps you rigged.
 
Panta Rei

Panta Rei

.
Nov 3, 2010
564
Oday 39 Lake mills WI
Wow GREAT help!!!!

I'll start working on some charting so we can all communicate. Joe, let's keep the stick up.

I hope you all feel welcome to jump on for a daysail or much more. Everyone gets there own cabin and head.
 
Buck420

Buck420

.
Apr 22, 2001
497
Hunter 420 Norfolk, VA
I kept my boat at Fresh Creek Jan 2008. Great place... especially if you know folks over at Autech
IMHO you should just put your boat on a truck... ship it to Fla.. and head for Andros while you still have the connections there. You can always see the ICW and NE on the trip back North
 
Panta Rei

Panta Rei

.
Nov 3, 2010
564
Oday 39 Lake mills WI
WayneH said:
Information from people who sail and live along your route?

www.activecaptain.com

Not affiliated with but a user of the service.
Click to expand
I checked this out. It's a bit difficult to work with but it sure has a lot of information. I'll try to lay out the trip using this website. I understand everyone can access it. So far I have not seen an edit function so I think I must save each segment separably so we can change a segment as suggestions pop up or plans change. Please correct me if I am wrong on this.
 
Panta Rei

Panta Rei

.
Nov 3, 2010
564
Oday 39 Lake mills WI
Caboteur said:
Hi,
The «Active Captain» looks really interesting...
From the starting plan you have, on about year three you will be faced with the choice of going south from either lake Erie and the Erie canal or from Trenton crossing lake Ontario and taking the canal at Osweego NY or going NE through the Thousand-Islands and down the St-Lawrence river. To me this is a no-brainer... there is so much to see on the river from Kingston ON to Montréal and to Sorel, this is the second choice point: you either turn right on the Richelieu, down lake Champlain, the Champlain canal and the Hudson to NY NY.
Or, keep going straight towards Québec, up & down the Saguenay Fjord (watch the southernmost Beluga whale pods, Blues, Grays and others). Make daily hops to Gaspé, then an overnighter to the Magdalen Islands, have some snow crab and other local delicacies. Go through the Canso straights (don't forget all of this is downwind), visit Cape Breton island and go on to Halifax NS and Lunenberg NS. From there it's another overnighter to Bar Harbor ME (across the mighty Bay of Fundy and it's 57 foot tides and current to match).
From Bar Harbor it shouldn't take you more than a season too make it to NY NY: just go SW along the coast and stop everywhere. All told this is a 1,500NM detour and my cruising ground; my boat is moored 45°09'N, 074°20'W.
From NY NY it's a piece of cake and overly documented.
I've cruised all of this several times and love seeing it time and again. I have several cruise and sailing guides (especially for the tide currents on the St-Lawrence). All of which I could give to you if you stop at my mooring...
Leaving the boat along the way has always been a good experience for me... and I left it in many many places... to come back home to family and friends.
Have a great cruise.
Pierre
Click to expand
Many thanks Pierre,
Beautiful boat. What do you do when you leave the boat somewhere? Do you cover it?

As for the route. I think making the turn at Richelieu would be interesting. I have a customer there who I visit often. I drive from Burlington's airport and I have often wished I could sail that beautiful Lake (Champlain)
 
Panta Rei

Panta Rei

.
Nov 3, 2010
564
Oday 39 Lake mills WI
25yearslater said:
Once you decide on the north route being the Trent Severn or Lake Erie I would be happy to pick you up as crew for the trip along the Erie or Welland Canals which ever you choose for a few days. The Erie offers some nice towns but requires the stick to come down. Ontario via the Welland offers a series of towns and cities and I could also crew here as well. Of course the Oak Orchard River is where I will be. I can provide transportation should you need it for most of the Western NY area. Then the Oswego Canal heading for New York City or the 1000 Islands which keeps you rigged.
Click to expand
Joe,
Can I keep the rig up on the Trent Severn? I looks like it cuts off a lot of miles giving me time to sail Lake Ontario at my leisure. Yot will be on the must see list.
 
Panta Rei

Panta Rei

.
Nov 3, 2010
564
Oday 39 Lake mills WI
Buck420 said:
I kept my boat at Fresh Creek Jan 2008. Great place... especially if you know folks over at Autech
IMHO you should just put your boat on a truck... ship it to Fla.. and head for Andros while you still have the connections there. You can always see the ICW and NE on the trip back North
Click to expand
So did you do the HANKY PANKY? Reference: http://hanks-place.com/

Not a bad idea with the truck but I don't think I'm coming back so I need the see the great lakes when I can. Beside , my buddies have been down there so long it would take years for them to complete work on all the hurricane boats they are working on so they could leave.
 
Panta Rei

Panta Rei

.
Nov 3, 2010
564
Oday 39 Lake mills WI
Birdman737 said:

Sounds like a good idea!

Definitely check out Lake Huron's North Channel.

How much exploring have you done on Lake Michigan? The northern half is nice, even on the west side... check out Fayette, MI for sure. And of course on the east side there's Pentwater, Frankfort, the Manitous, Charlevoix, and everything on Little Traverse Bay. I've always skipped Grand Traverse Bay, which is probably a mistake.
Click to expand
We chartered a boat in Charlevoix many years ago. It was beautiful. The blue water made me think I was in the Bahamas.

I plan on exploring it next summer. We will stick around Sheboygan for a while and then head over. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.
 
Caboteur

Caboteur

.
Feb 21, 2010
331
Beneteau 31 016 St-Lawrence river
The stick must come down for all the small craft canals... The Erie, the Trent-Severn, the Oswego, the Richelieu and the Champlain south of lake Champlain.
The only way with the stick up all the way is down the St-Lawrence.
I no longer own that boat... I left Parbleu uncovered wherever I left her.
Pierre
 
Panta Rei

Panta Rei

.
Nov 3, 2010
564
Oday 39 Lake mills WI
Lake Huron's North Channel and Georgian bay

So there is no connection between Lake Huron's North Channel and Georgian Bay? Are both worth spending so time in?
 
Caboteur

Caboteur

.
Feb 21, 2010
331
Beneteau 31 016 St-Lawrence river
North Passage to Georgian Bay

The "connection" is at Little Current ON, there is a channel and a swing bridge which opens on the hour during the sailing season.
The current can be strong but this is a well used route between two beautiful cruising areas.
Pierre
 
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