Re: Mississippi via Great Lakes?
I'm reading that very book at the moment. I agree it is a great
book!
I also agree with another posting that the lower Mississippi is
pretty bland and kind of ruined by the army corps of engineers
efforts, however the Mississippi delta is cool, especially the
Atchafalaya basin, where I grew up. I plan to voyage there, maybe
soon. You can get into the north part of the Atchafalaya river from
the Mississippi River at a lock the Red River near Angola,
Louisianna. From there you have hundreds of miles of mostly
undeveloped swamplands until you get to the Gulf coast intracoastal
waterway south of Morgan City. Even though it is being silted up
because the dam at the Mississippi cuts off the normal yearly flood,
it is probably one of the most untouched rivers in the US.
When I go, I think I will skip the Mississippi part and go north into
the Atchafalaya from the gulf.
Frank
book!
I also agree with another posting that the lower Mississippi is
pretty bland and kind of ruined by the army corps of engineers
efforts, however the Mississippi delta is cool, especially the
Atchafalaya basin, where I grew up. I plan to voyage there, maybe
soon. You can get into the north part of the Atchafalaya river from
the Mississippi River at a lock the Red River near Angola,
Louisianna. From there you have hundreds of miles of mostly
undeveloped swamplands until you get to the Gulf coast intracoastal
waterway south of Morgan City. Even though it is being silted up
because the dam at the Mississippi cuts off the normal yearly flood,
it is probably one of the most untouched rivers in the US.
When I go, I think I will skip the Mississippi part and go north into
the Atchafalaya from the gulf.
Frank
--- In bolger@y..., Vince and Mary Ann Chew <vachew@v...> wrote:
>
> There is a fascinating book out recently by William Least Heatmoon
> called RIVER HORSE which is about his voyage in a C-Dory from the
> Atlantic to the Pacific via water. One of the portages he had to
arrange
> was from Lake Erie to a feeder stream of the Ohio River (I forget
the
> stream's name).
>
> Vince Chew
I would second this advice; I've travelled the lower Miss. We did so
because we entered the Miss. (sailboat) off the Arkansas River
several hundred miles south of the Ohio River.
The Miss. is awesome - it's deep (200 feet), wide (mile or two),
swift (always 3 or 4, and up to 12 or 14 knots), and there are NO
services. You MUST be prepared to go it alone as far as spare parts
and fuel - several hundred miles between (diesel) fill-ups.
Gregg Carlson
because we entered the Miss. (sailboat) off the Arkansas River
several hundred miles south of the Ohio River.
The Miss. is awesome - it's deep (200 feet), wide (mile or two),
swift (always 3 or 4, and up to 12 or 14 knots), and there are NO
services. You MUST be prepared to go it alone as far as spare parts
and fuel - several hundred miles between (diesel) fill-ups.
Gregg Carlson
--- In bolger@y..., Vince and Mary Ann Chew <vachew@v...> wrote:
> Most pleasure craft avoid the lower Mississippi. They turn up the
Ohio
> as far as Paduca, KY and then into the Tennessee River, the Tenn-Tom
> Canal, and the Tombigbee River which flows into Mobile Bay.
sorry.........I knew that it was up there somewhere
Chris
Chris
----- Original Message -----
From: <wmrpage@...>
To: <bolger@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 12, 2001 10:54 AM
Subject: Re: [bolger] Mississippi via Great Lakes?
> In a message dated 8/11/01 7:33:42 PM Central Daylight Time,
>manta@...writes:
>
>
> > also the Mississippi starts at Lake Superior.
> > Chris Flynn
> >
>
> The Mississippi starts at Lake Itasca, a much smaller lake not connected
to
> Lake Superior.
>
> Bill in MN
> (I'm a native. I know!)
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> Bolger rules!!!
> - no cursing, flaming, trolling, spamming, or flogging dead horses
> - pls take "personals" off-list, stay on topic, and punctuate
> - add your comments at the TOP and SIGN your posts, snip all you like
> - To order plans: Mr. Philip C. Bolger, P.O. Box 1209, Gloucester, MA,
01930, Fax: (978) 282-1349
> - Unsubscribe:bolger-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject tohttp://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
In a message dated 8/11/01 7:33:42 PM Central Daylight Time,
manta@...writes:
Lake Superior.
Bill in MN
(I'm a native. I know!)
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
manta@...writes:
> also the Mississippi starts at Lake Superior.The Mississippi starts at Lake Itasca, a much smaller lake not connected to
> Chris Flynn
>
Lake Superior.
Bill in MN
(I'm a native. I know!)
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> David... I think that you have to go from lake Michigan to the calumet riverSorry, but the Mighty Miss does not start at Lake Superior.
> ... then it flows into the Illinois river then that flows into the
> Mississippi.. also the Mississippi starts at Lake Superior.
> Chris Flynn
It has much more humble beginnings at Lake Itasca in northwestern Minnesota.
I've walked through the Mississippi River, from shore to shore, at it's
headwaters and barely got wet up to my knees. My SHOES, however...
Boy was my wife miffed....
Nor does it appear that the St. Croix starts at Lake Superior, as far as I can
tell from a little poking around with MapQuest. <www.mapquest.com>
It does appear that, in Wisconsin, there is a small canal connecting the Fox River
with the Wisconsin River where they pass near each other in the city of...
wait for it...
Yes, you guessed it... Portage, WI.
Anyway... The Fox river connects to Lake Michigan via the bay of Green Bay
and the Wisconsin river flows into the Mississippi. I'm not sure you could
navigate that portion of the Fox river with anything much bigger than a voyager's
canoe, however.
There are two exits from Lake Michigan which connect to the Illinois
River and ultimately the Mississippi. One is the afore mentioned Chicago
Sanitary Canal which you lock into in the heart of downtown Chicago at
Navy Pier. It passes through the highrise canyons of the Chicago Loop
then past miles of warehouses and industries. The other is the Cal-Sag
Canal at Calumet City about 25 miles south of the Sanitary Canal. It is
heavily industrial with lots of barge traffic.
Most pleasure craft avoid the lower Mississippi. They turn up the Ohio
as far as Paduca, KY and then into the Tennessee River, the Tenn-Tom
Canal, and the Tombigbee River which flows into Mobile Bay.
There is no water connection from Lake Erie to the Ohio. One was
actually built. However, as soon as it was completed, the railroads came
along and the canal route couldn't make a profit and was abandonned.
Segments of the old canal (now dry) can still be found in Ohio.
There is a fascinating book out recently by William Least Heatmoon
called RIVER HORSE which is about his voyage in a C-Dory from the
Atlantic to the Pacific via water. One of the portages he had to arrange
was from Lake Erie to a feeder stream of the Ohio River (I forget the
stream's name).
Vince Chew
River and ultimately the Mississippi. One is the afore mentioned Chicago
Sanitary Canal which you lock into in the heart of downtown Chicago at
Navy Pier. It passes through the highrise canyons of the Chicago Loop
then past miles of warehouses and industries. The other is the Cal-Sag
Canal at Calumet City about 25 miles south of the Sanitary Canal. It is
heavily industrial with lots of barge traffic.
Most pleasure craft avoid the lower Mississippi. They turn up the Ohio
as far as Paduca, KY and then into the Tennessee River, the Tenn-Tom
Canal, and the Tombigbee River which flows into Mobile Bay.
There is no water connection from Lake Erie to the Ohio. One was
actually built. However, as soon as it was completed, the railroads came
along and the canal route couldn't make a profit and was abandonned.
Segments of the old canal (now dry) can still be found in Ohio.
There is a fascinating book out recently by William Least Heatmoon
called RIVER HORSE which is about his voyage in a C-Dory from the
Atlantic to the Pacific via water. One of the portages he had to arrange
was from Lake Erie to a feeder stream of the Ohio River (I forget the
stream's name).
Vince Chew
Quoted from:
http://members.aol.com/americacruising/illinois.html
"Illinois Waterway
"General Description & Characteristics: This waterway connects Lake
Michigan to the Mississippi River near Alton, Illinois, thus
connecting America's "Great Circle" of inland and coastal
navigation. This waterway consists of the Illinois River, Upper
Illinois Waterway (canal), Des Plaines River, and Chicago River. A
series of 8 locks and dams maintain the navigability of this
waterway. Most of these are found on the manmade Upper Illinois
Waterway.
"Location and Navigable Mileage: Contained entirely in the state of
Illinois, this waterway has a total of 348 navigable miles... The
Illinois River runs northeast to southwest toward the Mississippi,
the Des Plaines River runs west to east toward Lake Michigan, and the
Upper Illinois Waterway connects these two rivers."
Contrary to the above implication, though the "great circle cruise"
*can* be completed by travelling the length of the Mississippi
downstream of Alton, this is rarely done; in actuality most boaters
only stay on the Mississippi until the confluence with the Ohio
River, then hang a left and sail up the Ohio, into the Tennessee or
Cumberland rivers, then down the Tenn-Tom Canal and associated rivers
to Mobile, Alabama.
A brief history of the Sanitary & Ship Canal, Calumet, Little Calumet
and Chicago Rivers can be found here:
http://www.lakeclaremont.com/riverex1.htm
John Dalziel
http://members.aol.com/americacruising/illinois.html
"Illinois Waterway
"General Description & Characteristics: This waterway connects Lake
Michigan to the Mississippi River near Alton, Illinois, thus
connecting America's "Great Circle" of inland and coastal
navigation. This waterway consists of the Illinois River, Upper
Illinois Waterway (canal), Des Plaines River, and Chicago River. A
series of 8 locks and dams maintain the navigability of this
waterway. Most of these are found on the manmade Upper Illinois
Waterway.
"Location and Navigable Mileage: Contained entirely in the state of
Illinois, this waterway has a total of 348 navigable miles... The
Illinois River runs northeast to southwest toward the Mississippi,
the Des Plaines River runs west to east toward Lake Michigan, and the
Upper Illinois Waterway connects these two rivers."
Contrary to the above implication, though the "great circle cruise"
*can* be completed by travelling the length of the Mississippi
downstream of Alton, this is rarely done; in actuality most boaters
only stay on the Mississippi until the confluence with the Ohio
River, then hang a left and sail up the Ohio, into the Tennessee or
Cumberland rivers, then down the Tenn-Tom Canal and associated rivers
to Mobile, Alabama.
A brief history of the Sanitary & Ship Canal, Calumet, Little Calumet
and Chicago Rivers can be found here:
http://www.lakeclaremont.com/riverex1.htm
John Dalziel
--- In bolger@y..., "chris" <manta@l...> wrote:
> David... I think that you have to go from lake Michigan to the
calumet river
> ... then it flows into the Illinois river then that flows into the
> Mississippi.. also the Mississippi starts at Lake Superior.
> Chris Flynn
>
>
> > FBBB --
> >
> > I've got my AAA road atlas, but I can't find a way into the
> > Mississippi River system from the Great Lakes. There must be some
way
> > into the Ohio from Lake Erie, yes?
> >
> > YIBB,
> >
> > David
> >
> >
> > CRUMBLING EMPIRE PRODUCTIONS
> > 134 West 26th St. 12th Floor
> > New York, New York 10001
> >http://www.crumblingempire.com
> > (212) 247-0296
> >
> > Bolger rules!!!
> > - no cursing, flaming, trolling, spamming, or flogging dead horses
> > - pls take "personals" off-list, stay on topic, and punctuate
> > - add your comments at the TOP and SIGN your posts, snip all you
like
> > - To order plans: Mr. Philip C. Bolger, P.O. Box 1209,
Gloucester, MA,
> 01930, Fax: (978) 282-1349
> > - Unsubscribe: bolger-unsubscribe@y...
> >
> > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
> >
David... I think that you have to go from lake Michigan to the calumet river
... then it flows into the Illinois river then that flows into the
Mississippi.. also the Mississippi starts at Lake Superior.
Chris Flynn
... then it flows into the Illinois river then that flows into the
Mississippi.. also the Mississippi starts at Lake Superior.
Chris Flynn
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Ryan" <david@...>
To: <bolger@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2001 11:17 AM
Subject: [bolger] Mississippi via Great Lakes?
> FBBB --
>
> I've got my AAA road atlas, but I can't find a way into the
> Mississippi River system from the Great Lakes. There must be some way
> into the Ohio from Lake Erie, yes?
>
> YIBB,
>
> David
>
>
> CRUMBLING EMPIRE PRODUCTIONS
> 134 West 26th St. 12th Floor
> New York, New York 10001
>http://www.crumblingempire.com
> (212) 247-0296
>
> Bolger rules!!!
> - no cursing, flaming, trolling, spamming, or flogging dead horses
> - pls take "personals" off-list, stay on topic, and punctuate
> - add your comments at the TOP and SIGN your posts, snip all you like
> - To order plans: Mr. Philip C. Bolger, P.O. Box 1209, Gloucester, MA,
01930, Fax: (978) 282-1349
> - Unsubscribe:bolger-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject tohttp://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
In a message dated 8/11/01 11:19:53 AM Central Daylight Time,
david@...writes:
the watersheds. It was dug to send Chicago's sewage down stream so the city
could continue to draw water from Lake Michigan. Somewhere I read that
digging the canal involved moving more earth than the Panama Canal (which
seems unlikely) but it is navigable. Communities downstream were not greatly
pleased with the project, but I imagine in these enlightened times the
effluent is less objectionable.
Bill in MN
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
david@...writes:
> but I can't find a way into theI believe that the Chicago "Sanitary" Canal is the only connection between
>
the watersheds. It was dug to send Chicago's sewage down stream so the city
could continue to draw water from Lake Michigan. Somewhere I read that
digging the canal involved moving more earth than the Panama Canal (which
seems unlikely) but it is navigable. Communities downstream were not greatly
pleased with the project, but I imagine in these enlightened times the
effluent is less objectionable.
Bill in MN
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Here's a good link for info on the Great Circle Route
http://www.bluewaterweb.com/cgi-
bin/SoftCart.exe/store4/planner_gcr.htm?L+mystore4+btwl1637+997574999
Ray
http://www.bluewaterweb.com/cgi-
bin/SoftCart.exe/store4/planner_gcr.htm?L+mystore4+btwl1637+997574999
Ray
That whole route is part of the "Great Circle Route," I think it's
called. There are canals out of Chicago that link eventually with the
Mississippi. Only last night I saw that there is even a mailing list
online of people who have sailed the route. Once in New Orleans, the
route goes East through Florida's Everglades and up the ICW to
somewhere. Then it's down the St. Lawrence into the Great Lakes. I'm
doing this from memoy so forgive any lapses in same. I imagine it's
even been done in a kayak!
Cliff
http://www.angelfire.com/mi/mmmkkk/
(Last of the Red Hot DJs)
called. There are canals out of Chicago that link eventually with the
Mississippi. Only last night I saw that there is even a mailing list
online of people who have sailed the route. Once in New Orleans, the
route goes East through Florida's Everglades and up the ICW to
somewhere. Then it's down the St. Lawrence into the Great Lakes. I'm
doing this from memoy so forgive any lapses in same. I imagine it's
even been done in a kayak!
Cliff
http://www.angelfire.com/mi/mmmkkk/
(Last of the Red Hot DJs)
David,
You got my curiosity up. Here's what I've found.
A link to Ohio River charts
http://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/op/navpurch.htm#Pittsburgh%20District:
It looks from my very small scale map of the U.S. that the Ohio never
touchs a Great Lake. I can't be sure.
From that same small scale map, it looks like the closest the
Mississippi gets to a Great Lake is the S.W. end of Superior. Maybe
the St. Croix makes it from the Superior to the Mississippi just S.E.
of St. Paul. Again I can't be sure.
Ray McQuin
You got my curiosity up. Here's what I've found.
A link to Ohio River charts
http://www.lrd.usace.army.mil/op/navpurch.htm#Pittsburgh%20District:
It looks from my very small scale map of the U.S. that the Ohio never
touchs a Great Lake. I can't be sure.
From that same small scale map, it looks like the closest the
Mississippi gets to a Great Lake is the S.W. end of Superior. Maybe
the St. Croix makes it from the Superior to the Mississippi just S.E.
of St. Paul. Again I can't be sure.
Ray McQuin
--- In bolger@y..., David Ryan <david@c...> wrote:
> FBBB --
>
> I've got my AAA road atlas, but I can't find a way into the
> Mississippi River system from the Great Lakes. There must be some
way
> into the Ohio from Lake Erie, yes?
>
> YIBB,
>
> David
>
>
> CRUMBLING EMPIRE PRODUCTIONS
> 134 West 26th St. 12th Floor
> New York, New York 10001
>http://www.crumblingempire.com
> (212) 247-0296
FBBB --
I've got my AAA road atlas, but I can't find a way into the
Mississippi River system from the Great Lakes. There must be some way
into the Ohio from Lake Erie, yes?
YIBB,
David
CRUMBLING EMPIRE PRODUCTIONS
134 West 26th St. 12th Floor
New York, New York 10001
http://www.crumblingempire.com
(212) 247-0296
I've got my AAA road atlas, but I can't find a way into the
Mississippi River system from the Great Lakes. There must be some way
into the Ohio from Lake Erie, yes?
YIBB,
David
CRUMBLING EMPIRE PRODUCTIONS
134 West 26th St. 12th Floor
New York, New York 10001
http://www.crumblingempire.com
(212) 247-0296