Chicago down Mississippi

[boatted9]

My wife and I are considering sailing down the Might Miss starting in Chicago and continuing in the Gulf of Mexico. We will be sailing in a 38' sailboat in very nice condition. We will be living aboard and continue to do so. Any comments, suggestiions, advice? All thoughts most appreciated/

[rockDAWG]

A few year back, there is a Toronto Couple did that. They motored down to the Gulf and to Key West. Sailed to Caribbean and Island hoping for a few year. Then up the coast to NC to Bermuda. From Bermuda, they sailed to UK and then Mediterranean Sea.

Now they are back home.

I will look for their link tonite.

[sailortjk1]

Look up "Tenn-Tom Waterway".
The lower half of the Mississippi is very recreational boater UN-friendly.
Basically the route is Chicago/Calumet River, Ship Canal, Illinois River, Mississippi River, Ohio River, through Kentucky Lake and than the Tennessee River to the Tombigee water way; which final dumps you out in Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico or if you like the intercostal in the Florida Pan Handle.
This is the preferred route of most that want to make the trip.

THE TENNESSEE-TOMBIGBEE WATERWAY
WELCOME TO THE TENN-TOM WATERWAY

[PorFin]

Originally Posted by sailortjk1

Look up "Tenn-Tom Waterway".
The lower half of the Mississippi is very recreational boater UN-friendly.
Basically the route is Chicago/Calumet River, Ship Canal, Illinois River, Mississippi River, Ohio River, through Kentucky Lake and than the Tennessee River to the Tombigee water way; which final dumps you out in Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico or if you like the intercostal in the Florida Pan Handle.
This is the preferred route of most that want to make the trip.

THE TENNESSEE-TOMBIGBEE WATERWAY
WELCOME TO THE TENN-TOM WATERWAY

Tim's suggestion above is sound -- get off the Mississippi at Cairo and then take the more scenic and less heavily trafficked alternate route.

We did this trip in the fall of 2008. Do a search over on Anything Sailing to find the comments I made there at that time.

Feel free to PM me if you've got any questions -- I'm happy to share.

All the best,
PF

[boatted9]

Your posts and comments will be very helpful. It will be a while befofre we are ready to go, but this gives us good research info. We'll keep in touch. Many thanks.

[badsanta]

check out America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association lots of people do this trip and this group has access to current information. Have a great trip!

[SusanBob]

I would strongly agree with Sailortjk1. 2 days ago we left the Mississippi River and got on the Ohio. Today we are on the Tennessee heading for Kentucky Lake. The current was a slow go up the Ohio for us. We have a 15 hp Yanmar, but we made it. The water is much more smooth then the Miss. The Mississippi south of St. Louis is very blah. We put our sailboat in at Pepin, WI on May 5th and headed down the Miss on May 25th. We are loving the Tennessee River. I would recommend cutting off the Mississippi at Ohio & taking that route.

[SusanBob]

We have posted lots of information about the Mississippi River north of the Ohio on this site.... Bob & Susie's Big Adventure