ICW TEXAS COAST SHREVEPORT, LA TO BROWNSVILLE, TX

[Bill and Brenda Russell]

"Falcon" and crew arrived safe back at home in Stamps AR about 5:00 PM, March 26, 2008. Towing our boat back from Brownsville TX was long and Brenda and I are exhausted. We say a great big thanks to Jim and Joan for your hospitality far beyond imagination.

Bill and Brenda Russell

[Bill and Brenda Russell]

The Boat:
Our C-Dory 22 Cruiser 75 HP Honda is a great boat and performed with perfection all the way as it has for all our adventures (6537 miles). Camping out on the boat is a piece of cake but for my first mate booking a hotel room is sometimes necessary.

Going to Fast:
We made an effort to slow down and it's obvious that we just don't know how. Every day after breakfast we would get under way around 8:30 AM and cruise west until 2:00 PM when we would start looking for a place to anchor. Most of the time we would travel 30 or 40 miles before we could find a cove off the ICW that was not silted in at their entrance by the barge's prop wash. Shallow water off the ICW was almost immediate and we would run aground (muddy bottom) within a boat length.

Fuel:
Fuel was easy to find except in Port Arthur TX

Some Data:
Total Days 10
Total Miles on the Water 652.6
Average Miles Per Gallon 3.62
Total Fuel Gallons 153.4
Fuel Cost !#@!!?
Average Speed MPH 12 to 15
Weather good boating

The Agenda:
Well I wanted to travel all the ICW from Key West to Brownsville and keep my first mate happy at the same time.

Next Adventure:
Where will the next adventure be? There are many places to see in this different way, the great loop, the rivers of Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, and there are a few lakes that I have not visited in Arkansas. Cruising with another boat may be doubtful because we go to fast but that may be the only way we can learn to slow down.

Hospitality:
Anyone traveling highway 82 across south Arkansas is cordially invited to our home. We have no boating adventure but can offer a relief from the motel.


Bill and Brenda Russell