Cruising the Gulf Coast

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Simplicity

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We've cruised all the intracoastal except the stretch between Mobile and south Texas and we're thinking about cruising from Panama city to South Texas in early April. With the problems that have befallen the Gulf we're wondering if most facilities have been rebuilt and if fuel is readily available.
We're getting the most recent waterway guide but hoped some C brats might have
experiences to share.
Thanks for any info. Alan
 
Simplicity":252fnvik said:
We've cruised all the intracoastal except the stretch between Mobile and south Texas and we're thinking about cruising from Panama city to South Texas in early April. With the problems that have befallen the Gulf we're wondering if most facilities have been rebuilt and if fuel is readily available.
We're getting the most recent waterway guide but hoped some C brats might have
experiences to share.
Thanks for any info. Alan
Click to expand...

I took my c-22 from Pensacola to Brownsville, TX and back last year.(about 1800 miles). I was gone the entire moth of May. I had no problem finding fuel and/ or facilities.
It is a great trip. I did have a bit of a weather issue. The wind blew from 20 to 30k the entire trip. It made crossing those bays in Tx a chore. All the locals said they had never seen anything like it.(The wind) and that it had been blowing since Jan. I think this year is going to be fine. You'll have a great trip. Enjoy.

Roger
 
Time limited out on me to be able to edit the other post.

I did do a blog on the trip. It is here: http://superloop2009.blogspot.com/

I bought a new at the time waterway guide. You are welcome to use it. I mainly used it to price the cost of fuel. I'd call all the places around where I would be needing fuel and see who had the best price. Sometimes there was a big difference. I found free places to dock every night. Fuel when I started the trip was at about $1.90 and when I ended it was $2.05. I spent right at $1k on fuel. It was a trip that I would do again but I've still got 9,000 miles of the LOOP to do first :)

As time gets closer I can pass along some must do things.
 
Thanks Roger. We'll definitely check out the Blog. We did the loop in 2008 and you might want to see my wife Linda's blog. We ran into a couple of Gales on the east coast also but it was a fun trip. The North channel and Georgian bay were probably our favorite areas.
Alan


http:\\voyageofsimplicity.blogspot.com
 
I live on the Mississippi gulf coast, you will not have any problems with fuel,you can call me and I will help with local info if you like
 
The runs thru Lousiania have somewhat limited fuel stops--such as just out side of New Orleans, Houma, Morgan City, and Lake Charles. But there are plenty of places to stop along the way. Run up to the Tobasco Plant on Avary Island for example. If you stop in one of the side channels at night, anchor near the bank and bow and stern, so you will not drift out into the center of the channel. Sometimes crew boats come by at 3AM. I prefer not to run the ICW in that area after dark.

You might check on the status of the Industerial Locks--there have been some repair works going on there. You will find areas not rebult--but plenty of marine infrastructure exists.
 
alan,

You should have no problems, We will be running the ICW April 21-24 between New Orleans and Sargent.

I roam the area between Beaumont and Matagorda and know it very well.

We have been discussing a C Dory trip from Galveston to Brownsville with See-Saw sometime this spring.

Keep us posted when you narrow down the dates.

Tex and Sharon
 
Somewhere I read that the industrial lock will be closed till Fall.I think there's an alternate route. For some reason the New Orleans stretch is a little intimidating to us. Strong currents and a lot of barge traffic?
We hate to bring the AC but I guess if we're in Texas in late April and May we need to lug it with us.
Thanks for the info everyone
Alan & Linda
 
We have been up and down the gulf coast in the ICW from Mermentau River in Louisiana to South Padre Island at the Texas-Mexico Border.

Fuel is not an issue once you get to Lake Charles, LA, where I would recommend the Bowtie Marina in Contraband bayou. The Port Arthur Marina had not yet been rebuilt as of 2009 after hurricane Rita. Everything else is up and running.

The "Guide to cruising Texas Southern and Central Coast" by Jay and Buffy Corzine has good up-to-date information. Between this and Skipper Bob's Cruising the Gulf Coast, you should be fine. Campbell's Guide to Cruising Texas has long been out of print, but if you can get a second-hand copy of the 2003 or 2006 edition, it still has tons of useful information. They keep threatening to bring out a new edition, but I have my doubts. Check their web site but don't hold your breath.

In addition to the standard NOAA charts, Hook-N-Line charts for the Texas coast have good supplementary information.

When you get to Galveston, you should come up Galveston Bay to Clear Lake. Lots of things to do!
 
Dr. Bob how do you attach the endless breeze to the front hatch ?

I love the fan it works great just trying to figure out what others have done . bringing the A/C is a pain I still havent decided on the top rv A/C yet . I've looked at a few I cant find the low profile models that will run on 1000 watt or shore power
 
I use two 1/2" or 5/8" dowel rods across the hatch, and then elecrical tie to the fan, if you need more stability. Hatch open at about 60 degrees, screen in, to keep the misquitos out!

I don't know of any roof AC for an RV which will run on 1000 watts. The 5000 BTU units from WalMart will, and fit in the forward opening widows of the C Dory 22 and 25--I assaume also in the 23. There are built in units, such as Mermaid, 5000 btu which will run on the 1000 watt generator. Many of the RV roof tops will not even run on the 2000 watt generator. The lower (8300) BTU Coleman polar cubs do fine on the 2000 watt Honda generators.
 
We're heading West but not sure we'll make it all the way to South Texas because we got a late start. The fog has been bad the last three days but made it to point cadet marina in Biloxi. Allen and Genie, we sent you a PM.
Alan
 
The walmart special 5000 btu does not fit in the cape cruiser 23 window it's an inch to big tried everywhichway no luck might buy a cruiseair 5000 that fits in a hatch ? They still make dometric and the cub A/C I guess carrier low profile are not being built sold ?? The dometric and cub are to high I would like to see a 7-9 inch one still searching for A/C heaven
 
jennykatz":1kf1dlhe said:
The walmart special 5000 btu does not fit in the cape cruiser 23 window it's an inch to big tried everywhichway no luck might buy a cruiseair 5000 that fits in a hatch ? They still make dometric and the cub A/C I guess carrier low profile are not being built sold ?? The dometric and cub are to high I would like to see a 7-9 inch one still searching for A/C heaven
Click to expand...

Here is a low cost option for A/C less than $100, add the duct and hose and just place the hose thru the hatch or window. The A/C can be placed on the dock or deck. Buy the ac with remote control, we bought one at Walmart for about $85.00. Same idea as the Pet Cool dog house A/C.

remote10.jpg


dog-house-heater-ac_B.jpg
 
We're at Seabrook marina near nawlins and the owner has told us he doesn't think gas will be available for at least 180 miles until intracoastal city. Roger do you or anyone else know of a place to fuel up around Houma or Morgan city?
We might make 180 miles but it would be close.We didn't bring gas cans but might have to get some.
 
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