Sandpiper's Horseshoe Loop Plans

R

rich&judym

New member
After a winter of planning the Sandpiper and crew are headed Alabama way to cruise the Horseshoe. We will begin in Eufaula, Al. and end up in Montgomery Al. approximately three weeks later. This is a cruise route we discovered on El and Bill's Halcyon Days web site and thought it would be a good spring time cruise. We have been checking the weather and river reports and hope they cooperate. We will be joined by the Pelican from Putnum, Il. Plan is to leave after Easter. The route up from Mobile Bay will include the Blakely, Tensaw and Mobile Rivers until we hit the Alabama River and continue to Montgomery. Will carry 55-gals. of fuel to make it to Millers Ferry Marina, 180-miles from Mobile. Have USACE photo maps, NOAA charts of the Gulf ICW and cruising guides. If any C-brats have recent knowledge of the areas we would appreciate your input.

Rich, Judy and Molly Dog
 
Have a great trip, folks. We'll be thinking of Sandpiper - put up some posts so we can see how your cruise is going. You'll be in some beautiful country at a wonderful time of year. Bon voyage!
 
You should have a blast! But, I would call Millers to make sure how they are. Have a friend who lives on the AL river, down river side of the Selma Lock & Dam. He reported the highest water levels in 15-20 years last week....prior to the latest rains. More than likely a Corp site that you can see/monitor the water levels ...and, it just may be worth looking in to. Also, you may want to get a pre-filter as to run the fuel from Millers into your tanks...or, find out where their fuel is stored. High waters, not yet spring time for new fuel loads may also be some questions to ask. I think when we got Halcyon back up into Montgomery...there were some quality fuel issues. You should be fine with the fuel you take on in the Mobile area. But, up the Alabama River.... you will spend a lot of time all alone. Great trip.
Pic below of Halcyon and Jabez docked out in Montgomery Marina after Halcyon completed the shoe. Great time.
Halcyon_Jabes_Montgomery_Marina_AL_River.jpg
Byrdman[/img]
 
I would check to see if you will have to jerry can fuel at Miller's ferry. Spring run offs bring deeper water (generally not a problem), but also higher currents.
 
El and Bill,
Thanks for the words of encouragement.

Byrdman and thataway,
Thanks for the heads up on the fuel at Millers Ferry. I talked to them and they said the river had been high but was receding and the trash and the current on the river have gotten better. I will touch base with them prior to leaving Mobile Bay. If the conditions are not favorable, we can either stop at Mobile or possibly go up the Tenn Tom north bound. At this time the NOAA river stages are showing all green except for Blountstown on the Apalachicola river, meaning no flooding. Have been on the upper Miss. River during high water, and made it. Just have to be careful.

Rich, Judy and Molly Dog
 
OK, I'll bite! Googled "Horseshoe Loop map" and got a lot of stuff, but notA route for a cruise! Can somebody put up a map of where this cruise takes you? JIM - NONE OF YOUR PHONEY-BALONEY MAPS EITHER!!!!
 
For the newcomers, I once led with my jaw and asked Jim for a map of his route on the Trent-Severn...

NYMap4Pat.sized.jpg

Still one of the funnier things on this site...
 
I don't have a map, but the route starts in Alabama/Georgia State line at Eufaula, (You can start further North if yo want at Columbus or La Grange Georgia). You go down the Chattachoochee river South Bound along the Ga, Al border, into Florida to Lake Seminole. Then down the Apalachicola River, and to the Gulf Coast inter Coastal waterway. Thus East bound to Mobile Bay, and basically up the Mobile River to the Alabama River, as far as Montgomery. The Tensaw and Bradley rivers are a bit of a red herring--the most direct and easiest route is up the Mobile River. I have been to many of these places in my RV in the last few weeks. The run off depends a lot on how much rain we have in the South.

So far the Alabama River has been semi maintained as a commercial waterway, although there is minimal barge traffic. Thus no real marinas along the route until you get to Montgomery. The distance from fuel in Mobile to fuel in Montgomery is some where close to 300 miles. Miller's ferry is a landing and park where there is a small (and basically the only) marina in this river section. There are 3 locks and dams which must be transversed. A question in my mind is if these locks will be continued to be maintained and manned, due to the low volume of traffic. The trip is a way to see very rural Alabama and some of Florida--some places that time seems to have forgotten.
 
An easy way to visualize the route - south down the eastern border of Alabama, then westerly along the southern border of the state along the Gulf to Mobile, then northeast to the center of Alabama - all on water. Great state for boating!
 
An easy way to visualize the route - south down the eastern border of Alabama, then westerly along the southern border of the state along the Gulf to Mobile, then northeast to the center of Alabama - all on water. Great state for boating!
 
I was hoping for a Rube Goldberg type of a map from Jim.
I attended Purdue the RG contest was a major event for the engineering students
 
Sandpiper and crew left Eufaula, Al. on April 7th and completed the cruise on April 19th. in Montgomery, Al. Weather was excellent all the way. Met a bunch of fine folks everywhere we stopped. A few pictures are posted in our photo album. Headed out next week on the Miss. River for some fishing and to the Apostle Islands after the 4th of July.

Rich & Judy
 
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