See full version: Can I Moor; Anchor My Boat Anywhere
Harbors with permanent moorings have restrictions on anchoring too close to established fields. Submerged cables are a common reason for anchoring prohibitions, but those are often marked with indicators on land and always on charts. more
Anchoring your boat is using your own ground tackle (anchor and rode) to secure your vessel. Anchoring is short term, as you will not be leaving the boat unattended for long periods it is safer to use a less permanent means of securing the boat.
When you leave your boat somewhere, you want to know it will be there and be safe when you come back for it. But marinas are expensive and not always where you want the boat to be. There are options though, if you take some care.
Do not pick up a mooring if you do not know who owns it. You never know when the owner will return, or how large of a boat the mooring is rated to hold.
. The popular looper route will have you going up the Ohio River near Cairo, Illinois with just a short distance to the Tennessee River and eventually back down the Ten-Tom (Tennessee-Tombigbee) Waterway all the way to freedom from a landlocked existance in Mobile, Alabama. You can also stay the course on the Mississippi River south past Memphis , Tennessee and on through more
. This is a downstream run, so while your mast won’t be up, your iron genny will still get some help from Mother Nature. As you meander past
and making your way to saltwater may not sound as enticing, but there are some perks, so read on! You’ll essentially be completing the western portion of the Great Loop as you exit southern Lake Michigan at Chicago via the Chicago River and shortly thereafter the
, you’ll see some of the heartland to both starboard and port. The Illinois River will eventually dump you into the Mississippi River just north of
The Great Loop is a continuous waterway that recreational mariners can travel that includes part of the Atlantic, Gulf Intracoastal Waterways, the Great Lakes, Canadian Heritage Canals, and the inland rivers of America's heartland. Anyone who completes the journey is then named an official 'Looper.'
Map showing the Great Loop (image courtesy of Raven Cove Publishing). here
How does a boater embark on the Great Loop? If you start in Chicago, continue south in a counter-clockwise direction to take advantage of the river currents that run into the Mississippi River. While a few people stay on the Mississippi all the way to the Gulf of Mexico, most 'Loopers' choose to exit at the Tennessee River to avoid heavy barge traffic on the larger waterway. This path leads to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, which also flows to the Gulf. here
For a safe and enjoyable trip, there are a few things to consider when traveling the Great Loop—a great amount of time, a boat with less than a five foot draft to travel inland waterways, NOAA nautical charts, and a NOAA radio. Along the way, it is possible to visit a number of national marine sanctuaries and estuarine research reserves. more
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