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Merry Christmas Everyone. Here's an update on Only In America if anyone gives a hoot. Please keep in mind, although we have secured most of the funding for the adventure, it's not soup yet.

We are also in disucssions with a few charities who we can support and provide positive exposure along the way. We are looking for a charity that supports our troops if anyone knows a small, but nationally based charity with whom we could speak.

Only In America 2011:

We will be departing Norfolk on June 8 and arriving in Boston Harbor for the Fourth of July.

Our first goal, besides raising the money to actually take this journey, is to organize a flotilla of Whalers who will head up the Potomac. The goal: Meet the President of the United States. Nothing political, just a genuine message from citizens to be a good steward. We may never meet the man but we are going to do everything we know to make it happen. And who knows, we may just succeed.

After stopping in Annapolis, Only In America will head up the Delaware River to Philadelphia and on to Trenton where we hope to Cross The Delaware just like General Washington (still not 100% sure the Delaware is navigable to this point . . .).

We will then head up the New Jersey ICW to New York City to Long Island Sound, Block Island Sound, Buzzard's Bay to our final destination Boston.

Our final goal is a parade of boats through Boston Harbor on the 4th of July, with a veteran and American Flag aboard each boat.

The entire trip will encompass 1,260 miles in 28 days.

There you have it, all the news that's fit to print, at least as of today.

Thank you for your continued interest, support and e-mails. They mean a lot.

John

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John,

I thought you guys were going to make the run from Key West to New Orleans?

Merry Christmas to you, your family and OIA crew!! Good luck brother.

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HeyCliff:

Thanks for the reply. Key West to Boston was the original itinerary. Comes down to time and money. Okay, really money. If we can find the funding we will definately start in Key West. Presently talking with Boston Whaler, West Marine and Samuel Adams (beer), so there is a chance! That being said, as of today we are looking at Norfolk to Boston.

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John:

I thought you were making the run to New Orleans as well. Oh well, money is usually the deciding factor in anything. The trip will still be really cool and I wish you the best of luck. My son and myself will be keeping tabs on your postings and tracking your journey. It would still be really cool if you could make New Orleans. Did I mention that I live outside of New Orleans! ;)

I was going to send you an email the other day. My son just recently took his autographed copy of Only in America to school for "Show and Tell" Real cool!

Good luck to you and the crew of Sunshine. Merry Christmas.

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The plan is, when we are successful this year, to eventually make the run to New Orleans and back to our original starting point. We plan to do this over over four to five summers. Certainly optomistic but, what the hey, 99% of the people out there said we couldn't do in the first time.

So, to make a short post long . . . eventually we will make it to New Orleans upon which we will definately look you up.

Thanks for your continued interest and support. And, I may have sold a whole bunch of books but, "show and tell" now that's something!

I'm not sure if you've had a chance to see our website lately. There's a bunch of info regarding our test trip this summer and our plans for 2011.

www.onlyinamerica.us.com

John

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Why is this Only in America? What is the point?

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Geo, read the book "Only in America" and you'll know why.

Nick, if John and his OIA crew end their next trip in New Orleans, expect a visitor from Dallas and we will both go down there in our Whalers and meet him!!

John, I can't wait to see the OIA episodes!!

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John, Best of luck on another adventure. Before I read your book I didn't know there was a "great loop" since then I have read many captain's daily logs of people who have cruised the "great loop" in boats of all types. It has provided me with hundreds of hours of great reading and opened up a whole new world of adventure. I am a fairly new member of the Florence Twp. Yacht Club located on the Delaware River south of Trenton. I will be following your progress on this trip. Hopefully I will see you on the river as you make your way to Trenton.

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This Houstonian will do everything I can to meet up in NOLA as well. Maybe we can convince John to continue on through the La. swamps and over to Galveston!

Dennis

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Cliff:

Sounds great! If I don't see you in Toledo Bend first, I will see you in NOLA!

Only in America!

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Can you post more info on the trip?
Is it doable in a '59 model 13'?

USN vet, my son was downtown Bagdad the day the statue fell.

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Hey Jack:

Below pleas find a quick synopsis. However, this doesn't explain all the mistakes we made and the beauty of the land and our fellow Americans. Have to read the book to get all the details.

Okay, here comes the shameless plug. If you order your book today you can still have it for Christmas. Fits in most stockings as well. www.onlyinamerica.us.com Be sure and let me know to whom you would like your copy signed.

Down And Dirty Synopsis

100 miles a day is easily doable in my 17 Montauk. Whatever TIME you have scheduled to make a 100 mile run, add 75%. Haven't really figured out why. There are certainly exceptions but this is a good rule of thumb. Simply have to be smarter than the weather but, know you will run into something and be prepared. Locals love to impart their knowledge, so ask a lot of questions. (I'm probably not giving you any information you don't already know. But hey, I like to write, and you asked.)

There are certain sections where you would have no problem in a 13-footer. ICW from Ft. Laudedale to Norfolk, except maybe for some of the Sounds, particularly Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds (sp) in NC.

Chesapeake Bay can get nasty, especially the northern section, at least when we were there. New Jersey ICW is smooth and you also learn why they call NJ the Garden State. Their is a 40 mile open water run to New York Harbor in the Atlantic.

Their are no atheists in the Hudson River Valley and their are no issues with the river and the Erie Canal. Locks take a long time and can get pretty hot in the summer. Put two or three locks together and keep an eye on your beer intake. Then comes the Great Lakes. Beautiful country, great people, brutal bodies of water. Storms come out of nowhere and seas turn from flat calm to 6-8 foot waves in 30 minutes. Bring extra fuel for longer runs.

Rivers below Chicago no issue. Can get a little choppy but no problem for a 13-foot Whaler. Huge commercial locks on the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee Rivers. Lots of tow and barge traffic. Scary vessels.

24 years ago definitely needed Gerry Jugs for extra fuel on the lower Tenn Tom Waterway and Tombigbee River. Lots of critters in the water as you get deeper into the south. That and, although beyond friendly, the locals can be difficult to understand.

Then you arrive in New Orleans. Wow, what a City!

I recommend the Waterway Guides. Order them and start mapping your voyage, really gets the excitement flowing. Tell them I sent you and they'll charge you double.

Hope this helps,
John

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Jack,

In May 2009 I put over 60 miles in two days in our 1966 13' Whaler and let me tell you, my back was killing me. Unless you have some sort of center console and a way to stand while driving your Whaler so as to have some of the shock absorbed by your legs, your back will seriously suffer. I can only assume that if your son was in Bagdad the day the statue fell that he is at least 26 years old right now which puts you in your late 40's or early 50's...... Riding a 13' for that distance is certainly something left to the teens and 20 somethings....lol....just sayin'.

After reading OIA, I too had visions of making a huge long distance journey in our 13' as John did in his Montauk. After the 60 miles in two days jaunt, I changed my mind. Not trying to talk you out of it....just want you to think about it and considering making the trip in a 17' or larger.

Oh, BTW, U.S. Navy (Ret.) 1984-2005

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Nick!!

Toledo Bend first to catch big 'ole Bass and discuss the trip to NOLA!! (Beer discussion too of course) ;-)

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Thanks John,
Thanks Cliff,
May have to reconsider the 13, I had a hip replaced in 2000 and have problems in my back to boot. Good guess on the age 27 and 53. USN straight from high school in '76.