Month: July 2017
River Roots: Exploring the Mississippi Delta
The Mississippi River Delta Region spreads across eight states: Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. Traveling along its many waterways — including the Mississippi, Yazoo, Atchafalaya, Ohio and Tennessee rivers — offers a myriad of wonders along a vast cultural, historic and geographic landscape. No matter what your interest, for boaters, the […] Read More
The Complete Listing of Marinas and Locks on the Inland and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways
Boating With Man’s Best Friend
My first experience boating with a cat did not go well, and ended up as an exercise in the proper use of a landing net to get the panicked feline back aboard our pontoon boat. Twice. Same with a dog. After a calm afternoon float in the family center console, the canine bailed off the […] Read More
Wake Management 101
I took my first course in wake management as a know-it-all teen. I had rebuilt and just finished breaking in the original engine of my 1948 Chris-Craft runabout and was itching to firewall the throttle, which I did on a narrow stretch of Florida’s Indian River. Now, if you enjoy going fast and are concerned […] Read More
NOAA 2017 Hurricane Predictions
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says the Atlantic could see another above-normal hurricane season from June 1 to November 30 this year. Forecasters predict a 45-percent chance of an above-normal season, with a 70-percent likelihood of 11 to 17 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which five to nine could […] Read More
Best Places to Fish and Boat
Country music star Luke Bryan likes J Percy Priest Reservoir in Tennessee, while fellow singer Justin Moore prefers De Gray Lake in Arkansas. Bob Jenson, TV host of “Fishing in the Midwest,” picks Clear Lake in Iowa. Columbia Sportswear athlete and professional angler Cindy Ngyuyen? Texas City Dike in Texas. What exactly are we talking […] Read More
TowBoatUS Starved Rock Opens
Captain Gareth Stamm, who began operating TowBoatUS Joliet on the Illinois River last year, has extended his service westward, with the opening of TowBoatUS Starved Rock, an on-water towing and assistance service for recreational boaters. “This is an incredibly popular recreational-boating area,” Stamm said, noting that his Joliet base was too far away to give […] Read More
Coast Guard Releases New Safety Statistics
The Coast Guard’s 2016 Recreational Boating Statistics report shows that boating fatalities nationwide last year totaled the highest number on record in the last five years. From 2015 to 2016, deaths increased 12 percent from 626 to 701, injuries increased 11.1 percent from 2,613 to 2,903, and the total number of accidents increased 7.3 percent […] Read More