Travel Day #1

And we are off! I will be putting my notes in these Travel Day posts, mainly to help me figure out what the heck I am doing. I am sure my notes will become briefer as time goes on, except as we go down the inland rivers. I plan on 1-2 hours a night of travel planning, not counting talking with other Loopers on the docks.

Travel days for cruising our motor yacht are a lot different than the RV. More planning and the United States Coast Guard recommends we file a Float Plan with family. This way if we don’t show up or contact our family, they can contact the Coast Guard. We have only authorized our kids to make that call as we are in daily, or near daily contact with them. They know where we are, what we are doing and where we should be.

Click here to download the USCG Float Plan example.
Phone numbers for USCG offices can be found here.

Yep, the weather has pushed us back a day. The plan was to leave in the morning on the 20th, but the weather looks better on Thursday, so Thursday it is! This is supposed to be fun, so we are going to try and not go in bad weather.

Initial Plan
Date: September 20, 2023 – changed to September 21, 2023
Route name in Aqua Maps: TD: Sept. 21, 23 (Sheboygan to Kenosha)
Nebo Link: Click here
Crew: Captain Scott, 1st Mate Rita, & K9 Jazzy
Start at: 9:00 am
End at: 5:00 pm
Total Time: 7:58
Distance: 82.7
Fuel Plan: 120 gallons
Mid stop: Milwaukee
Long stop: NA

Weather Prediction
Date/Time Check: 09/19/23 @ 6:30 pm
Leaving from: Sheboygan @ 8:00 am

Arrive at: Kenosha @ 4:00 pm

Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: 8 mph, gusts to 12 mph, out of the East
Temp: 72 degrees
Waves: 1′ from the East, 0′ swell with 2.4 sec period
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 7 mph, gusts to 11 mph, out of the E
Temp: 72 degrees
Waves: 1.5′, direction 144 degrees, 3.0 second wave period
Windfinder:
Wind: 7 mph, gusts to xx mph, out of the SE
Temp: xx degrees
Waves: xx’ from the xx, xx sec wave period
Ventusky:
Wind: 8 mph, out of the ESE
Temp: 72degrees
Waves: NA
Wunderground:
Wind: 8 mph, gusts to xx mph, out of the ESE
Temp: 73 degrees
Waves: NA

Weather Prediction
Date/Time Check: 09/12/23 @ 11:15 am
Leaving from: Sheboygan @ 8:00 am

Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: NA
Temp: NA
Waves: NA
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 10 mph, gusts to 16 mph, out of the S
Temp: 66 degrees
Waves: 2′, direction 168.6 degrees, 3.4 second wave period
Windfinder:
Wind: 11 mph, gusts to 20 mph, out of the south
Temp: 67 degrees
Waves: NA
Ventusky:
Wind: 17 mph, gusts to 25 mph, out of the south
Temp: 68 degrees
Waves: NA
Wunderground:
Wind: 11 mph, out of the south
Temp: 62 degrees
Waves: NA

Arrive at: Kenosha @ 4:00 pm

Windy (ECMWF):
Wind: NA
Temp: NA
Waves: NA
Predict Wind (PWG):
Wind: 12 mph, gusts to NA mph, out of the 161 degrees
Temp: 77 degrees
Waves: 1.6′, direction 145.3 degrees, 3.2 second wave period
Windfinder:
Wind: NA
Temp: NA
Waves: NA
Ventusky:
Wind: 11 mph, out of the south east
Temp: 86 degrees
Waves: NA
Wunderground:
Wind: 11 mph, gusts to xx mph, out of the xx
Temp: 74 degrees
Waves: NA