NUMB3RS

Here are a few interesting statistics...

We travelled approximately 1,800 nautical miles in 71 days. That is an average of 23.35 miles per day. Some days we went 40 or 50nm, others only 15 to 20...(and somedays we didn't move at all)! Our shortest day travelling was from South Benjamin Island to Hotham Bay...Our longest day, distance wise, was probably Pentwater to Grand Haven, but I will need to double check that when we get home (we shipped the charts back to Naples yesterday)...other long runs include Oswego to Picton, Lakefield to Bobcaygeon and Kirkfield to Orillia. But the longest day was Trenton to Campbellford where we went through 12 locks in one day ! Each lock takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes from start to finish. All total we went through 42 locks on the Trent Severn canal system and 7 on the Oswego.

We topped off the gas tank 4 times, which averaged out to $1,500 total spent on fuel...and we have more now than when we started in Brewerton. That calculates out to approximately .83 cents per mile. We cruised at an average speed of 7.2 knots; although when we were going through the locks, narrow channels, back waters and such that average was closer to 6 knots. We kicked it up to 10 knots a few times just to let her run warmer...

The deepest water we were in: Lake Michigan, 660 feet...the shallowest about 2 feet under the keel going back into the pool at Baia Fine.

During the 71 days on Ithaka, taking into consideration the nights we spent "on the wall", "on the hook" or at marinas, we averaged a little over $28. per night for accomodations.

We ate out a total of 5 nights, which does not include nights that we were treated to a home cooked meal by other loopers or the Labor Day Cook-out which cost us a whopping $4 bucks apiece! I did not tabulate groceries because I figure if we were home we'd have to eat, right? One thing is for certain, it is likely we would have eaten out more often if we had been home all summer....I will consider this a savings. Okay? We weighed ourselves yesterday for the first time since leaving home and let's just say our "score" is 15-love. Yes, for those of you who figured that one out, I've gained 15 pounds and Chip stayed the same! No excuses, but I must add that living within 5 steps in any direction of a refrigerator is not the best set up for me...Also, the old saying of, "it's 5 o'clock somewhere" has also taken on new meaning.

Last but not least, boat insurance. When Ithaka is in her homeport of Naples Florida, where there is a 6 month hurricane season, her insurance runs about $5,000 per year. For the 3 years it will take us to complete the loop, Ithaka's insurance is only $900. per year. I have determined that with the insurance savings plus the fact that the girls have done an extraordinary job running our business while we are away, it actually makes sense for us to stay away every summer! That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! Guess it's not so loopy to be a looper afterall!

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