ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A St. Pete man is back home after sailing almost 6,000 miles in a pontoon boat to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay.

Ronald McDonald supports families with kids in the hospital, providing them with a place to stay, meals and more.

What we know:

Darren Hayes left from Tierra Verde in June and returned in September. He slept on the 22-foot-long pontoon during the trip.

"We made our way down south around Florida, all the way up the East Coast, up to New York City," Hayes said.

"From New York City, we went north to the Erie Canal and I cut across the Ernie Canal, which was an amazing experience, and that led me to the Great Lakes. So, after crossing Lake Erie, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, I then got on the river system in Chicago an

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