Why We Did It, What We Learned

. . . On America’s Great Loop

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”                      Mark Twain

It may be hard to understand what the gold Great Loop burgee means to us. The simple answer is it symbolizes an accomplishment -- completing the Loop. We flew a white Looper flag for a year until we crossed the spot where our Loop began. The gold flag means we graduated. 

We’ve learned to dock in all kinds of conditions, lock through in all types of locks, and sail in all weather. Just as we got really good (we like to think), the trip ended.

The more complex answer about what the gold flag means is it represents people who have “sailed away from the safe harbor,” as Mark Twain said. The flag represents the adventure of our lifetimes . . . so far.

It’s a life-changing experience

We’ve learned how to live with someone in a tiny space and still stay married. Some days were better than others, on both sides. We pitched in to help other cruisers without consciously thinking about it, as they did for us. We became part of a cruising community helping each other. We learned how to live day to day with Mother Nature calling the shots. We learned to live with little – a plastic box of clothes, a tiny refrigerator, limited food storage, limited water, a small bathroom. It opened our eyes to how much excess we have at home.

We were graced to see what a glorious world God created, even if we saw just a piece of it. We didn’t love everywhere we went. As Eddy on Spiritus said, “The Great Loop is like a Whitman’s Sampler. You get the whole box of chocolates. Then you decide what you like best and want more of.” We’d go back to everywhere on the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Florida, the Everglades, the Chesapeake, Lake Champlain, Georgian Bay and Lake Michigan. Those “chocolates” should keep us busy for a while.

The People Make the Trip Special

The rest of this post is dedicated to the people who helped us get started and the people we've met along the way. As we head toward what Loopers call our “dirt home,” we want to thank each person in these photos and those we only have memories of for being part of our incredible journey. We’ve learned so much on the Loop, we’ve seen so much, and we’ve met such amazing, wonderful people! We’ll always remember this experience.

Trish and Bob, Pogopelli, at Jones Creek
anchorage, Tennessee River.

Stan and Annie, Cay Cat, with Kent (c.),
at Green Cove Springs.

John and Anita, Outrageous, Kent and Jane,
Carina, at Boca Grande

Paul, Hooligan, at Big Lagoon

Ned and Brigetta, at their home
in Shalimar

Chris, diver, at Bay Point Marina, Panama City

Larry and Linda, Island Attitude, 
at White City Docks.

"The gang," at C-Quarters Marina, Carrabelle

David and Pat, Sanctuary, and Kent (r.), in Tarpon Springs

Juan, diver, at Turtle Cove Marina, Tarpon Springs

Christelle and Gary, Time & Tide, at Tarpon Springs

Christmas parade, Outward Bound Everglades City Base Camp instructors

Jeff, facilities manager,
Outward Bound Everglades
City Base Camp

Bernie and Maeve, Outward Bound
Everglades City Base Camp

Anne, nutritionist and base
camp cook, Outward Bound

Trish and Kelly, Outward Bound Everglades
City Base Camp

Boot Key Harbor Christmas Pot Luck, Tiki Hut

Alan, mooring ball neighbor, at Boot
Key Harbor

David, SALT, installing solar panels,
at Marathon Marina and Boatyard

Steve, mooring ball neighbor,
lead guitar with Eric Stone, at Salty's,
Marathon

Roy and Yasmine, Yasmine Anne, at Salty's
Restaurant and Bar, Marathon

Ron and Judy, Pioneer, at Boot Key Harbor

Jane and Kent, Carina, Bonnie and Sid, Fiu,
Bucket Night at the Sunset Grille, Marathon

Marathon friends, Mardi Gras, Boot Key Harbor

Walt and Pat, Waves of Grace, at Marathon

Mary, Judy, Jane and Carol, Saturday at the Tiki Hut,
Boot Key Harbor

Joey and Jim, My Pleasure, Saturday night
at the Tiki Hut, Boot Key Harbor

Gary (person) and Alex (dog), Toto, Too,
at Eau Gallie anchorage

Denise and Hamp, Gracie, at Darien, Georgia

Kent and Squirt (l.), Janey and Chuck, at Charleston

Chris and Dorcas, Dorcas Ann,
at Ingram Bay Marina, Virginia

Allen and friends, at Pungo
Creek Marina, N.C.

Captain Billy of Ingram Bay
Marina, and Jane

Captain Tim, at Delaware City Marina,
conducts daily cruisers meeting.

Kent (l.) and John, Harbor Host,
Staten Island, at Great Kills Yacht Club

Fred,Tug44, at Fort Edwards, N.Y.,
free dock

Mike and Cindy, Aurora, at Chambly, Quebec, on the Richelieu Canal, Canada

Robert who locked us through three times and
Laurie-Anne, Parks Canada, at Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue

Carol and Henri, Idylle, Rideau Canal
stairstepped locks at Ottawa

Looper Docktails at Killarney, Canada

Mike (c.), Irish Attitude, shared Lake Michigan knowledge
with Steve and Meredith, Free At Last, (our towing heroes 
later on the Ohio River) and Kent (r.)

Brad, Kent's second cousin,
and Kent, at Crowley's
Boat Yard, Chicago

Mike and Cindy (front left), Aurora, and
Larry and Cindy, Bucket List, celebrated
crossing their wakes at Grafton, Illinois

Eddy and Linda, Spiritus, sing a
specially written "wake crossing song"
to Mike and Cindy, Aurora, at Alton.

Kent's Cousin David (l.) visiting us
at Alton Marina

Grace and Jeff, Sea Glide, at Hoppie's Marina,
on the Mississippi River

At Hoppie's Marina looper meeting, Fern makes a point with Kent (r.) while Vivian,
Aye Candy, takes it all in.

Dan and Peggy, Lake Effect,
at Green Turtle Bay

Looper docktails at Clifton Marina, Tennessee River.

Dottie, Down Time, and Al, Always 5 O'Clock, greet
us at Grand Harbor.

Jane (l.) and Kent (r.) celebrate their gold Great Loop burgee with Linda and Eddy (c.),
Spiritus, who earned theirs at the same spot two days before we did.

When all is said and done, the Great Loop is all about the people. It's the people we'll remember best.