CRUISING AMERICA'S GREAT LOOP

Cruising at an average speed near 8-mph for approximately 140- 'cruising' days averaging only about 45 miles a day - this voyage will take you near 6,000 miles around North America. Cruising by the seasons provides the safest most comfortable weather and gives you 200 days or more (if you wish), for relaxing, being a tourist & having fun ashore.  Depending on your detours and side trips. Your adventure can take you thru 22 States or more, and 2 great Provinces in Canada. Unlike crossing oceans, where at times the nearest human might be an astronaut in the Space Station, you will be cruising inland along the Gulf & Atlantic Intracoastal Waterways, inland lakes, rivers, and manmade canals with other boaters while passing hundreds of exciting destinations, restaurants and Marinas all along the way. 

You also have the option of cruising an 'all USA' route thru the Erie Canal to the Great Lakes, or with a Passport or Nexis Card, exploring Canada's beautiful Heritage Canals that can take you safely to Ottawa, Montreal & Quebec, and back thru the Trent Severn Canal to Georgian Bay, North Channel and Lake Michigan. Both routes reunite at Mackinac Island, where Lake Michigan takes you to Chicago, and on to the Illinois River, down the Mississippi to the Ohio & Tennessee River which will take you to the Gulf ICW.  

Once you toss your lines to begin this voyage, we guarantee within a month, you will wonder what on earth ever made you think this was going to be difficult or dangerous. This voyage is just as safe as making 140-day trips in your boat averaging 45 miles a day at about 8-mph. You never need (or should) cruise before or after daylight.

Your voyage will take you around and through the eastern half of North America. While the Great Loop itself is near 6,000 miles; it also connects you with to 12,000 miles of optional side trips & destinations. You will be amazed at all the places you can go in your very own boat.

From Miami to Mackinac Island, to Mobile to Mexico, and from Chicago to Chattanooga, Knoxville and from Beaufort to Boston, and New York to New Orleans, your journey is filled with hundreds of fabulous destinations, including big lively cities, small towns, quant villas, enchanting Vistas & fabulous hidden gems. With all its connected inland waterways, you can take your boat as close to the tropics of the equator as it can the Arctic Circle, and thanks to over 100 Locks, your vessel will go from sea level to an elevation almost 1,000' above it. Whether you're boating through the stunning Heritage Canals or along the Erie Canal, there is adventure at every turn and incredible destinations at every bend in the rivers. From waterfront Restaurants & Tiki Bars and Ice cream Parlors to Lighthouses, Museums, Mansions, Vineyards, and Fishing Villages, you will discover irresistible places that will tempt you off your boat to stop, shop, stay and linger. Previous Loopers call this "The Adventure of a Lifetime", and it will be absolutely shocking to discover all the wonderful and interesting places it will take you.  From Kentucky Lake and the Tennessee River, one can take the Cumberland River to Nashville or take the Tennessee River on to Chattanooga & Knoxville.

Your boat doesn't need to be new, big, fast or expensive.  It simply must be safe, suitable, seaworthy and at least semi-comfortable for long-distance cruising and living aboard, and extremely fuel-efficient and easily overall affordable.

* Height above the water - Your vessel must be able to clear a 19' 7" fixed bridge located just south of Chicago. This is the lowest fixed bridge on the entire Great Loop we ALL must go under. It is a Looper's only waterway connection between the Great Lakes & Inland rivers.

* If you are able to clear 15' 6" fixed bridges you can cruise the full-length of the Erie Canal. If not, there are detours around them.

* Draft or depth under the water - We recommend a fully loaded draft (depth under the water) be no deeper than 4' 6" and less will be better and less stressful. For those cruising the Trent Severn and Canada's Heritage Canals, there is a maximum draft of 5'.

* Beam or width - maximum is 23'. 

* Fuel Range - To be safe, we also strongly recommend a fuel range of 275 miles. Currently the very minimum (no reserve) fuel range is 208 miles between Hoppies Marina & Paducah. If Hoppies is closed, (as it was on our 2018 voyage), your fuel range jumps to 240 miles between Alton Marina & Paducah, and the last 50-miles is against a mighty strong 3-mph current on the Ohio river which will slow your boat and burn lots more fuel. 

* Length - Your vessel's length is mostly limited by common sense and affordability. Most Looper boats are under 40' and the average Looper boat is closer to 36'. Very seldom will you see a Looper in a vessel exceeding 40'. 

"Looper Favorites" - there are hundreds of them. Your favorites are likely to include many of my favorites, while you will find many of your own. Fact remains, we are all different. Our lifestyles, likes and dislikes are all different. When it comes down to choosing your #1 favorite destination it will prove to be an impossible decision. If I had to name only one. . . Well, it might be the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Then again, it might be Leland (Fish Town) or Barefoot Landing, Fort Myers & Sanabel Island. All are favorites for all different reasons. I also love taking the side trip to Knoxville on the Tennessee - which is just a 40-minute rental car from Gatlinburg in the heat of the Smoky Mountains. Then again, there is Ottawa and Montreal where the European influence is so vivid and apparent if you woke up there, you'd swear you woke up in Europe with all its Cobble Stone Streets, Sidewalk Cafes and Culinary delights so different & delicious you want to stay and eat it all. 

Canada offers World Class cruising thru some of the most beautiful waters and landscapes in the World. While most Loopers take the Trent Severn route to Georgian Bay, North Channel and re-enter US waters near Mackinac Island, both the Trent & Rideau canals along with their waterfront destinations constitute the most popular tourist and recreation areas in Canada. Every year, tens of thousands of recreational boats pass through its locks. The Trent is 240-miles long with 10mph speed limits & a ton of No Wake Zones that winds though lakes, rivers, canals, and 45 Locks, including two famous Locks. One is the Peterborough hydraulic lift that lifts your boat 65'. The other is the Big Chute Marine Railway Lock 44. This baby that lifts your boat 58' out of the water and takes it 250-yards overland and back in the water on the other side. The Trent-Severn journey itself has become a bucket-list for thousands of recreation boaters. 

If you have never been to New York City, you may never be so close again. Not only will you cruise right beside the Statue of Liberty, but you will also most likely dock at Liberty Landing Marina and have easy access to discover why NYC is the place that never sleeps. From Ellis Island to Midtown Manhattan, Central Park, Times Square, Little Italy, China Town, Carnegie Hall, St Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, Greenwich Village, Madison Square Park. to the 9/11 Memorial site & Museum. . . There is no better place for 'people watching' and discovering some fascinating places to eat with unlimited street side venders, shopping and more Bars than Parking spaces.

Liberty Landing Marina, is the start of your journey up the Hudson River. You will still be in tidal waters until you pass thru Lock 1 entrance to the NY State Canal System near Waterford, NY. 

One of our two very favorite destinations are about as opposite as two destinations can get. From the incredible Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Leland or 'Fish Town' is an active fishing village with fishing shanties. Most of which now house gift and clothing boutiques, art and specialty food shops. Though small, Leland offers tons of interesting things to see and do! It has fun shops and great restaurants. It is a great stop on America's Great Loop.

Barefoot Landing, in Myrtle Beach is located at Atlantic ICW mile 354.4. Every waterfront town should be like this. Barefoot Landing is one of the most welcome over-night stops on the entire ICW. It is 'dockside' and offers 17 restaurants, 50+ one-of-a-kind shops, and live entertainment, all within very easy walking distance. We always look forward to arriving at Barefoot Landing, and we never pass it up.

Our favorite Side Trip - From Grand Harbor Marina at the junction of the Tennessee River and the Tombigbee Waterway. You will head eastward toward Chattanooga and Knoxville. This is a fantastic 400-mile round trip side trip where the rental car distance from Volunteer Landing to Gatlinburg is only 35-miles. We've driven it in 45 minutes, and Gatlinburg and trip up to Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome), is the highest point in the Smoky Mountains.

The most direct 'all USA' route thru the Erie Canal & Great Lakes is the longest route averaging near 5,650-miles. While the most direct 'Canadian route' across the Trent-Severn will be about 200-miles shorter, but your 'cruising days' will remain the same due to Locks, speed limits and wait times. Either way you go, both routes, provide an equal amount of safety and amazingly interesting places to visit. 

 Carrabelle, FL. is technically the single location on the entire Great Loop where Loopers must leave protected inland waters to cross the open Gulf. Your shortest distance across the Gulf is 78-miles to Steinhatchee, FL with an option to venture 178-miles non-stop to Anclote Key near Tarpon Springs. We've done both more than once and prefer the Steinhatchee route.

If you are considering taking the 178-mile Gulf crossing, this will be the only place on the entire Great Loop where you must cruise thru the night. For most Loopers that take this route, it generally takes them 4 or more hours longer than they planned. It's plenty safe, but normally not a comfortable voyage.

We enjoy staying in a marina as much as anybody. Marinas are a good thing - but this is one voyage where too much of a good thing can get terribly expensive. Fuel & Marina fees rank as the two top necessary Looping expenses for most every Looper. Some have reported spending over $40,000 for fuel & Marinas - but it doesn't have to be that way, or near that expensive.

We 'budget' our marina stays so they never have never exceeded 124 nights. On an average 330 days we plan to stay in a marina two nights on weekends, which leaves another optional 30 nights to stay longer at our favorite places. We don't' normally stay in a marine more than 100 nights. Some Loopers will stay in a marina every night they possibly can.

Our 'weekends' in a Marina preference is based on two factors. 1. It works well with our budget. 2. It puts us safely docked in a Marina when all the local crazies and drinkers are out on the water.

Our suggestion? Some marinas offer nothing more than a place to dock. If there is nothing nearby, you are better off anchoring out. 

Regardless of your route in the USA or Canada, you should find no fewer than 42 conveniently located free docks. You may not like all of them, but most of them come in real handy and can't beat the price. In addition, anchoring out is always free, and in many areas 'anchoring out' is a very pleasant experience. There are a few areas where you will have no choice but to anchor out and several more where you will want to anchor out. 

OUR SUGGESTIONS:

Get the very best anchoring system you possibly can. It should be at least one 'upgrade' from the USCG recommended size anchoring system. We always have two anchors. A spare should be mandatory because if you lose one, chances are you will need the other immediately, if not sooner.

FYI - You will be boating in rivers with swift currents, and strong tidal waters with reversing currents that will pull your anchor and swing your boat around in a 180-degree circle until it faces the opposite direction. Dragging your anchor or having your anchor lose hold can put you in a very embarrassing if not potentially dangerous situation.