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Thanks so much! 😊

Thanks! No, we haven't made it up to Lake Superior yet. It's on my list! If you take the Hudson to the Erie Canal, I would stay within 6' draft. We did it with a draft shy of 5' and had no issues. I think 6' would still be okay, but you might have to be a little more mindful. I think a 7' draft would be very limiting in the routes around America's Great Loop.

Thanks for feeding the monsters. :)

I think any sailor is lying if they say they don't make some mistakes. No fatal wrong turns were made during our cruising experiences, but there were mornings we set off without reviewing the passage plan and it had us scrambling once or twice as we had to figure out a detail of the route. As for running aground, it happens. One of our most recent groundings was as we came up the Atlantic ICW. With our draft being just under 5', we were keeping an eye out for shoaling, as that is especially common near the openings to the ocean where there are multiple currents. We got too close to one during a low tide, and got stuck in the soft bottom. As the current worked to pull us deeper into the shoal, we dropped our forward anchor to prevent a bigger issue. Then we turned on the stove, made coffee and tea, and enjoyed a nice fika until the tide rose enough to pop us out of the sand. We use mostly electronic charts and find that comments and hazard marks with recent dates are very helpful, and some boats even have depth readings that feed back into apps that can help keep well-traveled areas accurately charted. Some areas people will comment on the electronic charts in areas that you should have local knowledge to get through, so we'll call a nearby marina or tow service and ask them their thoughts on us getting through an area (or if we need to go around). Tow services especially like to give you good info, as they'd rather not have to try to pull you off a risky situation. All in all, more experience gives you better skills and judgement. (and thanks for feeding the algorithm monsters, I appreciate it!)

​@LoopLifeAcademy Okay, Harriet Beecher Stowe.... Who writes "like that" in a TH-cam comments section? You just climbed to the top of "Proper Grammar Hill" and planted your looper flag with authority. Thank you for the wonderfully written and detailed reply. That was a nice touch of reality. It's not a conveyor belt. You really have to make good plans and stay alert. Now I'll probably spend the morning watching the other 10 videos you have posted, making comments and feeding the algorithm monsters. Thanks again.....

@@francus7227 hahaha, sorry, can't help it. And if viewers ask a question, I do try to answer viewers so they can get the info they need to build confidence and take on adventures. I appreciate you feeding the monster and would be happy to help in any way I can. I've got a few more videos in the works, just need time to film and edit during this grand adventure. :)

On my iPhone it’s called “Coast Guard” - check out the link on the bottom of this page to open it in Google Play: uscgboating.org/mobile/

@@LoopLifeAcademy, thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, when I click the link to the android app it brings up a page that says, "Item not found." Looks like the USCG canceled that app but forgot to remove the link from their web page. I've subscribed to your channel. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos.

Happy belated birthday!

Glad it was helpful!

Hello, fellow Michigander!

That's awesome that you did the Loop! Thanks for the compliments.

That's awesome! Thanks for following. We love @sailingtheatlas! They are a great family.

Thank you for your encouragement and support! It has been quite the adventure for us. ⛵️

Thank you for the kind words! Are you planning your own Great Loop Adventure?

Yes! The AGLCA is a great organization and offers so much value when it comes to having resources and community around you. Getting to share the knowledge from those that have done the journey before us has been invaluable!

It is! But any worthwhile adventure is going to involve some effort.

Wow, that’s so cool! What a fantastic adventure to get to read about from a FAMILY MEMBER! That’s so neat. ⛵️💙

Generally speaking, I think you'll have an easier time getting diesel since that's what it seems like a lot of boats use. But I don't think there was anywhere that we would have been absolutely out of luck for one or the other. We primarily used diesel (our sailboat runs on it), but we do have an outboard for the dinghy that requires gasoline. Keep in mind that there are some long stretches in the river system that you won't have any stops to get fuel, so you'll need some jerry cans with whatever fuel you require if you don't have tanks large enough for that range.

Thank you so much for the kind words! Let me know if you have any questions as you begin to dig into what America's Great Loop looks like as a personal adventure. It's a worthwhile trip!

You are very welcome!

Thanks for all the tips! This is great info!

Doumar's is horrible

@anygivensunday4198 I like their BBQ, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. You can't argue with the fact that it's historically significant, and almost everything else on that block is chain restraunts with higher prices. I dont go very often, so perhaps I haven't experienced them on a bad day.

BBQ out of a can. I mean the dog culture & ice cream cone tortilla waffles is fascinating. Def not the food tho.

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for watching!

Thank you!

You’re welcome!

I hope you can turn your dream into a plan and go out and do it someday! Let me know if I can help or if you have any questions about making it happen.

Glad it was helpful!

Thanks for watching!

Your best option would be to join the public Great Loop Facebook groups and check around!

We know that tomorrow is never promised and that really drove us to go now and not wait!

Yes, we were running away from winter and needed to keep moving south! We didn’t have time to explore the Ohio River other than using it to get from the Mississippi to the Tenn-Tom.

Yes, it’s quite the adventure!

Thanks for that! You can tell I'm not local, and I appreciate learning the "right" way to say it. Glad to hear you'll be at the Rendezvous; I'll be there too! I'd love to meet you while we're there. :)

@@LoopLifeAcademy I'll look for you!

Ah, interesting distinction. I thought the signs I had read labeled them as hot springs, but I come from an area where we don't have any kind of warm springs, so I didn't realize the difference between hot springs and warm natural springs. I did know the part about the nuclear power plants warming up the sea water in the surrounding areas; I watched an interesting video about the issues that manatees face when facilities like this eventually shut down, but the manatees continue to migrate to places that will no longer provide them with the warmth they need. Thanks for the add insights!

Those burgees are from the AGLCA and you can find them in their shop! www.greatloop.org/shop.html

That sounds like an awesome adventure! My parents took a motorcycle trip along the historical Route 66 a couple of times. I consider the Great Loop to be kind of like Route 66, but for boats; we see so many small, historical little towns. The TransAmerican Trail sounds awesome!

Hello, fellow Michigander! Those are all great "coastal" towns in Lake Michigan that we love! Saugatuck was a nice day sail for us from our home port in Holland before we left on the Loop.

Have you cruised the Mississippi River up and back yet, or is that a future plan for you? The Loop could be a fantastic adventure to try if you were already planning on cruising the river. There are some folks who start the Loop and just keep going, year after year. There's one boat that I know of (I think it's named MV Manatee) that has been around the Loop over 30 times!

@LoopLifeAcademy just a pipe dream, my plan is a little different and no one has ever done it the way I'd like to.

Glad it was helpful!

Yes, I've read that before. But we are going with the Swedish meaning. For us, Fika is an intentional time to sit down with coffee, friends, and family and have a bit of quality time.

Thanks, glad you liked it! Many people wait until they retire so they do not have to worry about their work situation. For some folks, the financial burden is easier to swallow because of their situation or ability to work remotely. For others, bigger sacrifices need to be made if they want to jump into Looping earlier in life, and they may choose to make it happen on a strict budget (I've seen a few folks share their experience with this). Some creative solutions exist, depending on each person's situation. 📓 Our main course (www.looplifeacademy.com/great-loop-adventure-planning-for-working-families) does touch on practical considerations like budgeting and financial planning as part of the steps to help your family get out on the Loop. 📰 You can also sign up for our weekly newsletter (www.looplifeacademy.com/newsletter) if you'd like to receive updates and tips and be among the first to know about new courses and materials as they are released. ✅ Otherwise, keep watching this channel, and I hope you can continue to learn and dream until you find a plan that works for you! I'm happy to answer questions if I can. Some channels you might find some more info on: ➡ Check out www.youtube.com/@WaywardTravelers for a couple who Looped for "free." ➡ Also, check out Scho & Jo - they regularly shared their monthly budgets. www.youtube.com/@SchoandJo I hope you can make the dream a reality someday!

Um yeah. You can't sail off without being able to pay your way and have a way to continue to buy food and other necessities. Who exactly is going to talk about that with you and why would they? They probably assume you already know that.

@@CarlaCarter549 Um, Yeah... I've been following Loopers, Liveaboards, and circumnavigators for years. They always talk about the boat preps, the routes, how they cook and what they eat. Ect, ect. But... I can't help but notice they talk about EVERYTHING EXCEPT how they fund these trips. Nothings free. I have to physically go to work, they obviously do not.... None of them do. But when asked about how they finance themselves while living the dream life, they either ignore the question, or avoid it all together. For once, I'd like for a youtuber doing this to have a sit-down and discuss HOW they afford this lifestyle. We (the viewers) Obviously want this life... it's why we Tune in to the shows. And we all wish we could do it... then we reality of being able to afford it comes into play. It's not the cost of the boat(hell thats the easy part), its the cost of operations, repairs, slip/mooring fees, propane... hell everything costs money. I just think if you are going to sell someone on an idea of a wonderful life, you should at least, from time to time, discuss how they afford it.

Not much, unfortunately, but we really liked the meaning behind the word. My husband has a tiny bit of Swede in him, but my heritage is all Dutch!

My pleasure! I'm glad it was helpful.

The Trent Severn Waterway is actually the more popular route. We ended up on the entire Erie Canal and didn't enter Canada because of various work commitments and obligations, but we hope to do the Trent Severn eventually! Most Loopers will divert halfway through the Erie Canal, up into the Oswego Canal, Kingston, Ontario, the Rideau Canal, and the Trent Severn. I'm unfamiliar with this route since we haven't taken it yet, but you can do it! Counterclockwise is the most common direction people travel, but it is not the only way. You can head south down the East Coast without worrying about "traffic directions." We've met plenty of other boaters heading south as we head north. Loopers aren't the only boaters out there, so you'll see people traveling in all directions as you move along. As long as you have enough power and gumption to go against the current heading up the river system from Mobile to Chicago and ensure your timing allows for facilities to be open so you can access fuel and pump-outs, you could do it the "wrong" way. I've seen a few Loopers mention they are going in the "wrong direction" online, so you could do a little searching and probably find some of these Loopers in the Facebook groups.

⁠Thanks so much for the reply! I’ll keep researching and follow your channel.

Thank you for watching! Reach out if you have more questions, I’m happy to help.

We are sailors and have really enjoyed having a sailboat on the Loop. Yes, there are times where we do a lot of motoring on rivers, but having the sails has been great for those perfect sailing days, or for when the water is a little rough and opening up some sails makes the ride more comfortable, not to mention the areas that have been fantastic to sail in. We stepped the mast twice in our Loop. The first time was in Catskill, NY before we entered the Erie Canal. For this portion, we kept our mast on deck. It was a bit cumbersome and in the way, but overall no issues. One of the neat parts of our journey was having the mast taken down in Catskill by a crane that was rumored to have been an original crane used in the construction of the Erie Canal. We stepped the mast back up in Buffalo and were grateful for our sails again in the Great Lakes. The second time we had to step the mast was in Chicago. This time we loaded our mast and boom onto a trailer that would be shipped down to Mobile, AL. It was much nicer traveling down the river system without the mast on deck. There were only one or two spots that we could have enjoyed some sailing in that portion, but overall, motoring was the way to go. We were very excited to put our mast back up in Mobile and get out sailing again. Overall, for our preferences and enjoyment, we have found it worth the little bit of extra effort (and cost) to deal with the mast on this journey. We love to sail, and having that option in the Great Lakes, in the Keys and to the Dry Tortugas, in the Bahamas, and now along the East Coast, has made it all worth it. There are sailors out there, but there are plenty of people who motor and love that option too. I think the two boat types tend to look for different weather windows (we like a bit of wind, trawlers want glassy waters), but everyone has a great time with what they have. Think about your own preferences and enjoyment as you weigh the options.

We met an expedition canoer in Lockport who was roughly following the Loop route as part of his larger goals. He canoes and camps everywhere he goes, and I believe he set up a teepee in northern Michigan to wait out the winter this past season before he continues south through Lake Michigan. A decent number of solo cruisers are doing the Loop, so it is definitely an option. There was a recent podcast on the AGLCA channel that you might want to check out: www.greatloop.org/resource/great-loop-radio-looping-solo-1.html.