Over the 5 and half months last year and the almost 7 months this year for a total of 351 days, we travelled 6348 miles, through two countries 19 states, traversed over 200 locks to find large cities, small towns, farmland, and vast natural waterways and bays.
Our route took us through sites of the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War, as well as the history of how America grew along her waterways. Beginning with canoes, rafts and barges people and goods moved through these waters. The sailing sloops and steamships changed these rivers, requiring locks and canals to be built to facilitate travel and commerce. Today it is amazing how much commerce moves through these waters. We developed a healthy respect for the freighter and tow captains and lock masters and harbor masters that keep the system working.
We have lasting impressions of early morning sunrises, beautiful sunsets, and moonlit bays,
the hospitality in all the towns we visited, the vast undeveloped shorelines of our many rivers and bays,
sharing docktails and dinners with fellow Loopers,
discovering the local histories of the places we visited, the ever present trains which ran along the waterways,
remote anchorages that gave us a wonderful nightly display of the Milky Way, tying to walls on the Rideau and Trent Severn canal systems,
sharing in local specialities from ice cream to butter tarts and barbecue to bangers, close up view of nature's wildlife
hiking and rock climbing,
weather watching to determine go or no go for travel, skyscrapers and old homes, and inspiring churches,
cruising past the Statue of Liberty, through the city of Chicago and St Louis Arch,
magnificent bridges and stately old lighthouses,
beautiful beaches,
museums of local and maritime history, castles and forts,
fresh fish and hush puppies, marinas that allowed us a safe harbor,
lots and lots of beautiful anchorages where nature was on full display,
We were able to visit friends and family along the way,
as well as relish the new friendships we developed. So many Loopers joined us in our Great Loop journey, each taking their own unique path and schedule, but always willing to support and befriend other boaters.
We leave this journey better people for all the fellow Loopers who became our friends.
It was a wonderful trip.
We're glad to be home.
But we are already dreaming
of next we might roam.
-Glad you were able to come along on our adventure.
Margie, Bill, and Crustacean