Great Loop Under a Sail
More cruisers are taking on America's Great Loop both under power and sail.

By Vladia Jurcova-Spencer
Posted Sunday, January 31, 2010

 
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“Some people talk about doing something, we do it,” laugh Wright and Gladys Anderson who completed the Great Loop on their 41' catamaran First & Ten in June 2008. “We didn’t put too much planning into this journey, we just went,” says Gladys, retired public school administrator. Although they didn’t take much time preparing for the journey, they did attend a Rendezvous in Charleston, SC, organized by the America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (AGLCA) where they met other boaters.

“They were very encouraging and we had a good talk with other members about challenges and advantages of a sail boat. Since we have been sailing for years in the Caribbean and other places, our only concern was that we had no experience with locks,” says Wright, a retired collage football coach. “We also greatly enjoyed the camaraderie among the Loopers and met one other couple that also did the Great Loop on a sail boat.”

The Andersons are an exception as beginning an endeavor of such magnitude could take years of preparation. One has to think of finances, finding the right boat typically between 30 and 45 feet long, buying and outfitting it, learning to pilot it, planning the voyage, improving navigational and cruising skills and much more. During this time of preparation as well as during the journey, cruisers look for assistance and support to the America’ Great Loop Cruisers’ Association and its members. “AGLCA members can easily be identified in any marina as they all fly the association’s burgee,” says Janice Kromer, the executive director of the AGLCA. “This flag is an open-arms invitation to other members,” she continues. The AGLCA is a family of people who share a sense of adventure and a curiosity about America’s Great Loop.

The saga for most begins in the early spring in southeastern Florida. Miami and Ft. Lauderdale are two cities where many Loopers purchase their boats and spend several days provisioning and getting familiar with their new boat before they start the journey. From the sunny state, the Loopers journey north following the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway along the southeastern seaboard of the United States all the way into Chesapeake Bay, along the way discovering charming barrier islands alongside the coast of Georgia and the Carolinas, mysterious river channels and estuaries, using bicycles to explore state parks and cities. From the crab rich Chesapeake, Loopers head north towards Montreal, Canada, exploring historic towns of immense charm and cruise by American sights such as the Statue of Liberty on the way. The St. Lawrence River carries them into the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes, although uncertain and treacherous, are a dreamland of vacation cottages, picturesque waterways, granite islands, farmland and woods. Once they reach Chicago, it is down South again via the Mississippi River and Tenn-Tom Waterway, and then eventually into Mobile, Alabama and the rich and warm Gulf of Mexico. To close the Great Loop, cruisers have to go around the Southern tip of Florida back to the same point where they started. Many choose to spend warm winter months exploring the amazing Okeechobee River and Lake, and tropical Key West before it all ends.

The Great Loop is considered one of the safest long distance cruising routes in the world. For many Loopers, this trip is a true radical sabbatical, depending only on the camaraderie of fellow boaters and generosity of people they meet along the waterways. A proper boat with good dingy and good refrigeration is a must to enjoy all parts of the trip. When sailing the Great Loop, one has to be very careful to never run aground and prepared to deal with a mast. The Anderson’s cat is 23’ wide and has a 60’ mast which makes it a challenge to steer, especially in the locks. With rising fuel costs, the economy of a sailboat is definitely something to consider when planning to navigate the Great Loop.

Rolf Simonson who just recently completed the Great Loop on his 37’ Tartan 3700 met many challenges such as dealing with locks, low bridges, and shallow water; he also encountered tow boats, freighters, military vessels and also fought a battle with lowering and raising his mast, however he would recommend this adventure to anyone. “What an experience! We enjoyed seeing the changing environment and terrain as we passed through rivers and lakes, coastal water, open water, canals and waterways,” says Simonson.

The Andersons, married for 40 years, have been sailing together for over 35 years. Today in their sixties, they’ve never felt as fit as after a year spent cruising. “Living on a boat during the Great Loop was definitely very beneficial for my health,” says Gladys. “I lost weight and have never been in better shape in my life. I even went off my blood pressure medication.”

The Andersons admit that they, as many other Loopers, walk much more and cook a lot when cruising on their cat. It is a joy to prepare meals using fresh produce and products from farmers’ markets. They also catch fish that they prepare on the boat.

Essentially, the Great Loop is all about chasing the eternal summer and the Andersons were very lucky to experience great weather all they way. Still, they were aware of parts of the Great Loop which many Loopers consider tricky. The first one is the Chesapeake as it is opened to the Atlantic Ocean and the waters can get rough. The next treacherous spot is Lake Michigan with its large waves. "If the weather channel predicts 4 foot waves on the lake, you can pretty much be sure that they will be 6 foot,” says Gladys. The best advice is to hide in a safe marina. The last unpredictable part of the journey is definitely the Gulf of Mexico; many boaters fear crossing it and again, the best advice the Andersons can give is to wait for good weather.

Since this journey is about encountering and discovering the unknown, the waterways of the Great Loop are a truly magnificent way to see this country. The Andersons have a very long list of favorite places on the way as every section of the trip has some amazing and fascinating elements. For Wright and Gladys, two places that really stand out are New York, a vast city that only a few get to see from the water, and Canada. Canada offers a total cultural experience, wonderful places to tour and interesting people to meet.

A favorite stop of many Loopers is the Mackinac Island. “We dressed up and treated ourselves to a horse taxi to the posh Grand Hotel, took our dinner on the longest veranda in the world, enjoyed a lovely meal and even better service at the hotel’s restaurant,” says Gladys. Although crowded with tourists, the island offers a peaceful, upscale lifestyle that Loopers don’t get to experience daily when on the Great Loop.

On June 1, 2008, Gladys wrote in her blog, “Some people take special vacations, some have parties, but we spent our 40th anniversary anchored in the heart of the Everglades. No phone service and eaten alive by mosquitoes, but it takes all kinds!” At Cumberland Island, a national seashore that was once a Carnegie estate where John Kennedy Jr. was married, they walk through the maritime forest to the beach and had the nicest ocean swim possible. Such can be the contrast when cruising the Great Loop!

Everyday brings new surprises for those who decide to leave dry land behind and circumnavigate America’s Great Loop, approximately a year long, 6,000 miles journey.

“To travel all or a portion of the Great Loop or any of its magnificent side trips is truly an adventure of a lifetime,” believes Janice Kromer. It is a chance to see and learn history of the United States from a whole new perspective.

General Information:

America’s Great Loop is between 5500 to 7000 miles.

AGLCA, located in Summerville, SC is a national organization of boaters who have cruised or dream of cruising any or all of North America’s eastern waterways, known as the Great Loop. The association is committed to sharing navigational and cruising information that will enhance the enjoyment and safety of those cruising these waterways. Regular membership dues are $49.00 per year to U.S. addresses. Various levels of sponsorship are also available. www.GreatLoop.org