Loopers Chime in.

Have you done the Loop?

Interested how long did it take?

Has anyone done a multi-year cruise leaving their boat in storage for extended periods between legs?

How many miles is the whole route?

JohnP

I would follow the doings of the GLCA in order to avoid a large group.

The docks will be jammed and the wait for washing machines long IF you don't steer clear of this gaggle.

If I were doing it again , I would make a U turn at Charlavoy, and head back the way I came.

I found the trip down to the Gulf from there boring.

FF,* Do you think if you left "Lucy" at Charlavoy and took a break from cruising the remainder of the trip would have been more interesting?

JohnP

I think the whole trip is some 6000 miles. It's on the list for us to do in a couple of years.

Dave

I am a Looper "want to be"

I'm another wanna be.* We're trying to make it happen next year but in reality it might be a few years.

Check out CHARLES C. CULOTTA, Jr.'s blog , he spent many years on the loop and now is travelling by RV, I believe.* Hopefully he will chime in.

charlesculotta.com

I am determined to do the loop at some point in my life...hopefully while the kids are still young and not when I am 65.

Count me in on the loop, but I'll be close to 65.

Woodsong, what's wrong with 65??

guess we are not talking about the NJ turnpike..
loop is east coast thru panama to west coast?

"The Great Loop is the circumnavigation of Eastern North America, a continuous waterway connecting inland lakes and rivers with the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and the Great Lakes. "

http://www.greatloop.com/

Pineapple Girl wrote:

"The Great Loop is the circumnavigation of Eastern North America, a continuous waterway connecting inland lakes and rivers with the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and the Great Lakes. "

http://www.greatloop.com/

Click to expand...

nice.. we really could use an ICW on the west coast
on that note, have you done a lot of cruising up into the delta?

*

Per wrote:


Pineapple Girl wrote:

"The Great Loop is the circumnavigation of Eastern North America, a continuous waterway connecting inland lakes and rivers with the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and the Great Lakes. "

http://www.greatloop.com/

Click to expand...

nice.. we really could use an ICW on the west coast
on that note, have you done a lot of cruising up into the delta?


I haven't, this July will be my first trip to the delta.* We know a lot of people that spend a lot of time up there or even have "delta boats" they keep there for frequent weekend getaways.* I've been*thinking that before we ship the boat back East for the loop we should spend some time on the delta.

*

I haven't done the loop, and don't plan on doing it.* I have done much of both sides of it.* As FF said the section from Chicago to the Gulf is not great cruising.* There are too many pleasant places to spend your cruising time and money.* For instance Georgian Bay and the Canadian canal system.* Then there are the Florida Keys, Bahamas, AICW, and Chesapeake Bay.* That's where I spend most of my cruising time and money.* Maine is beautiful and would be good for a whole summer if it weren't for the tax man.

I live on and have boated the Tennessee River.* It is great, and we get allot of Loopers in the fall.* Unless I just wanted to put a notch on the bedpost or fly the gold looper pennant, I would spend my time in the Eastern portion.* YMMV.

Don't listen to Woodsong.* He's just a kid.

-- Edited by Moonstruck on Wednesday 23rd of February 2011 03:12:19 PM

Moonstruck wrote:* Unless I just wanted to put a notch on the bedpost or fly the gold looper pennant, I would spend my time in the Eastern portion.* YMMV.


Don,* I tend to agree with you,* At one time I thought it was a must but now I think it is more than I want to do.**

Plenty of interest in cruising the*Eastern portion*to keep me going.


Don't listen to Woodsong.* He's just a kid.

I would like to see Woodsong take his family on the Loop. It would be a great adventure and more practical than circling the globe in a sailboat.

Click to expand...

*JohnP


-- Edited by JohnP on Wednesday 23rd of February 2011 03:17:16 PM

JohnP wrote:




Don't listen to Woodsong.* He's just a kid.

I would like to see Woodsong take his family on the Loop. It would be a great adventure and more practical than circling the globe in a sailboat.

Click to expand...

*JohnP


-- Edited by JohnP on Wednesday 23rd of February 2011 03:17:16 PM
John, just teasing about Woodsong.* I have met Tony and his son, Caleb.* What a great kid.* It would be a grand adventure to take his family on any extended cruise.* Educational, too.* However, Tony is young.* I think I will buy him his first razor.

*

lol Don! Me and razors don't get along too well.

There is nothing wrong with 65 at all! My point was I am only 37 right now. I think we are at that stage with our kids where they are soon about to get very "busy" with stuff. My son is 8, daughter is 7, wife, well, she doesn't look a day over 29. My point though was that if I don't do it soon, it very well may be 65 or so before we do it after the kids are grown, etc.

This is honestly something we have thought a LOT about. I mean a lot. We have contemplated the balance of being responsible and raising your kids to live their dreams and see the adventure of life. We are in a peculiar situation in the midst of a weird economy. We could take the year off traveling and do that- just debating whether we should and what is prudent whether we should be "prudent" or not.

This week we are down in FL on vacation. Every time we get out of Atlanta, honestly, life seems better. Have you ever lived somewhere you never felt was "you"? Yet, our set up there is really just about perfect and almost impossible to replicate. So it is hard to walk away from that but really, we are all completely over being in Atlanta. I would rather live anywhere else if I could, despite how great and bountiful life has been for us there.

My wife is telling me she's up for me putting the Monk on the market and buying a larger liveaboard (49-50 marine trader or a defever???). We've been homeschooling for years up until this January when we put them in the local schools which we have found EXTREMELY disappointing. They are doing work in 1st and 2nd grade that we taught them 3 years ago. They are bored silly there.

So...honestly...we are really debating what we should do.I hate Atlanta and as incredibly blessed as we have been to be there, many things seem to be aligning to move us out of there. So I don't know. I almost started a thread in the liveaboard section today about the insanity of possibly selling it all and moving aboard and seeing what happens. We've sold most of our investment properties and land in the last 18 months at a profit despite market conditions. My last land holding is under contract and I have someone interested in buying my retail building/office. That would just leave the house which I think we could sell very quickly given incredible location and tons of upgrades since I built the house from the ground up with my own hands (I graded the lot, framed it, siding/windows/doors, almost all the interior stuff, etc. etc.). It would not take much to push me over to the side of selling it all and living a simple life for a while with the kids and embracing adventure, PROVIDED we could do so with full options remaining and sufficient funds to live a nice life and always able to move back to land if/when we ever decided.

Pretty serious stuff to be pondering. It's something I've been pondering with my wife for probably 4-5 years. You only live once- why not show your children how wonderful the world is while we are all still young? It's a topic I often ponder. It seems crazy to think of it but really- I've made decisions in the past that seemed "insane" and they got me to where I am today and each time whatever I was "giving up" resulted in us having way more than we ever would have before if we stayed in the previous situation. I am young and even if I lost everything we have, in theory, I could make it all back. We've got the money to do it...just deciding whether it is too crazy to do it.

At your age I never had a choice, and now I'm 60 hoping to do the loop before 65.
I have no regrets, but what's holding you back?

what is holding us back??

the insanity of doing this, the uncertainty, whether it would "work out" in the end, etc.? it seems insane in this economy to even consider something like this. *And it is definitely not lost on me that we even have the option to do something like this...it is unbelievable to me to be honest. * I really welcome any input from the folks here- it's no small matter and kind of crazy to consider.*



-- Edited by Woodsong on Wednesday 23rd of February 2011 06:35:50 PM

Tony, I say go.* The kids are the right age and* the wife is on the same page.* You say you are not particularly attached to any of your real estate.* Lastly you can fund the trip and have seed money to pickup where you left off.

On top of that you are YOUNG.** A year will go by fast but will never return.

Put your money in a Swiss Bank or the Caymen Islands and go.(Just Kidding about the Banks).

JohnP

I'm in sort of a similar place as Tony.* We are seriously considering selling our condo and everything in it, moving onto our boat, spending some time prepping the boat, then shipping the boat back East and doing the loop and generally*cruising for several years.** We, too, want to make sure we can "re-enter" land life should we choose to do so.**

We don't have kids so that is one big hurdle removed.* Sounds like Tony's kids were getting a better education when they were home-schooled and that plus his observation that their lives are soon going to get very busy makes it seem to me like Tony and family should get going!* But it is so easy for me to tell someone else what they should do.*

JohnP wrote:On top of that you are YOUNG.** A year will go by fast but will never return.

Click to expand...

You never know what the future holds...* Matt and I came home from*our honeymoon*and were surprised his mom did not pick us up from the airport as arranged.* Turned out the whole family was at the hospital awaiting word on*my SIL*who'd been*hit by a car the night before.* We took her kids in (their dad is out of the picture) for eight months.** Luckily she recovered enough to go back to work and resume caring for her kids, though she is a very changed person.* She was 44 when that happened.*

I say if the opportunity is there, everyone is on board...* Go.**

Easier said than done, I know.**

PG,* Is right it is not about money or the economy it is about people.

Often times during the course of your lifetime the ability to travel or be away depends on others.

If those responsiblities can be managed, the time is right.


PG, Also correct in saying it is not easy telling someone to go. (while sitting smuggly in*my *house*with no intention of selling.)

Talking about houses-- a year away you could actually avoid more downside depreciation.

JohnP



SD - Sorry you feel cheated.* But 1 year cruising around the U.S. with a definate start and finsh is not really the same as 12 years in a foreign Country.


-- Edited by JohnP on Wednesday 23rd of February 2011 07:01:01 PM

-- Edited by JohnP on Wednesday 23rd of February 2011 07:04:43 PM

Woodsong wrote:

Pretty serious stuff to be pondering.

Click to expand...

Advice is worth what you pay for it.* But one thing I have found to be true in my own life and career, as simplistic as it may sound, is that no matter how much I analyze a decision, no matter how many pro-con lists I draw up, no matter how many people I ask for advice, in the end the right thing to do has always been the thing that "my gut" told me was right.

That is not the same thing as intellectually feeling I've made the right decision.* Often the "right" decision seemed far more scary and risky and potentially wrong than the "wrong" decision.**And the*right decision does not have to be between doing A*or doing B.* Sometimes the right decision is*to do nothing.* And that, too, can seem just as scary and risky as doing A or B.

So far, be it making a major location change to making a major purchase to making a major career decision I have found that I always ended up doing what deep down felt right, even if on the surface I could draw up a*long list of why it wasn't.* And so far--- so far--- my "gut" has always steered me correctly.

I have no idea if this is true of everyone.* But I believe that after all the analysis has been done, and all the numbers run, and all the discussions*have been had with spouses, kids, parents, and the dog down the*street, a particular plan of action will emerge that you have a gut feel is the right thing to do.

And it's got to be what you feel, not anyone else.* So what I or anyone else says they would do*under similar circumstances*is irrelevant.

That's my take on your situation anyway.......

-- Edited by Marin on Wednesday 23rd of February 2011 07:28:11 PM

Tony, Tony, you've done it again------started a very introspective thought provoking discussion.* To me Marin's advice was the best advice.* However there is a difference between an open ended and time limited journey.* Who knows you could find someplace to settle that you would have never thought of.* It is a tough choice, but remember you don't have to be 65 to do it.* You can do it anytime in between now and then.

Like has been said, at your age most of us didn't have a choice.* At least we didn't know that we had the choice.* I can't say that I would not envy your taking your family on that cruise wherever it is.* Much quality time with the kids is to be cherished.* Having a wife that is enthusiastic about it is a big bonus.

"Do you think if you left "Lucy" at Charlavoy and took a break from cruising the remainder of the trip would have been more interesting?"


Not a bit.

Leaving Chi you are in the sewage canal which then becomes a wide cut , totally commercial on both sides.

If coal barges or cement barges are your thing ....

In the Miss. there are almost no docks , marinas , or services.

CARRY FUEL!!

No views as the river sides are built up 30 -70 ft to stop flooding.

We tied to a commercial dock to visit St Louis .

THe rest of the trip is dull, the area "between the lakes" is very pretty , but most of the trip is just empty canal putting , and the Army charts SUCK, they show the channel , but with no depths anywhere.

Anchoring off the waterway is an experiment in running aground.

The Panhandle from Mobile to the jump off for south FL is pretty for a couple of days.

We'll see what happens. I'm not rushing into anything- it's just something we've contemplated for several years. It would be a trip of a lifetime with the kids and my wife.

A couple of things to add about the Loop cruise as well as backup what FF has said.* With the destination rich eastern cruising area and the destination sparse western cruising area, it is a no brainer for me to stay in the East.

Cruising the Loop is an interesting process.* You will find that it is far from lonely out there.* There are many boats doing it every year.* You will see AGLCA pennants in many marinas and anchorages as you make the trek.* In fact you will see many of the same boats.* The goup is so large that they have been having an annual gathering at Joe Wheeler State Park, Alabama on the Mighty Tennessee River.* That's in October, I think, before starting the 500 mile trek down the TenTom Waterway down to Mobile and the Gulf.* Not a very pretty cruise.

To save the long trip to the Canadian canal system, I have been toying with the idea of trailering my Blackfin or Boston Whaler up to do that section.* We can sleep on the Blackfin, but it is harder to trailer.

Woodsong wrote:

We'll see what happens. I'm not rushing into anything- it's just something we've contemplated for several years. It would be a trip of a lifetime with the kids and my wife.

Click to expand...

********* Tony,* As Don said you have time on your side.
******************** Marins, Suggestions were very logical.
*********************FF. Said half the trip (Stinks).

*********************Might be a better play in your situation to move your boat around to various spots and take a month or so now and than to cruise around new areas.


******************** Do Fla and the Bahamas next Winter

******************** Then pick a homeport in the Chesapeake.

*********************Next time the NY and Canadian canals and lakes.

******************** Charter in the PNW

*********************Spend a Summer in New England (Cape Cod and the Islands)


Keep and grow your business- To pay for all this FUN.


Check out each new area for a potential relocation.


What ever you do with your awesome family will be an adventure of a lifetime.

JohnP

*

Moonstruck wrote:

To save the long trip to the Canadian canal system, I have been toying with the idea of trailering my Blackfin or Boston Whaler up to do that section.* We can sleep on the Blackfin, but it is harder to trailer.

Click to expand...

******** Don, The trailering idea is a good one.* Every now and then I look at those little Nimble Nomads on a trailer and think how easy it would be to explore all those far away places.* Be nice to cruise 65mph on the highway and burn 1/2gallon an hour on the water.

JohnP

We are going to start our Loop in May 2012 from Atlantic City NJ. We live near there now but will be moving to FLA this December. Will leave the boat winterized in NJ and come back for it in the Spring of 2012.

We've been planning this trip for years and very much looking forward to it....even if some of it is boring.

The following years we will travel north in the summer, leaving behind the FLA hurricane possibility. We love Maine and will very likely end up there in summer 2013.

But only if the Lord allows it.

R.