And So It Begins...

I must admit, I am a bit overwhelmed with the idea of being on a boat for approximately nine months. Everything I have read about the The Great Loop tells me not to be worried, there is so much to see, so much to do…but hey, I think it is a natural reaction for most people to have. That being said, Larry is nose to the grindstone selling cars, renting out the house, planning our route, what marinas and anchorages we may stay at, possible passengers and the most tenuous thing…the schedule. Our departure date is set for April 21st (Happy Easter!), however this depends on our friends at Nordhavn and the completion of the auto pilot repair and a few other issues with the boat. We will know better after our arrival in Jupiter on the 16th of April. We have been away from The Independence for more than two and half months. It feels strange to not have been on board and in reflection I take that as a good sign. At this point in this post I am certain some readers are wondering what The Great Loop is and where it goes. I am not sure if this is correct ‘log’ etiquette but I have posted a couple pages that I scanned from a May/June 2018 issue of the magazine Passage Maker. This section called ‘Shop Talk’ by Brian K. Lind includes a great interview with Kim Russo, Executive Director of the Americas Great Loop Cruising Association (AGLCA) as she fields the most common questions about ‘The Loop’…better her than myself!

Page One of Two courtesy Passage Maker magazine

Page Two of Two courtesy Passage Maker magazine

We are hoping to start this loop on Sunday the 21st of April, 2019. Our starting location is 50 miles South of Ft. Pierce, #1 on this map. As we move through the Great Lakes we will take the red portion of the loop. Yes, this will take awhile,,,so much to see & do! Map courtesy of ‘The Looper’s Companion Guide’, by Captain John.