What is the Great Loop?

I had never heard of the great loop until a few years ago, so I imagine many people are also unaware of this adventure. The Great Loop, also known as America’s Great Loop, is a trip by boat around the eastern part of North America. There are many variations of the route but in its most basic form the Loop is around 5,500 miles long and is traveled in a counter-clockwise direction. The starting point of the Loop can be anywhere along the route.

People don’t believe me when I tell them it is possible to travel around the country by boat. Here is how it is done.

Our route begins on the gulf coast of Florida. Our “home port” is in Palmetto, which is along the Manatee River just south of Tampa Bay. The Intracoastal Waterway (or ICW) is a protected waterway that runs along America’s coast from Texas to Virginia. We will travel south to Ft. Myers where we will cross through Florida using the Okeechobee waterway. On the east coast of Florida we will join the Atlantic ICW and head north towards New York. The Hudson River begins an inland trek through New York. The Erie Canal connects the Hudson to the Great Lakes. Navigating the Great Lakes through Lake Michigan eventually brings us to Chicago and the Illinois River. A series of rivers including the mighty Mississippi River eventually travels to the Gulf of Mexico and back to the Gulf ICW and back to Florida. A circumnavigation of the eastern United States.

Along the way we hope to see a lot of special places. Historical places. Unique places. Beautiful places. Places like Savannah, New York City, Mackinac Island, Chicago, and maybe Canada.

The trip can be done in many ways. We will be leaving Florida a little later than we would have liked, so that may affect our plans. Also, we are not retired, so I will be working while on the trip.