The Golden Goose

We did it! We have been gone a year and a few weeks but have “crossed our wake,” and now fly the gold burgee. Captain Ross, one of Barry’s mentors, was there to catch our lines when we cruised into Port City Marina.

Driving into the marina where we began in North Carolina

We totaled about 6500 miles, visited 19 states, and went through well over a hundred locks. We fell in love with Canada’s North Channel and stayed a month in the Florida Keys. We docked in beautiful upscale marinas and we tied the Goose to rusty old barges and rock walls. Our fear of the open ocean left us and we often preferred it to worrying about unmarked shoals on the Inter-coastal Waterway. We also found we liked to be at anchor and started to trust (sort of) that our anchor wouldn’t drag us into a river channel at night.

I never realized the entire east coast is an island cutting the continental US in half with its rivers. We saw rural America, dozens of Civil War battlefields, more historic sites that I can count, and many big cities such as New York and Chicago. We rode our bikes so much we had to replace the rusty chains. And I didn’t lose a pound. It was those darn butter tarts! They were just so good.

Our boat looks like a lot of looper boats. We don’t have monogrammed fender covers. When we were in the locks the fenders were down all the time (a nautical faux pas) and we called it looper bling. We have bikes in the back and kayaks on the front deck. We keep extra chairs on our patio for docktails. Our BBQ is always out in back and there are dings and scratches that will require cosmetic work. Someone advised us to paint the boat after the loop and not before. I wish I had listened.

2 anchors, fenders, a hose and 2 kayaks. Not much room up there!

Both of us wondered if our marriage would withstand 24/7 togetherness with tense situations arriving at an alarming pace. I’d like to say we never fought but we squabbled all the time. There were days when I wanted to turn the engines on when Barry was under the boat checking the propellers and I’m sure he wanted to throw me overboard more than a few times. But we learned to make up fast and let it go. We needed each other! And the joint accomplishment has made our marriage stronger.

I’m on a plane headed back to California to take care of some house issues. Barry will stay on the boat and get it ready to sell. It will be bittersweet to sell the boat and live in what loopers call their “dirt home.” The Wild Goose was good to us and is a great looping boat. I will miss living on the water and being so close to nature. I wonder what the next adventure will bring?

Almost Home

I actually forgot to post the last entry. We were at anchor with no internet service. I’m also getting lazy as we close out this trip.

When we returned to Jacksonville our boat was “almost” ready except for getting the AC repaired. Since we were having 80 percent humidity we decided to wait a few more days until it was fixed. Our turbos were rebuilt but none of the cosmetic work was done. We didn’t care – it was time to move on!

The homes in Jacksonville were some of the prettiest we’ve seen. I could live here.

Since leaving Jacksonville we stayed at Cumberland Island a few days and loved it. I apologize for posting these pics again but I have some friends who do not use Facebook.

Our Anchorage was rather out of the way. But we could dingy to the island.

We also visited Brunswick where we met up with our dear friends the Strasels. We had gone together from Chicago down much of the river system that was the most difficult part of the journey. They are taking a boat break and driving a rental car home to Virginia. So happy they went out of their way to meet us.

Zach, Erik, Jennifer and Zoey (Under the table) are friends for life.

We visited several amazing towns including Savannah and Charleston. Savannah was especially beautiful. We are at Paula Deans and took a tour of the city. We didn’t do any of these towns justice. We are starting to get anxious to cross our wake.

The Forrest Gump park – Chippewa Square Park.

As we started doing longer and longer days, we ran into thunderstorms every night. We tried cruising outside on the Atlantic and got into one thunderstorm that hit our boat like a ton of bricks. We were in following seas and bobbed right and left before heading back to the inter coastal.

They storms are actually rather nice. They cool down the temperature and create beautiful vistas of lightening. It rains and it’s over in an hour or so. We are now in a cute little town named Southport. We rode our bikes into town and, of course, got drenched with an afternoon thunderstorm.

Tomorrow is the big day – we return to Wilmington where we began this trip in June a year ago. Our gold flag is ready – we will be gold loopers!

Becoming a Floridian

We can’t seem to leave Florida. I realized today we have been here more than three months and now need to register our boat!

We have slowly worked our way up the coast. Miami, North Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Titusville, Palm Coast, Cocoa Beach, historic Cocoa, and St. Augustine.

We have now taken a detour to Jacksonville because we need a boat yard for some repairs. my understanding is that our engine turbos are held on my four bolts which are rusted out and the turbos may fall off at any time. Great. As long as it’s nothing too important. I know it’s bad because we hit a small squall yesterday and Barry just dropped anchor and didn’t want to outrun it. I don’t have to say anything about going slow and gas mileage cause we are not wanting to shake up this boat!

If there is one thing I’ll remember about coming up this side of Florida, it’s the incredible wealth. I used to think Newport Beach, California was pretty ritzy but Palm Beach makes it look like the poor section of town. We pulled into harbor cove marina and our 47 footer was the smallest and oldest boat in the marina. The staff were nice though, and gave us a welcome bag with wine and asked us if we wanted our pizza delivered to our boat. Here is a picture of our neighbors in the marina.

We did see Trump’s Mara Lago from a distance and I can tell you his neighborhood is impressive.

Ocean in the front and inter coastal waterway in the back. I could definitely live here!

The museums on this part of our journey have been interesting.

We traveled with Kailani much of the way, making it a much more enjoyable trip. Tracy and Nick just “crossed their wake” in Savanah which means they have. completed their 6000 mile loop. I’m going to miss seeing Tracy fishing off the dock and the back of her boat. They are headed back to their home in Connecticut.

We visited some other friends in Palm Coast, Bill and Bobbi on First Forty. Those brave souls are selling their home in Denver and relocating to Palm Coast near Hammock Beach. It’s a lovely spot and homes are amazingly affordable. You can keep a boat and a house for half the cost of a California home. I would seriously consider this but it’s too far from my sons and grandkids.

I think as we get closer to the end of our journey we are going slower to keep it from ending. We will fly back to California the end of the week to babysit the grands and we get our house back on the 1st. After getting a few things out of storage we’ll head back to the boat on the 5th of June.

It should only take a few more weeks to get back to Wilmington. Then it will be our turn to cross our wake and fly the gold burgee.

The Keys

Describing the Florida Keys is a little tricky. I had seen pictures of beautiful resorts and tropical settings of great beauty. When I got there I did see some pretty resorts, but they were tucked away behind tiki bars and tourist shops.

It’s a bit gritty in places. It’s also very expensive because it’s a warm getaway for the east coast during their freezing winters. It’s not Hawaii. It’s a series of islands with one very busy road and some very long bridges connecting all the Islands. The ocean is spectacular but the towns not so much.

The water is clear and beautiful!

What I learned is that the Keys are about diving, snorkeling, sunsets, and fishing. We stayed a month in the Keys, mainly because the marina monthly rate is so much cheaper than the daily rate. Faro Blanco Marina, popular with Loopers, became our home in Marathon and we came to know just about everyone there. We gathered at 5 every night for docktails and often went to dinner with our friends. By the time we left, I had warmed up to the Keys and didn’t want to leave.

9F780229-BBA6-418C-81F8-FBD36CE3E960 — Our marina

Loopers watching the wedding. We never miss a wedding!

We also took 3 trips to Key West, the southern most point in the continental US and only 90 miles from Cuba. Truman loved Key West so we went through the home he stayed at on a naval base, Hemingway has a house you can tour, and everyone needs an obligatory picture at the southern marker. There are a number of famous bars on Duvall Steet. We biked to one which was covered in dollar bills. There must have been 50 grand tacked on the walls with visitors names on them. It was hard to drink without stealing.

Our month in The Keys was highlighted by our visitors. First our son Ryan came with our granddaughters Ellie and Olivia. They weren’t here long enough but we sure enjoyed their visit. We drove the boat to Key West to pick them up and took them all back to Marathon. We went out on a small fishing charter boat called Wayne’s World. Wayne and his helper were a bit strange but I must say they knew their fish. We had enough yellow tail snapper for 8 dinners.

And then there is the pie. Ryan found the best best key lime pie shop where we went for a piece of pie and ended up buying a whole pie. We went back later for yet another whole pie When Barry’s sister Mary, and her husband Scott, came. Scott gave guest performances at a few bars, one was the famous Willie T’s where I wanted to steel the money. Yes, there seemed to be a pattern of drinking and eating pie.

Love this picture of Scott and Mary

A Tiki Bar got in our way when we were docking.

90 miles to Cuba! Southernmost point in the continental US.

This was Mary and Scott’s third visit and we always love having them. They are live aboard boaters in California so I don’t have the usual anxiety I get about guests and the inconveniences of a boat. Mary makes a mean Mai Tai and Scott fixes stuff on the boat so they are great guests! We anchored out at an outer Key with fellow loopers we met at Faro Blanco, Kim and his wife Tamara, and had fun together.

Waiting for the sunset with Tamara and Mary. People blow conch shells when it goes down.

The six of us anchored at Boca Grande for a night.

It was fun until our anchor started dragging at 4 am. Scott jumped in the dingy to check on our friends boat and then he helped Barry move us in the pitch black darkness to another spot farther from the shore. The next day, on our return to Marathon, we got a rope from a crab pot wound around one of our props in windy choppy seas. Barry and Scott dove down under the bobbing boat repeatedly (with my best bread knife which is now on the bottom of the ocean) and cut the rope so we could continue on. It’s always exciting on a boat.

I was happy that Mary and Scott were able to see the manatees. We came upon four while at anchor. Scott knew not to touch them but he dove in for a look and sure enough they came right up to his face to say hello. Then they went back to eating their grass. Gotta love the sea cows.

For those who haven’t seen them, this is a manatee. They remind me of elephants.

After a month of socializing, we are now back on the ICW heading up the coast of Florida. We will go home to California for a visit in May and then we should “cross our wake” in North Carolina shortly after that. Barry is talking about a second loop (he says we’ll finally know what we’re doing) and we have also talked about hanging out in the Chesapeake for the summer.

We really have no idea what are future will bring but neither of us are worried about it. We have finally learned to live without a schedule.

Exploring Florida’s West Coast

Things changed fast when we got to Florida. Off with the jackets and on with the summer clothes. It’s high season in the Keys (think expensive) and hard to get reservations at marinas. We weaseled our way in for 2 days at Fero Blanco and they have now taken pity on us and we are able to stay for awhile.

On our way down the coast we stopped near Bradenton to pick up my dear friend, Mary Fengler, who I hadn’t seen since our Alaska days. Some friends just traverse time. Mary and I picked up like we had been together every week for the past 30 years. We had so much fun just cruising together and catching up. Mary is a surgical nurse manager so duty called and she had to leave us in Fort Meyer to return home. We were sorry to see her leave.

Fred and Ginger were very relaxed guests.

Thomas Edison has some interesting trees.

We kept hopping from one pretty town to the next down the Florida coast to the Keys. I bought natural sponges in Tarpon Springs, wanted to retire in Bradenton, saw how the other half lives in Boca Grande, toured the Edison/Ford homes (they lived adjacent to each other) in Fort Meyers, and saw solid shell beaches in Sanibel Island. We decided we wanted to see alligators so we left beautiful Marco Island for the Everglades. Not so fancy there. Lots of mosquitos and air boats. But we also saw alligators, dolphins, a loggerhead turtle, and eagles.

We met two other loopers, Brian and Sue, on Fahrfromwurken (love that name!), and Dale and Myrna from The Journey. We spent time at the Everglades Marina together before Barry and I headed out to anchor in Shark River. I did see an alligator close to our anchorage so no swimming, just kayaking. And a manatee kept popping up for breath while he circled our boat.

We met with our new friends again in the Keys and had another dinner together. We have decided to stay here until the end of the month. There isn’t much to do other than swim and relax, which sounds pretty good. It will be nice to stay in one place long enough to have packages delivered. Out TV fell and broke when we hit some weather a while back so we ordered one on line to be delivered to our marina. There is a West Marine across the street so we can catch up on some boat needs. And we have gotten very good at doing nothing at all.

Fero Blanco. I was happy to see that lighthouse.

Right now we are excited by upcoming visitors. My nephew, Josh, will visit Saturday with his beautiful family. Our son Ryan comes later this month with our two older granddaughters (yippee), Mary and Scott will hopefully return for another visit and my step-brother Jim Rogers is coming this Spring. The only thing better than doing nothing is doing it with people we love.

The Crossing

We had been thinking of the dreaded crossing for weeks. It was like childbirth for me. I wanted it over with but wasn’t looking forward to the actual event. In crossing the Gulf of Mexico you are out of cell range and the weather is unpredictable. Our safety net, Boat US (like AAA for boats) wouldn’t come out to help that far from shore. It would be a 22 hour run, much of which would be in the dark.

A few days before we were to cross, we left our marina at Niceville, FL. with Tracy and Nick on Kailani, and headed out to an anchorage at Pearl Bayou. We discovered our friends from First Forty, Bill and Bobbie, were already there. We anchored, got in the dingy, and went over for a cocktail. Bobbie and Bill are Gold Loopers, which means they had already completed the loop once and were getting ready to finish their second loop to become Platinum Loopers. They agreed to join us crossing the gulf, so we would be a group of three and could benefit from their experience.

This house was in a different location before the storm.

We were all up early the next day and headed for Apalachicola. Port St. Joe would have been our next stop but it was completely taken out by Hurricane Michael and the marina there is now gone. All along the waterway we saw evidence of the hurricane. Trees looked like broken matchsticks all around us. There are few docks left anywhere but we were able to tie our three boats to a fishing dock in Apalachicola while we waited for a weather window. I was ready to stay there a long time because it was a cute little town with very friendly people. We met some new friends, pigged out on oysters, and attended a BBQ competition.

Enjoying the bbq competition and wondering if it was the last supper.

There is a weather guru named Eddie that all loopers use. We met him a year ago during his presentation at the American Great Looper’s Cruiser’s Ass., and again in Niceville. Like many others, we thought what he said about weather and crossing the gulf was Gospel. Shortly after we arrived, Eddie’s blog said there was a small window opening and we should go, but go quickly. The next weather window wouldn’t come for a long time. People can get stuck for weeks waiting to cross.

Our three boats left at 2:00 pm. Shortly after leaving another boat hailed us on the radio and said they were going to cross in a few days from Carrabelle. We gave him Eddie’s weather forecast and the they checked it out for themselves. The Captain radioed back saying he had done the math and had enough fuel for the almost 200 mile crossing, and therefore wanted to tag along with our flotilla. So we became a group of four boats.

The sun was going down and still no waves.

If you’re not used to it, driving a boat at night is weird. We both sat at the helm and looked straight ahead at nothing but black. I had made dinner ahead of time and bought a lot of snacks to help keep us awake. Barry ate them all by 8:00 pm. First Forty had devised a roll call schedule where we each took four hour shifts and called on the hour to make sure the other boaters were awake and OK. Our shift was 3 am to 7 am, which really helped me stay alert by continually checking the time.

Somewhere around 2am, a quarter moon came out. The shimmering reflection was magical. The water was like a lake, the stars were brilliant, and we were all in awe. Barry decided he liked cruising at night better than in the daylight (heaven help me) and we all felt incredibly lucky to have such calm water and perfect weather. The two of us took turns sleeping (or trying to) and got a few hours rest.

Mid morning, as we approached Tarpon Springs, the dolphins came to greet us. When a looper comes home to where they began their journey it’s called “crossing your wake.” This was the exact location First Forty started their loop and 8 dolphins swam to their boat and guided them into the harbor. It was like a movie. What a perfect ending to their year’s adventure.

We are now in Tarpon Springs. After a long nap we all gathered for dinner and met our Harbor Hosts, Captains Jean and Jerry Coleman. They hosted a party at their home the next evening and even picked us up at our various boats. Harbor Hosts are invaluable. They drive you around town, give advise and resources, and are a friend when you need one. Most have completed the loop and all are volunteers.

Tarpon Springs is an interesting place known for their natural warm springs, the harvesting of natural sponges and their strong Greek heritage. It’s a bit touristy and we are parked at a rickety old dock next to a Spongerama Factory (you can’t make this stuff up). I have retired my long underwear and I am on my way to eat moussaka. Tomorrow I will go sponge shopping. Life is good.

Weather

It’s all about the weather. It’s all loopers talk about during this stretch of the trip, because it controls our life.

Barry and I spent Christmas in New Orleans (or Nawlins, as I was taught to say) and it rained almost everyday. Our friends, Joe and Trish, were staying in an adjacent marina and Joe, having lived in New Orleans, was a great resource. Many people come to the city, see the Quarter, and leave. With Joe’s help, we were able to see a different side of the city.

We can find a brewhouse anywhere.

But again, the weather was cold and rainy. The marina we stayed in was completely deserted and in a development that had gone bankrupt and was now owned by an absentee managing bank. Think beautiful new docks but no lights and no people anywhere. There were roads that went nowhere and expensive empty condos that were not quite finished.

The wind and rain were fierce on one of our first nights. The waves were crashing on the docks and the wind was howling. Barry tied us up with every rope we had but was worried one of the other boats (left for the winter) might come loose and hit us. There was also a tornado warning alerting us on our phones. Being from earthquake country, we had no clue what to do in a tornado so we didn’t do anything. Everyone here just kind of ignores them.

We were both up most of the night. Barry asked me if I wanted to go to a hotel. I knew there was no way I could get down the long dock and get to our rental car. The waves were just too high and landing either over the dock on the other side or flat in the middle where I would be walking (or crawling).

This is what is funny about getting old. We still see ourselves the way we used to be. I told Barry I didn’t think I could make it down the long floating dock which was rising and falling with the waves. It would be like riding a bucking bronco with a waterfall over your head. He said he could get me to shore safely. Ha. I met my husband when he was in high school and had shoulders you could put platters on. I was a light little thing of 15. Now he has had 5 joint replacements and it would take 3 men to haul my big rear down a dock. We stayed put and the wind died down in the morning.

I lived to see the morning. Wearing my backpack for a freezing bike ride ahead.

On our way to Tulane University to ride around the campus

We hit several NOLA nightclubs with great music, ate too many beignets, took a few beautiful bike rides when it wasn’t raining, and got caught in the front of a raucous parade after a New Orleans Saints game. I also had a confusing conversation with a lady in the church giftshop about my favorite saint. I had no idea who the Saints were and thought she was talking about Catholic saints. Clearly there is no St. Christopher on the New Orleans football team. But now I am a NOLA Saints fan and I’m sorry they aren’t in the Super Bowl.

After 3 weeks we were anxious to start moving again so we headed back to Mobile and stayed in a cute town called Fairhope, Alabama. I could easily live there and if you ever get a chance you should go there. As cute as the town was the marina was terrible. Two of our looper friends were finally down the river system and met us there the next day. We were told by the marina manager that because of the wind change, the water would be too shallow to get out of the marina for 3 days. We left anyway and made it.

We were still in Alabama and seeing lots of dolphins but no sun. We headed for Orange Beach and stayed at a beautiful resort area called The Wharf. We saw pink flamingo style decor but it was literally freezing. Several of our Looper buddies caught up with us there but nobody wanted to get off their boats it was so cold. We all squeezed into First Forty’s fly bridge rather than brave docktails.

Barry and I left the next day to meet my cousins in Navarre Beach at restaurant with a dock called Juana’s Pagotas. It was a beautiful spot and THERE WAS SUN! There was only room for a few boats on the dock but when we were tying off, the owner came out to welcome us and said he didn’t charge Loopers any dock fees! We had a reservation for 1.75 a foot (we have 47 feet) but he said he never charges anyone with a looper flag.

My cousins, Sara Jane and Beverly, are steel magnolias. Both are witty, intelligent, strong, and with impeccable southern manners. But they are also a hoot. Becky offered to drive us around Pensacola and Barry directed her to the visitor center in town via the GPS on his phone. We kept driving and driving and the ladies would say something like, “My, I’ve never seen this part of town.” We ended up at the visitor center at a university in another town. But we had a lot of fun getting lost and we did see the school.

Having fun in Pensacola

We’ve arrived…but in the wrong town.

We left Juana’s and went on to Niceville. Seriously, that is the name of the town where Becky politely told me there was nothing to do. She was correct. We are getting ready to make the dreaded crossing. All Loopers have heard horror stories about crossing the Gulf of Mexico. There is unpredictable weather and waves, lots of shallow water where you least expect it, and apparently tons of crab pots to get your propellers caught in. There are two choices. Leave in the afternoon, motor in the dark all night and get there the next day. Barry and I will take turns driving and keeping each other awake at night. Or, leave from Steinhatchee, taking shorter hops but in need of a longer weather window. And there is also more shallow water and more time to worry about it.

Our Marina in Niceville did have a few things going for it.

We were invited to a private home in Niceville. We all talked about the weather.

Barry is voting for driving all night in the dark and I’m leaning toward more days but in the daylight. The thought of being caught in big waves in the dark sends a chill down my spine. But the way the up and down weather has been going, we may never have enough calm days to cross. Another day of rain and I might consider leaving in a hurricane. I am ready for warm consistent weather.

Baby It’s Cold Outside!

In mid November we left Pickwick Mississippi and went home to California for a nice three-week Thanksgiving vacation. It was fun but we were surprised that we missed being on the water.

We flew back into Nashville and rented a car to drive the two hours back to Aqua Harbor in Tennessee. When we left it was fall and the colors were beautiful. When we returned, there wasn’t a leaf left on any of the trees, it was raining, and the south was having a cold snap with freezing temperatures. This was not in the American Great Loop Cruiser’s Association brochure.

Most of our looper buddies had returned to what we call their dirt homes to celebrate the holidays and miss out on the cold. Because we rented our home that wasn’t an option for us. We were surprised to see our friends Bobbi and Bill on First Forty were still around. Bobbi texted me when we landed and said she would have dinner waiting on their boat when we got in. Bobbi and Bill were having the worst luck of all, needing an engine rebuild. They picked up some bad fuel and it would take several weeks before “Diesel Don” would be able to have their engine running again.

Barry started to worry about our engines so we had Diesel Don pay us a visit. I think it’s like going to a surgeon. If you see a surgeon you are going to need surgery. Don was sure we had some gear rattle, whatever that means. Nothing to be done but we apparently will need our engines replaced “someday.” Thank you Don for raising my husband’s anxiety level.

When we travel, Barry and I reverse our usual roles. I worry at home and he is Mr. Laid Back. When we are away from home he does the worrying for both of us. For Barry, any noise on the boat is a potential catastrophe. As far as I’m concerned, if we aren’t dead we are doing fine.

After a few days of boat maintenance, we headed out on a rainy, dreary Sunday toward the Tenn-Tom Waterway. This is a man-made section of the river which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cut out and still maintains. There are 10 locks from the Tenn-Tom to the Gulf, where we would reach sea level. The first one, the Jamie Whitten Lock, would be the deepest lock of out entire trip. No more cute Canadian college students taking our ropes and chatting us up about America. These locks are made for barges and commercial traffic and the bollards we tie our lines to are huge.

Our ropes were wet and partially frozen, and we had a good 30 minutes of standing on deck while we sank down 85 feet. I wore long johns, a vest, a down coat, a raincoat, a hat and work gloves. Also the required life vest over all of it. If I don’t wear the life vest, the lockmaster comes on a loudspeaker and yells at me. I could barely move. I noticed the woman on the boat in front of us had on one piece zip up ski suit which I’m sure was waterproof. Dang, I wished I thought of that! Their boat was aptly named Chasing 80. They explained they lived in Michigan and cruised down to Florida every year chasing 80 degrees.

We are using our marriage savers more now. Marriage savers are little headsets you wear to communicate during anchoring and docking. They are called marriage savers because it prevents couples from yelling at each other. At least that’s the theory. We’ve gotten great at locking (there are 147 on this trip so no surprise there), but were rusty on docking.

We docked in a little town called Midway and it was a bit of a disaster. Barry said he couldn’t dock behind a sailboat and was going to call the dockmaster for a slip. I told him to dock in front of the sailboat where there was plenty of room. He said no there wasn’t room and I said yes there was. The sailboat had a hinged mast which hung out 15 feet in front of the their boat which neither of us saw. We went forward. “Honey, you just hit their boat.” The three men on board were scrambling to help us and save their boat. “No I didn’t, that impossible.” “Yes you did.” That went on for 10 minutes but we weren’t yelling because we had our marriage savers on and knew better that to blow out our eardrums. We only broke a light on the sailboat’s mast and the guys were very nice about it.

Although there aren’t many pleasure boats on the river, there are plenty of barges. We were in steel and coal country. These barge captains know the river like the back of their hands. They are polite, helpful, southern gentlemen who seem to speak an entirely different language. We hail them on the radio for permission to pass and they respond in a southern drawl something like, “Ah see ya Captain but I got me a PB in my back pocket on the two whistle. Go ahead en pass me on the one.” The first time this happened Barry and I just looked at each other and said “What??” The translation is he has a power boat close behind him and he wants us to pass port to port (left side). They sometimes ask us where we are headed and say they’ll keep an eye out for us. Since all the tows keep in radio contact and are constantly going up and down with their loads, it’s a comforting feeling. I’m going to miss the tug captains when we get off the rivers.

We had another example of southern hospitality near Columbus on a foggy, rainy, day. The lockmaster, who could see the name of our boat on his VSI, called the marina to see if we were scheduled there. We were. The dockmaster then called us up on the radio to describe where to get off the river. We could see there were buoys for the dam, buoys for the lock and buoys for the marina all in one area, making it a little confusing. The lockmaster asked if he could stay on the radio and guide us in. He gave instructions on finding the dock, put us under a covered slip because of the rain and sent out his best line handler to help me with the ropes. I wanted to kiss him.

Fog is the enemy on the rivers. In order to make it to the next anchorage before dark, it’s sometimes necessary to leave early in the fog so you don’t have to anchor in the dark. And we were in a fog like whipped cream at times. One day I thought it was so nice that there was a big Merry Christmas sign to my right. When we got up to it I saw “Danger! Damn Ahead. Stay Back 80 Feet!” This is why Barry does the driving.

There is a lot of history in the little river towns along the way. Every town has an antebellum mansion open to the public complete with original furniture and even clothing. Many of the private homes are from the 1800’s and have been beautifully restored. Whenever we come to a town we borrow the courtesy car at the marina and head to a historic home. There is also a rich Choctaw Indian history all around the river area. We are currently anchored at Bashi Creek, where an Indian massacre occurred.

I could live here.

So that is where we are, sitting in peaceful silence with a racoon and some owls to keep us company. I often think of my friend Arlene who told me she was so thrilled I was taking this trip and she was so glad she wasn’t on it. It’s definitively not for everyone and this section has clearly been the most challenging. But we are at an age where learning new skills can be a good thing.

We should be in Mobile, Alabama in a few days and then we’ll take a side trip to New Orleans where we will stay until the New Year. Every mile south brings us closer to warmer weather. We will miss our family and friends this holiday but wish you a Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year.

HuckleBarry Dodges the Logs

The Mississippi is different than anything else we have encountered. We are finding an angry flooded river as we navigate down to the confluence with the Missouri River. There are few marinas and even fewer anchorages and we’ve had to tie up on barges some nights because that is the only thing available. This is the toughest part of the Loop.

This is where I learned there is something seriously wrong with my husband. He finds the river challenging and fun. For Barry, dodging logs is like passing cars on the freeway. Personally, I can’t wait to get off the Mississippi. It is heavily industrialized, there are giant barges, sometimes six across and the size of football fields, and the river has so many eddies and strong currents it can turn your boat sideways in a blink. The Asian Carp are everywhere and jump up into the boat which always startle me. Nothing like batting at fish while you are trying to throw your fenders out.

The logs come at us at an alarming pace and we have to be vigilant all day. Again, Barry loves this and is saying things like “the next time we come through here. . .” The next time he comes down the Mississippi he will be with someone else.

This leads to underground parking at the Arch. We decided to park elsewhere.

No amenities here. Love the old propeller and giant ropes. But it beats traveling in the dark.

A major stop before St. Louis is Alton, known to have a nice marina, which was good because we pulled in and learned the Mississippi had closed down and we would be there for awhile. Being naive, I thought it was a mistake. How can anyone close a river? But no, the locks closed due to flooding and nobody could go up or down. Pleasure boats and commercial barges couldn’t travel. This sometimes happens in the spring but not the fall. Lucky us. When the Coast Guard closes the river it really is unsafe.

This collected in the lock in one morning. Guess we’ll wait.

There were about 10 Loopers stuck at Alton. We were told it could be at least 10 days so some Loopers went home for a visit and the rest of us made the best of it. Barry and I rented a car and drove to St. Louis to see the sights. We also drove to Kentucky and saw my dear friend Nancy Johnson and her husband Tony in Louisville. Nancy and I were buddies at a dialysis clinic in California where she was a dietitian. We had a great visit and loved staying at their home which seemed absolutely palatial after living on a boat.

After 7 days the lock opened in front of us but all the locks behind us were still closed. We had multiple planning meetings with other Loopers as to the safety of leaving. We decided to leave with one other boat we had been traveling with, Sea Cottage. The River was fast and high at flood stage, with tons of logs and debris so it took all of our concentration.

They opened the large chamber to us so we decided to go. The small chamber was full of logs. This is a 3 across barge but many are 6 across.

About 20 miles downstream there is an iconic wayside stop called Hoppies. It’s interesting getting into Hoppies. It’s just a barge but they have been there forever and give advise about the river and where to anchor. Everyone in our group had high anxiety by the time they arrived so the owner, Fern, is worshipped for her knowledge.

We were going twice as fast as we normally do because of the current and you have to go past the landing and then turn around to get up to Hoppies barge. Barry brought the boat around so he was dodging logs and trying to land the boat in a strong current. Two big men were there to help catch the ropes I threw. They totally knew their business and yelled instructions while they tied our ropes to the shipping cleats. They were yelling, “Bow out Captain” and “Cut the engines!” I love it when someone else other than me yells at Barry when we are docking. Barry says he never listens to what I say, but waits for the panic in my voice to get to a fevered pitch and then he knows when to stop the boat. I admit to getting excited when we look like we are ready to crash into another boat. There was only room for 6 boats on Hoppies rusty old barge, and Sea Cottage and the Goose were the last two. Whew!

What I love about the Loop and especially this section is the relationships that form. We all know each other by our boat names. We’ve been traveling with Sea Cottage and Kailani. Kailani took a boat break to see family and we’ve picked up Endless Loop. Today we are tied to a lock wall with 7 other boats. All 16 of us had “locktails” on a catamaran last night. We are waiting out high winds together. We are definitely bonding as we try to figure out how to do the next stretch. We will be anchoring again tomorrow.

Our new friends all have interesting stories. A couple we recently traveled with are home schooling their two high school kids on board, Sea Cottage has their 21 year old year old son along who is in a wheelchair when off the boat, a couple behind us is doing the entire loop in a tiny sailboat, with the mast hinged down, and Endless Loop’s Captain has had medical problems so his wife does all the maintenance on the engines and the heavy lifting. Many of the boats have dogs or cats aboard that become known to everyone. Somehow it all works out just fine.

6000 miles in a boat this size is brave. Kaskaskia Lock and Dam allows overnight tie ups but you can’t get off the Lock wall.

It’s getting cold and ice was on the deck this morning. I am ready to head south. But the good news is I’ll be doing it with many new friends.

Chicago Chicago

We loved Michigan but winter is coming. The coast of Michigan is one charming little coastal town after another. The boats were being taken out of the water and stored for winter. I’m from California so it seemed strange to me to see 50 foot boats lifted out of the water and shrink wrapped in plastic. They looked like giant Tupperware containers.

shrink wrapped — Time to leave – we are not doing this!

Our prop repair had put us behind other Loopers, and the marinas in the Great Lakes were almost empty. We pushed toward Chicago and had following seas for three days so we made good time. When we pulled in to the DuSable Harbor in downtown Chicago, there were at least 8 Looper boats around us. We knew most of them and it felt good to be around friends again.

chicago skyline — Finally! Hello Chicago!

champagne — “Thank God we made it out of Lake Michigan in time ” celebration.

Within a few minutes after docking we were on our bikes going to Trader Joe’s. Oh how I missed TJ’s! Every store you could want was within a short bike ride. It was worth risking my life following Barry in traffic – I was back in civilization.

I love Chicago. It’s like New York but more accessible and less overwhelming for someone not used to living in a big city. The history, architecture, museums, restaurants, gardens, and skyline are amazing. We rode the bike trail to the museum, the Planetarium and the Aquarium. The architecture in Chicago is wonderful and we even payed to go for a boat ride – The Architectural Tour. It was worth it.

view from planitarium — Chicago skyline and marina from the planetarium.

We left Chicago via the river that goes right through downtown. Our boat clearance is 17 feet (we measured it 3 times before we left) and the bridge height is registered as 17 feet. But the river was said to below normal by several inches so we took the chance. I was stationed on top to get a visual and if I thought we were going to crash into the bridge we planned to turn around. We made it by not very many inches but it was stressful.

Not going to make it — Really? Are we going to make this?? This is our hard top roof and I think we are lucky we still have radar.

We left the harbor with 2 other couples we had met previously. They knew what they were doing and were much more studious about the route than we were. One was a retired naval engineer so were happy to follow him! We left the worry about waves and wind behind in Lake Michigan but we are now in canals again with giant commercial barges. You have to know they are coming (sometimes around a bend) and call them on the radio by name. They tell you how they want you to get around them by saying pass on the one whistle or two whistle. Barry and I looked at each other and we were both clueless about the whistles. One is port and the other starboard so I’m glad we were not the lead boat. Also, if the barge captain is having a bad day he ignores all calls from pleasure boats completely and you just get out of the way as fast as possible. Sometimes there are two tugs together pushing several barges lashed together. The suction behind those monsters is something you don’t want to get close to!

Long barge — Some of the barges go on forever!

Long lock — The locks are long for the barges and they fill every inch.

We are also back to locks. I’d almost forgotten what to do and had to hustle to get the fenders placed, the lines ready and my gloves on. No cute college girls helping with lines and chatting like we had in Canada. These are commercial locks for barges and pleasure boats are an afterthought. 5 of us Loopers waited 3 hours treading water until they let us in a lock.

Since we all had time to get to know each other, we are now traveling with 5 couples. We are having fun. Some nights we all pitch in something and have dinner together, or we put a movie on and have popcorn. Other nights we find a restaurant. Tonight we are all on a wall just beyond Joliet. Its a very rough wall and we are glad we had help tying off to the nearby trees.

I was sorry to leave the glamour of Chicago. We are going home for Thanksgiving and I’ll be ready to take a boat break. It’s still fun and still an adventure, but I’m missing my family. And my doctor, hairdresser and friends! Like most of the Loopers, we will look for a marina to keep our boat for several weeks while we reconnect with home. And then we will return with the rest of the Looper Class of 2019.