Follow Along on Our Great Loop Adventure!
Follow George and Chris Reiss as they navigate the breathtaking waterways of The Great Loop aboard Assisted Living.
Latest Update from the Water
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At Least We Didn’t Hit an Unexploded Ordinance
Continue Reading: At Least We Didn’t Hit an Unexploded OrdinanceAfter a beautiful night at anchor near Little River Inlet, we got underway on the morning of April 1st, headed to North Carolina. Our ultimate destination for the day was Southport, NC, but we wanted to make a quick stop along the way in Holden Beach because our five-year-old grandson, Holden, was named in honor…
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Great Loop?
The Great Loop is a circumnavigation (counterclockwise) of a continuous waterway route that encompasses the eastern United States and parts of Canada. The route includes the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the New York State Canals, the Canadian Canals, the Great Lakes, and the inland rivers. At a minimum, the journey covers 5250 miles, but depending on the exact route and optional side trips, the Great Loop journey is more typically 6,000 miles or more.
Why Counterclockwise?
Although the Great Loop can be traveled in either direction, most travel the route counterclockwise in order to be traveling with the current, rather than against it.
How long does it take to complete The Great Loop?
The length of time to complete The Great Loop is a matter of personal choice and is significantly impacted by weather and the number of optional side trips (so many fun places to explore just off the main route). Many boaters, including us, plan to take roughly one year to complete the Loop. Boaters typically time their initial departure with the arrival or departure of warm weather where ever they happen to be located, and then follow the seasons around the Loop chasing the warm weather. We plan to depart the Florida panhandle in mid-December and make a quick beeline to the sunny shores of Florida’s southwest coast.
What waterways comprise the Great Loop route?
Listed in the order we plan to travel: The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, the Gulf of Mexico, the Okeechobee Waterway (or in our case, we will take the alternative route by skipping Okeechobee and continuing on the Gulf Intracoastal to the Florida Keys), the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the Chesapeake Bay, the C&D Canal, the Atlantic Ocean from Cape May to New York Harbor, the Hudson River, the Erie Canal, the Oswego Canal, Lake Ontario, the Trent-Severn Canal, Georgian Bay, Lake Michigan, the Illinois River, the Mississippi River, the Ohio River, the Tennessee River, the Tenn-Tom Waterway, Mobile Bay, and then connecting again to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
How many States/Provinces Are Along the Great Loop?
Depending on route choices, loopers go through at least 15 U.S. states and Canadian provinces that may include: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Quebec, Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama.
What type of boat is Assisted Living?
Assisted Living is a 2022 Ranger Tug 43-CB, 43′ in length, 14′ wide, with a draw of 3.5′. It has bridge clearances of 13′ 9″ with mast down or 21′ 6″ with mast up. The boat has twin Volvo IPS450 Pod Drives, providing optional joy stick driving from three stations (inside helm, back cockpit docking station, and flybridge helm). The boat is equipped with DPS (dynamic position stabilization), Dock Assist, and Gyro stabilization. It has two ensuite staterooms.
Follow Our Great Loop Adventure!
Stay updated with our latest stories and experiences as we navigate the beautiful waterways of The Great Loop.
