NEBRASKA*
JUNE-OCTOBER 2023
We purchased Novella on the Great Lakes. We were able to take her out for a sail one time on Lake Michigan. We then trailered her down to Nebraska and spent the summer on our “training lake.” It was a wonderful summer, full of planning and daydreaming about our upcoming adventure and the excitement of a completely new lifestyle.
*While not technically part of our Loop, Nebraska is where we first splashed Novella and learned to sail.
STORIES Foreword
TENNESSEE
NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 2, 2023 | OFFICIALLY STARTED THE LOOP DECEMBER 2, 2023
Our parents accompanied us down to Evan’s birth state, Tennessee. One truck pulled the sailboat, and the other was loaded with gear. They dropped us off and said their goodbyes. We spent the next few days making our final preparations. On December 2nd, we figured enough was enough, and amidst the rain, we shoved off. We felt very eerie and uncertain that first day, and by the end of it, we were in Mississippi.
STORIES The First Days
MISSISSIPPI
DECEMBER 2 - 14, 2023
As we tied up at the marina after our first day on the Loop, we quickly discovered the special camaraderie that comes along with being a Looper. Overall, it’s a group of very friendly and helpful people. That night, we received advice for the next day, when we would encounter our first of many locks, and made plans to lock through with a flotilla of other Loopers. We made it six days before the weather and work obligations forced us to stay a week in Columbus, Mississippi.
STORIES The First Days | The First Week
ALABAMA
DECEMBER 14 - 30, 2023
Alabama was a state of firsts. Our first anchorage. Our first dinghy excursion and first bike rides. Our first taste of saltwater, shallow bays, and the Intracoastal Waterway. Our first dolphin experience! It was also our first Christmas just the two of us.
STORIES The Inland Rivers | Saltwater
FLORIDA
DECEMBER 30, 2023 - MARCH 28, 2024
Our introduction to Florida was fantastic! Fort McRee set the bar for what we expected to experience during the rest of our time in Florida. However, the state proved to be incredibly varied. At times, we were surrounded by amazing nature, and other times we were navigating through inconsiderate weekend boaters and their nonstop wakes. Some highlights were swimming with manatees, a week at Caladesi Island State Park, exploring Clearwater to Tarpon Springs by bike and trolley, and near-daily dolphin sightings. Florida is also where we made some of our best friends along the Loop.
GEORGIA
MARCH 28 - 30, 2024
Our tour of Georgia was short-lived, and we never set foot on land. The marshes made for beautiful anchorages.
SOUTH CAROLINA
MARCH 30 - APRIL 8, 2024
South Carolina has several gorgeous and historical stops. We enjoyed walking around Beaufort, eating our way through Charleston, and taking a day trip to Georgetown. The Waccamaw River is one of the prettiest sections of the entire Loop.
STORIES The Carolinas
NORTH CAROLINA
APRIL 8 - MAY 5, 2024
We enjoyed lots of nature time while in North Carolina and had the best pizza of the entire loop in Beaufort. We also experienced our worst day ever while crossing the Pamlico Sound. The Dismal Swamp is not to be missed!
STORIES The Carolinas Crossing Open Waters
VIRGINIA
MAY 5 - 14, 2024
We were looking forward to some great sailing while on the Chesapeake. We had a couple of good days, but most of the time the weather was not cooperative. We explored places as tiny and remote as Tangier Island to as big and busy as Norfolk.
MARYLAND
MAY 14 - 27, 2024
Our stay in Maryland started with us feeling low due to the weather and our experiences on the Chesapeake. However, things quickly warmed up, and we enjoyed several sunny days in Annapolis, celebrating the Captain’s birthday.
STORIES The Chesapeake Bay
DELAWARE
MAY 27 - JUNE 4, 2024
Novella spent more time in Delaware than the crew did. Our arrival was a little rushed as we had to drive to Tennessee unexpectedly to be with family. The Delaware Bay is a tricky section of water. An educational meeting is offered the night before you plan to cross, as getting your timing right is crucial.
STORIES The Chesapeake Bay
NEW JERSEY
JUNE 4 - 12, 2024
New Jersey was our trickiest state to navigate. The weather at the time prevented us from heading north on the outside. Instead, we were stuck on the Intracoastal. We were waked to no end. The channels are narrow, the tide goes low. But most troubling for us was a section of very low bridges. We barely squeezed under, and each one had us biting our nails.
NEW YORK
JUNE 12 - JULY 4, 2024
While technically docked in New Jersey for two of the first nights, it was New York City where we spent all our time once we first arrived in the state. We fit in as much as we physically could while in NYC. We then slowly headed up the Hudson River. The river valley offers some of the most beautiful scenery. We locked through the Erie Canal and enjoyed the little towns as we made our way up to Canada.
STORIES New Jersey to Canada
ONTARIO, CANADA
JULY 4 - AUGUST 23, 2024
We had an exceptionally good time in Canada! It is our favorite destination to date. It had the best of everything when it comes to cruising. Beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife, cute towns, and good food. We went through the Trent-Severn Waterway, which alone was very enjoyable. The route itself is quite relaxing, and we met some of the nicest people. We were blown away when we got up into the Georgian Bay. The water was so clear. The views were spectacular. We spent the summer swimming and paddleboarding. Our parents came to stay for a week, and we reconnected with some Loopers we leapfrogged from Florida up to North Carolina.
MICHIGAN
AUGUST 23 - SEPTEMBER 26, 2024
Our summer on the Loop was full of reconnections. We reconnected with Loopers we hadn’t seen in months, our family who visited for a week, and many friends. We met up for a fun week with our best Mackinac Island friends. We went out to dinner with our seasoned sail guide from St. Joseph, who took us out when we bought Novella. It wasn’t long after leaving Michigan that we enjoyed a luxurious week’s stay with our longtime friends, as they gave us the greatest tour of Chicago. Michigan is where we met another small sailboat doing the Loop. We really enjoyed their company and buddied up until we left for the Bahamas. Sailing the Great Lakes was awesome when the weather allowed us to go out. It was nice to see Novella’s journey come full circle as she accomplished her Loop before us!
STORIES Lake Michigan
ILLINOIS
SEPTEMBER 26 - OCTOBER 29, 2024
Chicago welcomed us with an all-expenses-paid dinner and cocktails at the yacht club. We then found ourselves with access to an apartment within walking distance of the best restaurants, and friends to entertain us. After Chicago, it was back to the rivers, where we sadly realized that we were on our final leg of the journey. With fall came beautiful foliage and cold weather.
STORIES Lake Michigan
MISSOURI
OCTOBER 29 - NOVEMBER 2, 2024
Missouri offers the most remote section of the Loop. There is a long stretch without any amenities. No marinas. No place to fuel up. We made it through thanks to our spare gas tanks.
KENTUCKY
NOVEMBER 2 - 8, 2024
Kentucky is another state that passes by quickly. We really enjoyed our time spent in Paducah and the beauty of the scenery.
TENNESSEE
NOVEMBER 8 - 18, 2024
We spent our last 10 days in Tennessee. It was bittersweet. We felt accomplished knowing we were about to finish our Loop, but sad to see it come to an end. We really stretched out and savored these final days. We eventually pulled up the same dock we had left from nearly a year before. Our parents were waiting with bubbly and a big sign saying, “You did it, Novella!” We visited family for a few days before heading downstream bound for the Bahamas.
