Introduction to the Great Loop

This recorded webinar gives an introduction to the Great Loop including answers to frequently asked questions, statistics on the Great Loop, and a tour of the route using photos taken by Loopers.

*Please note: I misspoke while recording this. Cairo is at the intersection of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. The Illinois and Mississippi Rivers meet at Grafton.

#GreatLoop #GreatLoopers #Boatlife #boatingadventure #bucketlist

[DG]

Before today, I never knew this existed, and now this is all I want to do with my life.

[MatthewASersion]

This is such a great video. New bucket list line item. Thank you very much.

[brucehatch]

As a disabled American Seabee vet, I met my wife in the Navy(she’s an 81/2 year vet) we just came across this webinar looking for affordable houseboats to spend the summer on . As we’re fulltimers and I m a burn victim we have to spend the winters in mild climates. Learning about this loop may be the best dam thing to come along in years for us! Please tell us more!!

[jamesbaldwin]

Ask all the questions you can think of, and the answer will always be the same..."that depends."

Thanks so much. That was a big help.

[brucehatch]

As a fulltime RVer since 1999 I’m up for a new adventure at 68yrs old! I need a good boat🙃

[hmortensen]

The best part of the loop for us was the community of loopers. Because everyone does the loop at about the same time, you meet other loopers along the way. The rivers were the best for this. Every night ended up with looper cocktails and great friends.

[majorsynthqed]

As a long-time New Jersey resident, I recommend running outside. The inside waters are not always accurately marked, and there is a lot of shallow water throughout the state. The best, safest inlet is Absecon Inlet at Atlantic City (Cape May and Manasquan are also good). One can dock at the state marina next to the Golden Nugget casino. Repair facilities in Gardner's Basin. If you have no local knowledge I strongly suggest NOT going into Barnegat/Great Bay area. Even old timers get shoaled. I have seen water as shallow as two feet inside the markers! Outside New Jersey is easy; inshore New Jersey is the most challenging part of the ICW IMO. I've done Florida to New Jersey. Stay away from Little Egg, Corsons, and Herefords inlets! If you decide to run inside and it is warm, bring insect repellent...trust me.

[barbaraambrose]

Did this great loop trip 4 times in a 42 carver. Wonderful trip

[eatwelladventureoften]

Fantastic webinar! Definitely a great intro for those of us in the dreaming/planning stage.

[cathrynm]

Woah, I'm not a boater, but this is fascinating. No idea it was possible to go such a distance.

[chrisambrose]

This would be so cool!!! Thanks for the insight!👍🙋‍♂️🖖🏻

[sonofaredshirt]

That was an excellent video! Thank you for taking the time to do this, the most informative package I've heard on the Great Loop yet. A wonderful job!

[chorn]

for months i have been looking at cottages in ontario and have been sort of stuck between various muskoka lakes and something on the trent/severn waterway. i got sidetracked and started to look at cruising the trent/severn next summer and it just kept getting longer until i found out about the loop tonight. lol. i had no idea that a route like this is possible. thanks so much for sharing this - definitely on the bucket list.

[johnbiggar]

The Big Chute Marine Railway was built not on a cost basis (it is way more expensive to operate). The lift was designed to keep the Sea Lamprey from swimming upstream through locks and decimate fishing throughout the river/lake system.

[adventureseeker]

This was absolutely fascinating!
Nicely put together presentation.

[NoxiD-]

I’ve known of the loop for a while now and I’ve always wanted to get into boating and eventually do the loop. I didn’t grow up around boats so it’s all been a learning experience for me. I’m currently 35 years old with a 16’ deck boat, within the next five years or so I plan on having a 23ish’ cruiser and eventually work my way up to the boat I plan on doing the loop in.

[joea]

Thank you so much for all your hard work and information. Much appreciated!!!

[normbond]

Thank you for this webinar from a person who will never own a boat but interested in travel & history. The YouTube channel ‘ Nautistyle’ was where I 1st heard of this fantastic boat trip. Being Canadian & familiar with the Trent/Severn Waterway I was pleased with your wonderful review. Great job of very informative video, thanks.🙏👍👌🇨🇦

[Maddie-Girl]

I just finished 6 yrs of sailing in South Pacific came back to Ont bought a 34 ft trawler now working on it prepping it for the great loop we absolutely love living on a boat no better way

[yourmomsdildo]

Just found out about this. We were "tiny house" people who just sold our camper (a tear drop) and bought our first boat together. Its an 1984 22' cuddy cabin but plan to upgrade to a 30' boat in the next year after getting more time behind the helm. Cant wait to knock this thing out in the next 5 years or so.