February 2026 Great Loop Link
FROM THE EDITOR'S DECK
Even though the temperature in Florida this winter hasn't been what Loopers have been hoping for, it's not quite time to begin the cruise into northern waters. Believe us when we say, Julie Shea has been fussing about the snow and wind chills up north all winter. Stay in Florida for a little while longer ~ just watch out for the falling Iguanas!
But if you're willing to face the cold (and maybe a few lizards falling from the sky) we've got the perfect thing to take your mind off the weather and keep you from freezing in place. Also, for those of you who aren't quite sure you're ready to drop the dock lines on the Great Loop, this is the perfect practice cruise. The Florida Loop awaits! It's shorter then the Great Loop and Kim Russo has all the details you'll need to make it happen. Stay warm or make it a shake-down cruise. Either way, it's the perfect mini-Loop route!
After the Florida Loop, your thoughts will likely turn to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW). Believe it or not, spring is right around the corner and soon you will be cruising north through Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia. The AICW tends to be one large, floating community and you will consistently either cruise with the same boats, or at the very least, meet up with them again and again. But there are also nagivational challenges on this portion of the route that often change from year to year as tropical storms mold the landscape and waterways. Not to worry, though, because we've got you covered. Julie Shea shares 10 tips to help you make your cruise on the AICW the best it can be.
It's time again for our advocacy campaign fundraising efforts so we may continue to support the boating community in all of the Great Loop waters. The bulk of our work each legislative season is centered in Florida where anchoring rights have been under attack for many years. Kim Russo shares the history of our advocacy work and the anti-boating bills we've fought against as we continue our work to keep Great Loop waterways open to navigation and safe for everyone.
As always, we have your fellow members' wake crossings that were reported to us in January. Make sure you check them out.
In this issue:
Admiral Sponsors
Wake Crossings Reported in January:
2nd Chance
Congratulations to Barbara & Douglas, who completed their Loop on May 25, 2025 aboard their Semi-custom Legare 40, 2nd Chance.
"Once in a lifetime!"
At Last
Congratulations to Kenny & Sherry, who completed their Loop on December 15, 2025 aboard their 46' Jefferson Sundeck, At Last.
Funky Monkey
Congratulations to Barbara & Scott (along with Bernie McDoodle!), who completed their Loop on September 2, 2025 aboard their 36' Monk Trawler, Funky Monkey.
"Beautiful places, beautiful faces, beautiful spirits, lifelong friends."
Good Ship
Congratulations to Tristan, who completed his Loop on May 30, 2025 aboard his 45' Custom Aluminum Trawler, Good Ship.
Hangman II
Congratulations to James, who completed his Loop on September 1, 2025 aboard his Back Cove 34O, Hangman II.
Lady Jane III
Congratulations to Brian & Chrissy, who completed their Loop on October 20, 2025 aboard their 36' Grand Banks Classic, Lady Jane III.
Lazy Manatee
Congratulations to Carlo & Tina (and Snoopy!), who completed their Loop on November 27, 2025 aboard their Marine Trader Sundeck 43, Lazy Manatee.
"On March 28th, 2023 our dream came true:
"We started the Great Loop from Marco Island, FL
- 305 days living on board in 3 years
- 132 stops in 18 US States and Ontario Canada
"It was an incredible adventure:
"Been to so many wonderful, interesting places (islands, rivers, beaches, big and small towns), seen so much beautiful nature and animals...
"And the best of all: meeting so many amazing people from the U.S., Canada, Australia, NZ and Europe - some of them became really good friends.
"Thanks to all (and everything) who made this journey into one of the most exciting experiences!
"Now, on the way to new adventures, selling our wonderful, comfy 'home on the water' and loyal friend Lazy Manatee ~ certainly she will be happy to do the Loop again with new great owners!"
Mackinac Passage III
Congratulations to Tom & Mary, who completed their Loop on April 20, 2025 aboard their 43' Mainship Aft Cabin, Mackinac Passage III.
"This was our third attempt to Loop in the past 28 years, and we finally succeeded, although it did take us two years to complete due to schedules and other issues. For those fellow Loopers experiencing unexpected delays or future Loopers dreaming and hoping but worried about the what-ifs — keep pressing on — the effort is definitely worth the reward! For us, the folks we met along the way, the navigational advances we witnessed and the experiences we had while cruising the beautiful and unique coastlines of the USA and Canada, along with their cities, towns, and villages made each of our voyages very special. However, crossing our wake on this last journey was overwhelmingly meaningful, and we are very grateful for being able to stay the course and earn our Gold!"
Mary Jean Too
Congratulations to Larry & Mary, who completed their Loop on January 7, 2026 aboard their Mainship 430, Mary Jean Too.
Miss Genny
Congratulations to Fred & Evgeniya (and Kikko!), who completed their Loop on December 27, 2025 aboard their DeFever 44, Miss Genny.
"This was a wonderful adventure that was over before we knew it. We started out in St. Petersburg, Florida. Then 8,000 miles and 14 months later, with a few home trips in between, it was complete. If you are able to do this trip, now is the time, buy a boat in your budget and go cruising, you won't regret it."
Overture
Congratulations to Kenneth & Jo, who completed their Loop on December 13, 2025 aboard their Beneteau Swift Trawler 41, Overture.
Pelican
Congratulations to Paul & Jill, who completed their Loop on January 4, 2026 aboard their Helmsman 38E, Pelican.
"562 days after starting, Captain Paul, Admiral Jill, and Commodore Charlie crossed our wake in Stuart, Florida.
"Nearly six thousand miles at 7.5 knots, stopping at 128 marinas and anchorages, clearing 97 locks, collecting 127 boat cards, and returning home three times, the crew of Pelican had an unforgettable, wonderful time. Charlie even learned to use the turf pad…
"As most Loopers do, we met a lot of people and became friends with multiple couples in our trip. Two long-time Buddy Boat crews were Canadians Bill and Louise Ogilvey (iFloat) and Brian and Lauren Bagby (Heidi-Ho). 'Midway Fleet' shipmates Peter and Sue Greetham (Lake Effect) and Walt and Sarah Keller (L’Attitude Adjustment) along with Heidi-Ho, made the isolated trip down the inland waters a lot of fun. Even our boat's former owners and Nebo Stalkers, Mark and Susan Carzo kept a virtual eye on us, providing assistance multiple times in navigation and technical assistance with the inevitable 'how do I do this?' situations that routinely arise on a boat.
"High on the list of boy-it-would-be-nice-to-return-here were:
- Charleston, SC
- the entire Chesapeake Bay
- Annapolis and the Naval Academy
- Liberty Landing, NJ and the view of Manhattan
- the Military Academy at West Point
- the Trent-Severn Waterway
- the North Channel (gorgeous!)
- the Lake Michigan eastern shore of Michigan
- Navy Pier and Chicago
- Florence AL, and Pensacola
- the Naval Aviation Museum and the Blue Angels
"Pop-Pop Paul and Nana Jill are looking forward to the arrival of grandkid number five in a couple weeks and resuming babysitting duties. We missed a lot of school events, birthday parties, football games, and cheerleading competitions. Our calendar is filling up quickly!"
Pied à Mer
Congratulations to Mike & Suzanne, who completed their Loop on January 23, 2026 aboard their 45' Tollycraft CPMY, Pied à Mer.
"Our Great Loop experience was everything that we imagined. It was full of adventure and challenges. We saw parts of the United States and Canada that we otherwise would not have seen. The best part was the camaraderie with the fellow boaters that we met and shared the journey with - people from all different backgrounds and ages who became friends as well as a support group."
Prana
Congratulations to Liz, who completed her Loop on January 25, 2026 aboard her Beneteau Oceanis 440, Prana.
"I crossed my wake in Melbourne, Florida, on January 26, 2026, after 262 days, 5,200 miles, 16 states, and one thousand hours of travel—65% solo.
"Oceans, estuaries, gulfs, lakes, inland rivers. Bridges and locks. One magical month in Lake Superior. Four days spent taking the mast down, up, down, up.
"Fixing things, upgrading things, being too hot, too cold, too much tired. Fear. Self-doubt. Occasional tears. Rising to the challenges. Frequent cursing. I am a sailor, after all.
"This year may hold another Loop via the St. Lawrence this time, or simply going up and down the east coast. TBD!"
Serenity
Congratulations to Bill & Sarah, who completed their Loop on January 26, 2026 aboard their Kady Krogen 48, Serenity.
"What a wonderful journey! And a great way to see parts of the U.S. and Canada. We could go on and on about the places we liked the best, but the people we met made the trip amazing! Thank you to everyone who shared in the many pieces of our trip."
Shay Chalet II
Congratulations to Jimi & Fawn, who completed their Loop on December 24, 2025 aboard their Bayliner 4788, Shay Chalet II.
"Well, we successfully completed America’s Great Loop!! We left the Captiva Island Yacht Club on 1/2/2025 and nearly one year later, on Christmas Eve, we crossed our wake back at CIYC. We were on the water continuously moving with the exception of 5 weeks of skiing in Colorado. It was quite a journey to say the least. Fawn became quite the first mate, she is now very much an accomplished yachtsman. Some ask what it was like spending every minute of every day with each other, and I have to say I feel closer to Fawn now than every before. We had such a great time, made great memories, and accomplished a pretty big deal in boating together.
Some quick stats:
- Nearly 6,000 miles traveled
- 15 states
- Big cities and small towns
- Entire Erie Canal
- Entire Oswego Canal
- Entire Trent-Severn Canal (Canada)
- 2 countries
- 3 Great Lakes
- 100 locks
- Anchored almost 100 nights
- A bunch of river systems and canals
- Visited 33 different yacht clubs
- Fewer people complete the Great Loop than summit Mount Everest!
- Additionally, the summer of 2024 we cruised the Bahamas
- 1,000 miles cruising the Bahamas
- 18 islands visited
Skin Deep
Congratulations to Eleanor & Alan (& Chilly!), who completed their Loop on January 27, 2026 aboard their Mainship 430, Skin Deep.
"Skin Deep with Eleanor, Alan, and Chilly the Doberman crossed our wake in Stuart, Florida today…..
"Coming from the UK, bringing a dog, and buying a boat, is not for the faint-hearted, but it was all worth it to experience the amazing Great Loop. 6,000 miles through Canada and America by boat on the inland waterways. The highlight for us has been the great kindness and consideration of the American and Canadian people whom we have encountered, whether other Loopers, random strangers, dock staff, these are the people who have made our trip so fabulous. Two countries and many states, we have been tired, happy, exhausted and thrilled in turn! Thanks America and Canada for making us so welcome. Now the boat is sold and we return back to the UK."
SPARTY
Congratulations to Chris & Julie (along with Mosby!), who completed their Loop on December 29, 2025 aboard their Beneteau Swift Trawler 41, SPARTY.
STINGER
Congratulations to John & Julie, who completed their Loop on May 6, 2025 aboard their Beneteau Swift Trawler 41 Fly, STINGER.
Sweet and Salty
Congratulations to Julie & Glenn, who completed their Loop on January 21, 2026 aboard their Leopard 39 Sailing Catamaran, Sweet and Salty.
"We completed America’s Great Loop on our Leopard 39 sailing catamaran Sweet and Salty in just over nine months and 5,882 miles. After leaving Vero Beach City Marina in Florida on April 14, 2025 (without the mast), we returned and crossed our wake on January 21, 2026! The Loop was not only an adventure of a lifetime, but also a cruise through American history. We visited small towns, big cities, forts, battlefields, museums, and national parks and traveled on the actual waterways that fought for our country’s independence. We spent the summer cruising Ontario, Canada, in some of the most scenic waters in the world. We learned a lot about navigation, planning (and patience) due to weather, lock schedules, and limited daylight hours.
"Some highlights were going through our first lock in the Dismal Swamp Canal, the many historical stops and quaint towns on the Chesapeake Bay, anchoring directly behind the Statue of Liberty and seeing the Manhattan skyline at night, the Canadian hospitality along the Trent-Severn Waterway, anchoring in Georgian Bay and the North Channel, taking our boat to Mackinac Island, visiting the Michigan towns along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, cruising through downtown Chicago in our own boat, successfully crossing the Gulf of Mexico/America at night, and the many beautiful sunsets. Other highlights of the Loop were the food along the way, including ice cream, butter tarts, and seafood. The things we won’t miss are dodging crab pots, the anchor alarm going off in the middle of the night, carrying groceries for miles on foot, going through locks, and did we mention crab pots?
"Flying the AGLCA flag and being on the Nebo app was an opening to many conversations and friendships. As many who have done the Loop will tell you, the people you meet along the way make it special and have you looking forward to sharing stories over cocktails, docktails, locktails, and rocktails! We played 'Loop Frog' with so many boaters and exchanged boat cards with well over 100 of them. We would like to give special thanks to all the AGLCA Harbor Hosts along the way who gave us advice for trip planning, an address to ship packages to, and a dock to stay at. We started this journey with very limited boating experience, so don’t be afraid to give it a shot if this is something you would like to do.
"Final Loop stats for Sweet and Salty: 2 countries, 17 states, 101 locks, 193 travel days, 223 free anchorages/docks, 283 calendar days, 839 gallons of diesel yielding 7 MPG, 973 hours underway, 1,192 engine hours, and 5,882 statute miles."
Sweet Dreams
Congratulations to Ed & Mari-Etta (along with Mister Wiggles & Looper!), who completed their SECOND Loop on December 29, 2025 aboard their Great Harbour Trawler N-37, Sweet Dreams.
Thunderbolt
Congratulations to Will & Tracy McVay, who completed their Loop on January 30, 2026 aboard their 1980 42' Ocean, Thunderbolt.
"Thunderbolt is an electric-converted trawler. Will oversaw and designed the project, which includes solar and 12K generator. We crossed our wake at Fort Myers, Florida, and haven't bought diesel since Albemarle Plantation, NC. We anticipate being able to get back to Albemarle Plantation on the current tank of fuel.
"We truly enjoyed the journey. Great people, innumerous beautiful anchorages, and lovely towns. In fact, we liked it so much that we decided to just keep going and look forward to seeing so many old (and new!) friends on our 2026-2027 Loop!"
Toes in The Water
Congratulations to Steven & Janeen, who completed their Loop on January 15, 2026 aboard their 1998 Navigator 5300 Classic, Toes in The Water.
"It was quite an adventure with beautiful sights and people with memories that we will take with us for the rest of our lives!"
Upper North
Congratulations to Julie & Matthew, who completed their Loop on July 26, 2025 aboard their 36' 1987 Marine Trader FB Sun Deck, Upper North.
"First time on a big boat for both of us and we started by crossing Lake Superior from Washburn, WI to join the Loop at De Tour Village. Our first lock? Soo Locks!"
Wind of Change
Congratulations to Sergei, who completed his Loop on January 18, 2026 aboard his 41' Jeanneau NC1295, Wind of Change.
"Apologies to those who I've waked (you know who you are). Thanks to those who were more than willing to help with advice or a spare (you also know who you are). Cheers to the numerous members with whom I had the pleasure to share a cocktail or two (you definitely know who you are)."
Upcoming Events:
Admiral Sponsors
Commander and Lieutenant Plus
Lieutenant
