Great Loop Radio Podcast

Our "Story of our Loop" series is back with Michael MacLeod sharing the stories of his two Great Loop trips. After a career in music that included travel around the globe, Michael began the Great Loop and completed it the first time aboard a 22' C-Dory and a second time aboard a 25' C-Dory. Join us to hear what drew Michael to the Great Loop, why his boats were perfect for his style of Looping, what leg he found most challenging, and more.

Join the Home Port Crew as we provide details on the many virtual and in-person events coming up this summer and into fall. We'll cover our Virtual Docktails free events where AGLCA members can join Zoom breakout rooms to discuss specific topics, our "Must Have Apps for the Great Loop" webinar series that is free for members, our upcoming "Looper Lifestyle" seminar coming to Milwaukee, and our ever-popular Fall Rendezvous. Find more information on all these events at www.greatloop.org and select Events from the menu. We'll also cover AGLCA's new app and our members only Facebook group.

Mackinac Island has long been a Looper favorite stop. Get all the details of what you'll find on this unique, historic, and quaint island when stopping there as part of your Great Loop adventure. Tad & Libbie Sheldon talk about the Island and the waterways surrounding it on this episode.

Some of the finest cruising on the Great Loop is found on Georgian Bay! Join us as Dale Anderson shares the details of cruising these waters that he calls home. Our disussion includes likely stops for Loopers, favorite anchorages, things to see and do, and calming the anxiety of navigating the 30,000 Islands.

Join us as Chris & Beth share the story of their Great Loop adventure aboard their 31' Camano. Our conversation includes details about their boat, their planning, and what they gained from taking on this challenge.

Ever wondered if you should get a vessel safety check on your boat before starting the Great Loop? Rob Rice joins us on this episode to talk about vessel safety exams. We'll cover what they are, why you should get one, and how to schedule it.

Do you know Chad Pregracke? If not, you should! For 25 years he's been helping remove trash from America's inland rivers. Chad founded Living Lands and Waters in 1998 at the age of 25 when he realized nothing was being done to clean up the waterways. He is the winner of many awards and accolades, most notably, Chad was the recipient of the Jefferson Award for Public Service. Chad accepted this award in 2002 at the United States Supreme Court with other award recipients Rudolph Giuliani, Bill and Melinda Gates and Lilly Tartikoff. In 2013, he was named CNN's Hero of the Year. Chad is also the author of From the Bottom Up: One Man’s Crusade to Clean America’s Rivers. Chad is the guest on this week's episode of the Great Loop Radio podcast as we discuss what it takes to keep the inland rivers section of the Great Loop route free of trash and how Loopers can get involved.

From fire extinguishers to life rafts to personal locator beacons, distress and safety equipment is important for your Great Loop cruise. After presenting an enlightening seminar at our Spring Rendezvous, Jeremy McConnell of Northwest Creek Marina is our guest this week to talk about this important topic. Northwest Creek Marina is an AGLCA sponsor, and Jeremy, a retired U.S. Coast Guard Master Chief, is the General Manager there. In his role in the Coast Guard, Jeremy managed and executed thousands of Search and Rescue operations. He'll tell us from his firsthand experience why having distress and safety equipment, and knowing how to use it, can make all the difference in the unlikely event that something goes wrong while your on the Great Loop.

Diane & Tim Vandersall earned their Gold Burgee and then decided to give back to the boating community and the waters they frequented while on the Loop. They've spent two months volunteering in some of Florida's beautiful state parks. While the work is sometimes strenuous, they've found it rewarding, and they earned free dockage during the period of their volunteer service! Listen to this week's episode to learn more.

Weather forecasts may be the most important piece of information you can gather before heading out for a day on the water. This week, Kennard "Chip" Kasper, Meteorologist-in-Charge at NOAA/Florida Keys National Weather Service, joins us to talk about NOAA's mission and the important work they do in marine weather forecasting. With hurricane season right around the corner, we'll also discuss how storms are tracked and what the implications are for boaters.

The AGLCA Home Port Crew walks you through what U.S. citizens must do to legally enter Canada as part of their Great Loop. We cover what to do before you go, the things you can and cannot bring with you, the procedure for entry, and flag etiquette as part of our discussion.

Join us as America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association's Home Port Crew updates you on our Advocacy efforts including what we do on behalf of members and the boating community as a whole, what we're working on including a long-term issue in Florida, and how you can help.

Several things on the Great Loop are easier if you maintain a good fitness level. Our guest this week is Doreen Sharpe. She is a Gold Looper and a Physiotherapist, and she shares the reasons why maintaining fitness is important on the Great Loop and offers some tips on when and where to fit in fitness while Looping.

This week's episode focuses on our friendly and helpful Harbor Hosts! The Home Port Crew shares more about the Harbor Host program and the True North Harbor Host of the Year award. Then, the 2022 and 2023 Harbor Hosts of the Year (Tsali & Jacque Bentley and Eric & Lynda Baumer) share why they love this program and what they did that earned them the True North distinction.

Considering Looping on a fast boat? In this episode, Gold Looper Tom Gutowski joins us to share details on how and why he and Jan chose to cruise the Great Loop on a faster boat. Our discussion focuses primarily on how to be sure you operate safely and courteously while cruising at higher speeds, but also includes details about how often you can travel at faster speeds and the potential additional fuel burn.

Gold Looper Kim Fleer joins us this week to talk about some of the options for sharing your Great Loop with those you leave behind. We'll discuss the pros and cons of sharing via Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, blogs, and other apps. We'll also share some things you should consider before selecting a platform and list some of the more popular Looper blogs, channels, and social media pages.

This week we talk about watching your wake. It's important for all Great Loopers to practice safe and courteous boating! The biggest error we see in this area is boats not slowing enough in no wake zones, minimum wake zones, and when passing other boats, docks, marinas, and other shoreside infrastructure. We break it all down for you this week with our guest, Brian Brown. Brian is a Gold Looper who had a career in the marine industry. Join us for this important episode.

Kim Russo (AGLCA's Director) and Michael Martin share the story of their own Great Loop adventure aboard The Perch, a Silverton 410 cockpit motor yacht. They'll talk about why they did the Loop, their cruising preferences, and details about their boat.

This week we wrap up our 2024 update series by talking about marine insurance. Jon Horton with Jack Martin and Associates joins us to discuss what to expect when seeking insurance for your Great Loop boat in the coming year.