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As this year's fleet of Loopers heads south on the inland rivers, we pick up this week where we left off in early September. Carolyn and Pete Westbay are our guests this week and they provide tips on navigating from Paducah, KY along the Ohio River to Mobile, Alabama on the Gulf Coast. We'll cover strategies for communicating with lock operators and tow captains and provide some ideas for where to stop and what you'll see along the way.

Most Loopers choose not to cruise at night, but sometimes lock delays or long runs make it necessary. Robert Rice is back this week to explain the proper lights to display at night, as well as what the lights on other vessels and on aids to navigation are telling us.

There's been a lot of talk lately about Looping in record time, but how about completing the Loop over almost 13 years? And, what if you could compare a trawler, a powercat, and a motor yacht as liveaboard Looping boats? Bruce & Hilary recently completed the Great Loop after more than 12 years, and over that time, they did Loop segments aboard a Silverton, an Endeavor catamaran, and a Mainship. They'll share their unique insight into Looping slowly, and the features of the three very different boats they used to complete their Great Loop. 

As Loopers prepare to head down the inland rivers, the Great Loop Radio podcast this week covers the part of the Great Loop route from Chicago, IL to Paducah, KY. This route section includes the Illinois Waterway, Mississippi River, and Ohio River. Wes and Amy Litsey join us to share the details.

Lithium batteries are a hot topic! Every time the idea of converting your boat from lead acid to lithium batteries comes up on the Great Loop forum or Facebook group, controversy ensues. Are lithium batteries safe for Looping boats? Will you realize a return on your investment if you upgrade to lithium? This week's episode of the Great Loop Radio podcast covers lithium batteries. Gold Looper Mike Bell is our guest. He helps explain the technology behind lithium batteries, what types of cruisers might benefit from the conversion to lithium, and answers some of the questions regarding safety issues. Join us for this enlightening discussion on lithium batteries on the Loop.

Chances are you've heard about 71-year-old Robert Youens who recently completed the Great Loop on his jon boat, Ageless Wanderer, in just over 19 days. On this week's episode of the Great Loop Radio podcast, Robert joins us to share the story of his adventure. We'll talk about why he decided to try to break a Great Loop speed record and how his journey was similar in many ways to more "traditional" Loopers who complete the route in over a year. Robert also talks about the extensive research and planning he did before starting the 6,000-mile route, and why taking on an adventure of this nature is a privilege that must be earned.

More and more people are working aboard while doing the Great Loop. Why wait until retirement to cruise the Great Loop if you can do your job remotely? This week's episode features Alison Major, author of "Remote Work Afloat". Alison is a Gold Looper and founder of Loop Life Academy, an AGLCA sponsor. Join us as we discuss tips for setting yourself up for success when transition to working aboard

What do you do after you've finished the Loop? Post-Loop blues is a real thing! For Rev & Sam, they turned Life After the Loop into a business where they help others fulfill their Great Loop dreams, and they also continue boating in new and different settings. Listen this week as we catch up with Rev & Sam and hear all about their Life After the Loop.

Understanding and using sound signals are important for safety aboard, and sound signals are required to be used in certain situations. On this episode, we once again welcome Robert Rice to tell us which sound signals are most likely to be needed by Loopers, and which they are likely to hear on the waterways of the Great Loop.

Join us as Eric Martin, our current Harbor Host of the Year and Manager at Donovan's Shady Harbor, provides tips on what to expect when needing work done at a boatyard while on the Great Loop. Eric will include suggestions on what parts to carry with you, how to go about planning for scheduled maintenance, and what to do when you need unexpected or emergency repairs.

We continue our Story of Our Loop series this week with our guests, Mike & Darlene. They did the Loop in a non-traditional way by traveling home every other weekend. They'll share how they made the frequent trips home work, how they arranged travel, and how their way of Looping may have changed their overall experience. Mike & Darlene provide inspiration for those who may need to travel home frequently while Looping to handle family, work, or health obligations.

We explain our sponsor program on this episode of the Great Loop Radio podcast, including how it started, how it has changed, and why members should engage with this program. Spoiler Alert - You'll save money!

Our popular "Story of our Loop" series returns this week as we feature Malcom & Rachel from "Stay Cool", a Mainship 390 that completed the Great Loop in 2023. Malcolm and Rachel share why their chose their boat, the details of their adventure, how they stayed in compliance with regulations as Canadians traveling for an extended period time in the U.S. and advice for future Loopers. You can learn more about Malcolm & Rachel on their YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@staycool123.

Local Notice to Mariners are something that should be in every Looper's toolbox. Checking these reports can give insight into the local issues you may encounter on each movement of your boat on the Great Loop. Robert Rice joins us once again this week to discuss where to find Local Notice to Mariners and how you can use them to be more prepared for the Great Loop.

It's unlikely that someone will fall overboard during your Great Loop adventure, but you should still be prepared for this scenario. In this episode, Robert Rice joins us once again to discuss a sobering exercise in which he participated where he learned just how difficult it can be to get someone who has gone overboard back into the boat. We'll cover strategies to avoid going overboard and discuss options for retrieving someone who is in the water. Join us for this important safety episode.

With the Erie Canal undergoing repairs between Locks E16 and E17, that route is not yet open to Loopers needing to transit the area to continue the Great Loop route. The Lake Champlain route option is a popular choice in most years, but even more Loopers are considering it this year instead of waiting for the Erie Canal to fully open. This week, AGLCA member Bill Ogilvie joins us to discuss this route, the specifications of boats that can clear the bridges and fit in the locks, and what to expect as you navigate this scenic route option.

As this season's Looper fleet approaches the New York Canals, this episode provides a timely lesson on how to handle all of those locks on the Great Loop. Platinum Loopers, Tsali & Jacque Bentley, join us this week with tips on locking on the Great Loop.

Update on the New York Canals! Join us as Shane Mahar, Director of Public Engagement – Canals at the New York Power Authority & New York State Canal Corporation, discusses the status of the Canals, and the delayed opening of most sections, on what was expected to be opening day system-wide. We'll also discuss the Erie Canal's Bicentennial celebration happening this season.

A bill (HB 481) that further restricts anchoring in Florida has passed the House and Senate and will soon be sent to the Governor. We are mounting a campaign to urge Governor DeSantis to veto this bill. Please join us for this important episode that explains the bill, why we oppose it, and how we will campaign for a veto.

If you enjoyed our episode a few weeks back on "Looper Lore", then you'll appreciate this episode as we bust some Great Loop myths. Kim & Ted from Pony are our guests as we explore some of those Looper sayings, or pieces of advice, that you might want to reconsider when planning and cruising your own Great Loop adventure.