Norfolk+ Guide

For many Loopers—both those planning and those already underway—the Great Loop is often thought of as a single 6,000-mile route through a connected system of waterways across the eastern United States. It links the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the Great Lakes, inland rivers, and the Gulf. It doesn’t take long, however, to realize that the Loop is far from a single fixed path. In fact, there are numerous alternate routes within the Loop itself. This flexibility is one of the reasons many Gold Loopers continue cruising in pursuit of the Platinum Burgee—they discover there are far more ways to complete the Loop than they originally imagined.

Greetings, Loopers! As you cruise north along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW), an unforgettable culinary journey awaits—one delicious bite at a time along the East Coast.

As Loopers make their way to the Chesapeake, a route choice presents itself near the North Carolina/Virginia border. Boats can continue on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW) or take a diversion along an alternate route, the Dismal Swamp Canal. Each captain and crew will need to decide which route to follow. To aid that decision, here are a few details and the pros and cons of each.