Looping the Loop

The Great Loop, that is  

Doing the Great Loop by circumnavigating the entire eastern half of the United States is a goal shared by many inland boaters. We often write about people who have traveled all or part of this 5,500-mile journey, and in April, that's what all the stories will be about.

Gary Kramer visits the annual rendezvous of  America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association (AGLCA) and shares what he finds with readers. Here's a solar-supplemented boat from State College, Pa., that's well-prepared:  

  Photos by Gary Kramer 

AGLCA burgee; a gold one indicates a completed Loop 

Newcomer Beth McCue takes up the story of the organization's history and of the couple who now run it, Janice and Steve Kromer. Find out about these people in April:

 Janice and Steve Kromer Photo by Beth McCue 

One of the northernmost points of one Great Loop route is Canada's Gaspe Peninsula, just above New England. Linda Aksomitis explores it for our readers, trying out sea kayaking for the first time. Here are Aksomitis and her friend, Suzie Loiselle, in their kayak. Here's Percé Rock, an area landmark, too.

Loiselle, left, and Aksomitis in their kayak                  Perce Rock

   Photos by Linda Aksomitis

You'll probably never find another story as honest as Bob Duthie's "Mistakes We Made When Buying a Boat for the Great Loop." Here's documentation of a memorable clearing of Belle Isle Bridge--sadly, the mast stood six inches higher than the bridge did.

Belle Isle Bridge bonks the mast. Photo by Bob Duthie

In the departments, Capt Fred Davis tackles the implementation of Rescue 21 by the Coast Guard. It literally could be life-saving information. The U.S. Coast Guard sent him this sector map of its commands.

Map courtesy USCG 

Denise Sarsfield gives recipes for two yummy dips and a drink in Food Afloat, which look like this.

Captain's Shrimp Pate and Admiral's Pineapple Passion

    Photo by Denise Sarsfield 

In Waterway Law, Joan Wenner talks about waterfront access, such as this Huron, Ohio boat facility.

 Photo courtesy Ohio Department of Natural Resources

In her Heartland Haunts story, Ashley Spratt recounts how a federal grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service helped the city to revive its boating heritage with the construction of Grafton Harbor in 2007 when it had been damaged by flooding. Its harbor looks like this, now.

 Grafton Harbor view Photo by Joe Desherlia

 Finally, Patti Clausen's account of the photographs of John Guider is not to be missed. Guider is the photographer who uses platinum prints for his black-and-white work, and he has started doing the Great Loop in a sailboat-rowboat hybrid he built himself. Just take a look, and then look some more when the April issue arrives in your mailbox.

 Photos by John Guider

And, one more thing. If you're going to the Houseboat Expo in Louisville, March 18-20, stop off at Booth 641 and say "Hi!" to Mark Gentry. Should be a great show.