What a first month it has been! Day 1 was the Sunday during Memorial Day weekend. Through the month of June, I traveled from Norfolk up the Chesapeake Bay, across the C&D Canal, down the Delaware Bay to Cape May, up the east coast to New York Harbor, up the Hudson River, and across the …
BB13: Eastern Erie Canal
I rolled into Albany Yacht Club to pick up my next "interlooper" Sue. I recruited her help to be an extra set of hands during my first locks. It was also time to change my oil so I learned a new skill! https://videopress.com/v/ZNIVbaNC?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true The options for this area of the loop are to 1) go …
BB12: Lady Liberty to Erie Canal
This was Statue of Liberty week!!! All loopers are excited to get an iconic boat picture in front of the lovely lady. The advice was to avoid New York Harbor on the weekend, so my first ride-along Lisa and I hung out at Great Kills Yacht Club. Twenty-three looper boats were there with us, so …
BB11: Delaware Bay to Great Kills
Week 3 started with a long journey at dawn down the Delaware Bay with a gaggle of loopers. It took me a little over 7 hours but the current was with me and my little trawler got up to 10 knots! Flying! The Delaware Bay was filled with beautiful scenery and some interesting sites. Drone …
BB10: Chesapeake Bay
Week 2 was a great time to hone my anchoring and navigation skills. I had never been to the Chesapeake Bay but what a beautiful place with lots of small towns and secluded coves to explore. https://videopress.com/v/o66PL5Nz?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true After leaving Solomon's Island, I traveled 9 hours to Swan Creek Marina near Rock Hall. It was Sunday …
BB9: Launch Day and the First Week
The boat was ready and so was I! I had done as much book learning and YouTube training as I could, plus my time with Captain Clint helped me tie it together. There was nothing left to do except wait for a weather window and start the trial by fire. https://youtu.be/XgOt3gTUSQU?si=V4C2OqIRpiGe4Ujs May 24th was Day …
BB8: How To Drive The Boat
Captain Clint had come to my rescue at the end of April when I needed help moving the boat from the marina to the yard for haul out. Since then, I had dinner with Clint and his wife, Courtney, I joined them at the local Saturday Farmer's Market, and I signed up with him for …
BB7: AGLCA Spring Rendezvous
Since the Fall Rendezvous, a LOT had happened and I was going into the Spring Rendezvous with a different perspective. My status had changed from “Planning” to “Currently Looping” for one. I had gone through the boat buying process, spent many hours of online training learning navigation and boating rules, packed my necessities, rented out …
BB6: First Week’s Action Items
My travel experiences have trained me for this moment. The logistics of international travel are tricky: public transportation or uber or hotel shuttle, where to find groceries, translating, how much to tip, how much cash to exchange into local currency, connectivity plans, managing connecting flights, will we have a steady supply of Pringles, cracker nuts, …
BB5: Panic, Packing, and Promos
Surveys complete. Sale closed. Coast Guard documentation pending the government re-opening. Maintenance scheduled. A mile-long to-do list. What have I done?? No turning back now! I started chipping away at my to-do list one small piece at a time. Getting my house ready for my son to rent from me. Prepping my little lake house …