Great Loop Progress Report – 101 Days In

February 10, 2023: A quick update on my current progress.

When you last got a progress report from me, I was 67 days into my trip, waiting out some weather in Steinhatchee on Florida’s Gulf coast. I wound up being there for a whole week, until the winds and waves on the Gulf of Mexico calmed down enough for me to continue on to Crystal River, Tarpon Springs, Clearwater, Gulfport, two anchorages south of there, and then Captiva Island.

It took me a long to to decide whether I’d go around the bottom of Florida and visit the keys or take the shortcut on canals through Lake Okeechobee to Fort Pierce on the east coast. Seeing how much I’d have to be on the open Gulf to get to the keys and already sick of all the weather delays I’d had, I decided to take the short cut. I’ll save the Keys for next winter.

With that in mind, I set out from Captiva Island through Fort Myers and up the Okeechobee canal system. I made three stops along the way, dealt with challenging locks, and finally wound up in Jensen Beach, where I was hosted by the General Manager of Pocket Yachts, the largest Ranger Tug dealer in the U.S. My dad came to join me for the 2-hour cruise from Jensen Beach to his backyard dock in Fort Pierce; we stopped for fuel and lunch along the way.

As I type this, I’m wedged into place at my dad’s too-small dock, between his neighbor’s boat and his lift, spending a few days cleaning and provisioning Do It Now while I wait for his next two days off. I’ll continue my travels on Tuesday, February 14.

If only my dad’s neighbor didn’t have a boat on a lift right behind my boat. I might be able to push it back, but the bow of the other boat would be overhanging my aft deck.

The Numbers

I’ve been on the loop a total of 101 days and have gone 1,909 miles.

48 days have been with crew and 53 days have been solo. I’m currently traveling alone and have been since December 20, 2022.

I’ve spent a total of $10,959.18 on fuel, overnight docking/mooring, and ground transportation. I’ve managed to lower my cost per night for travel by spending more time at less expensive marinas and a mooring field, free docks (like at my dad’s), and anchorages. I’ve also been avoiding ground transportation like Uber as much as I can. I’m using my bike a lot more.

Unfortunately, I’m not seeing as much along the way as I’d like. This means more and/or longer stops in destination locations. Clearwater, Gulfport, and Captiva Island were good examples. My frenzied cruise across the state was not.

Feeling Good

In general, I’m feeling good about the boat and the way it’s set up and working. I finally got my dinghy set up so it’s completely usable for long or short rides.

I did really enjoy five consecutive days at anchor along Gulf Coast beaches in late January. Not only were these basically free nights, but I really love being away from crowded and sometimes noisy marinas and their related bright lights at night. Those days were a test of the boat’s ability to power everything for long periods away from shore power and it performed like a champ. It was great taking my pups in the dinghy to beaches and picking up shells while they ran around and took care of business. (And yes, I do pick up their poops, wherever they leave them.)

At this point, I’m thinking of ending Phase 3 of my trip and starting Phase 4 when I move on next week. I’m hoping to do some traveling with another solo Looper or at least to meet up with folks I’ve met along the way. I’m also hoping to do more exploring in Florida waterways such as the St. John’s River.

I’m just making it up as I go along. Keep reading the blog to learn more.