Changing the Burgee

Having completed the Great Loop we are entitled to fly the 'golden burgee'.  The American Great Loop Cruisers Association provides a 'white burgee' with a rendition of the loop map on it for those starting out on the journey;  this flag let's other loopers know that you are 'in the club'.  Once you have 'crossed your wake', i.e., you've completed the loop, you may fly the 'golden burgee' to indicate that you have done so. Today we had a ceremony for the changing of the burgee.  Lenore penned and sang a song, to the melody of Taps, as the white burgee was replaced with the gold.

Here is the song:

The loop is done
Oh, what fun
On the lakes, on the sea, in the sun
We did the locks and the docks,
Miss Hattie's home

We made great friends
Who liked to share
They help you out
Without a doubt
When winds aren't fair

All is well
No more to roam
Miss Hattie's home

See the ceremony (videographed by Brian Hartman), go to the link: Changing the Burgee

We want to extend our special greetings and thanks to those loopers with whom we made such good friends:  Martin Elliot and family, Yachtsa Dreamin, for the calm and cool radio voice in tight locking situations and for being the most intrepid family cruisers; Beth and Jim Gamble, SV Heron, for understanding when we waked you;  Roger and Vebbie Griffith, Hattitude, for helping make our stay in St Petersburg that much more fun;  the Brits we met on the Tenn River, who came from Tunisia to do the loop; Admiral Nelson, Océano, for turning us onto the Navionics Chartplotter for iPad;  Hugh Grant and Sheri Purcell, Hush-a-Bye, for welcoming us when we constantly turned up like bad pennies and sharing fun from Pirates Cove to Peterborough (about 3,000 miles worth);  Bill and Bobbi Haag, Mist, for graciously inviting us to join the group through the entire Trent-Severn experience;  Dave and Sue Wright, Mañana, for letting us squeeze in with them through the T-S locks, for showing us what Georgian Bay has to offer, and for sharing family time.

And we want to again thank all our 800-dock friends for following us on our blog and welcoming us back to Michigan City.  We look forward to cruising with you all in the coming years (just remember to wait for Miss Hattie, she's built for comfort, not for speed).

The Loop was wonderful trip and experience; we recommend it to all.

We're Home - YAY!

We had a wonderful Labor Day weekend with the Hartmans.  It was a sort of a psychological soft landing for the end of our trip.  Brian and Jan rented a cottage on Spring Lake, just up the river from the Grand Haven marina where we kept the boat.  We had a hole in our harbor reservations so we stayed on the hook in Spring Lake Saturday night and went back to the marina on Sunday after a short cruise on Lake Michigan.  It was a fun filled weekend - lots of eating, making merry, dinghy riding and enjoying the Grand Haven sites.  We all shoved off on Monday.

The ride down to South Haven was a bit bumpy at first but by the time we arrived the lake was lown, with 1-2 foot rollers.  This bode well for an early shove off and final cruise to Michigan City on Tuesday.  At about 16 miles out, we gained sight of the Michigan City power plant - a welcomed view after 334 days away.  We announced our near arrival with multiple text messages to family and friends.  Since it was Tuesday after the holiday we expected that we would just slip into the docks unnoticed by any, but alas we were greeted with a welcoming committee - Earle, Don, and Gene - blasting a horn as we entered the marina.  What a pleasant surprise!

Sometime in the next couple of weeks we plan to have an "end of voyage" ceremony on the bow of Miss Hattie, changing the white Great Loop burgee for the gold, an indicator of having finished your 'first' loop.  (Lenore likes to quote May West for anyone who asks if we'll do it again:  "They say you only go around once, but honey, if you do it right, once is enough").  Look for one last post to follow with pics from the closing ceremony

Here are a few stats from the trip:
334 days away from our home port
    180 days in marinas
             *including: 30 days in Clearwater beach;  30 days in St. Petersburg;  20 days in Fort Myers
    120 days on the hook
      34 days on-the-hard or in a boatyard for service (includes a 2 wk trip by car over Thanksgiving)
17 states, 2 countries (haven't counted the towns/cities)
104 locks
5,556 miles
2,900 gallons of fuel
$19,932 total cost (marinas, fuel, laundry, pumpouts, car rental)
$12,832 net cost (2016 MCPA dock fees and 2015/16 winter storage fees not incurred)

Ludington Light

Jan, you look mahvelous dahling

first sighting of Michigan City

Happy to see you MC Light

Our favorite Light

5500 miles behind us

Welcome Home Miss Hattie, photo by welcoming committee

We did it!