Long-distance cruising doesn’t have to mean bluewater passages to far-flung countries. For more than 6,000 adventurous souls with boats, the Great Loop—a 5,000- to 6,000-mile circumnavigation of the eastern half of the United States—has been a doable adventure filled with great scenery, fascinating history and lots of new friends along the way.
These adventurous souls are known as Loopers. They’re boat owners, many of whom belong to America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association, one of the best sources of information and advice about preparing for and executing a Great Loop cruise. The association’s website has a free route-planning guide for boaters who are just beginning their research, with information about everything from the kinds of boats and equipment to have, to places for refueling, to spots for provisioning
