The Great Loop

Photo courtesy of the Osbornes

Boaters Tommy and Tina Osborne complete a year-long journey through salt and fresh water.

by Annika Bringman & Nathan Bechtold

In a spur-of-the-moment decision in the fall of 2021, boaters Tommy and Tina Osborne decided to fulfill their decade-long dream of completing The Great Loop.

The Great Loop is a 6,000-mile water route. Its winding route takes boaters from Central U.S. rivers to Florida’s panhandle, across the Gulf to Florida’s west coast, across Florida to the east U.S. coast, then up to Canada and the Great Lakes and back down to the central U.S. rivers. It encompasses rivers, canals, gulfs, and locks, and typically takes about a year to finish.

Proper planning is crucial, especially considering the seasonal changes that winter brings. Retirees typically take this journey, but younger couples and families sometimes also make the trek. 

The couple initially planned to return home every quarter, but instead ended up completing The Great Loop in 364 days. Completing The Great Loop is quite an achievement in the boating world: more people climb Mount Everest every year than traverse this thousands-of-miles-long course. 

Photo courtesy of the Osbornes

The route is adaptable and has no official starting point, with most of the journey taking place in closed, inland waters. The America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association assists members with the planning process and provides networking opportunities along the way.

The America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association was started back in 1999 and has since grown to have over 6,000 members and 150 sponsors. The AGLCA provides members with a special burgee that identifies them as Loopers. They also provide other services like discounts, discussion forums, and other resources.