Only two months until embarking on the Great Loop

                                                     Sadie Too prior to name change

     Cruising the Americas Great Loop has been a dream of ours for many years. With only a little over 2 months until we embark on our journey, here is a short recap of how we have gotten this far.
     Approximately two years ago we started reading everything we could about the loop, at first on the internet and then a few publications. The more we read the more we knew that we had to do this. We can not say for certain just when it transitioned from a dream to making plans. I suppose it was when after reviewing all of the different options as far as what was the right boat we decided that a trawler, preferable less than 36' would best fit our needs. During the winter of 2013-2014, while spending the winter in Ft. Myers, we began looking at trawlers. We did not want to begin the loop from Florida so we were really not looking to buy. We just wanted to see what was out there. In the summer of 2014 we joined the America's Great Loop Cruisers Association (www.greatloop.com), and later the Marine Trawlers Owners Association. Both have online forums which were loaded with valuable information. At this time we also began seriously looking for a boat. After dealing with a couple of brokers who really were less than helpful and only interested in selling boats that they had listed, we became discouraged and quit looking for a couple of months. While on the AGLCA Website I saw that Curtis Stokes, a sponsor of the association, had a couple of boats in the Great Lakes area that might be what we were looking for. I contacted Curtis via E-mail who almost immediately connected me with Michael Martin his representative in the Great Lakes area. Michael had a list of several  boats to look at, none of which were his listings. Also much to my surprise he updated me nearly everyday as to progress in arrangement to look at different boats. To make a long story short by November we purchased the Nancy Jo, a 38' United Ocean Trawler, now named the Sadie Too. We found out that the right broker really does make a difference. I went into a lot of detail about purchasing the right boat because it has been the most difficult hurdle in getting to where we are today.
     Because the Nancy Jo was in dry storage in Muskegon Michigan, by the time we made the purchase we had to wait until Spring to conduct a sea trial, which we had hoped to get out of the way by mid-April. Due to the exceptionally cold winter and Lake Muskegon and Lake Michigan being frozen over, we were not able to perform a sea trial until May the 20th.  Due to Connie being in the hospital we were not able to move the boat the 80 miles from Muskegon to St. Joseph Michigan, the home port of the Sadie Too, until May 30th. We had to make the trip on the 30th, and as with Connie out of commission we needed to enlist the help of our friend, Ray Pynaert, who was only available on that weekend to make the journey. This trip turned out to be the true Sea Trial for the Sadie Too, and she passed with flying colors. We left Muskegon with what was not the best weather window but also not that bad. We ran the first 60 miles in relatively calm waters but we had to run close to 6 hours by radar with visibility sometimes less than 200 yards. The storm that was supposed to hit at 6:00 pm hit at 4:00 pm. We ran the last hour in 6 to 10 foot seas. Wave action on Lake Michigan has very short intervals which beats you up pretty good. Other than a couple of broken wine glasses which flew out of the rack, we came through with no problems.
     While spending the winter of 2014-15 in Ft. Myers we attended a gathering of Loopers at Ft. Myers Beach in December. Some had completed the loop, some were on the loop and at least one other couple is going to begin the loop about the same time we are. We learned a great deal from all who were there while meeting some very wonderful people.  In January we attended a seminar also at Ft. Myers Beach put on by the AGLCA. It was very informative and had much information about buying a boat that would have been very useful had we received it prior to purchasing our boat. In February we attended a pitch in lunch at Fisherman's Village in Punta Gorda, Florida put on by the MTOA. Once again it was a very helpful and a learning experience.
     All in all getting to this point in the planning stages of our journey has been very rewarding. With just 2 months to go we have much to do. We were fortunate to purchase a boat that needed very little actual work to be done to the boat itself in getting ready to cast off. She has made the loop with 2 previous owners and is well stocked with charts and cruise guides for the entire route along with spare parts (i.e. impellers, pumps, props, etc.). At the present time we are updating the electronics and are starting to get supplies and gear loaded. Setting up this blog was just one of many of the small but time consuming tasks to be completed prior to casting off.
     If all goes as planned the next post will be a picture of the Saint Joseph Harbor as we leave or the Chicago skyline from Lake Michigan which will be the end of our first day. This should be the first calm day after September 1st.  We hope you will follow along with us as we share our adventure on this blog.