As loopers arive this is their first view of Joe Wheeler Lodge and Marina on Joe Wheeler Lake. DOUBLE CLICK THE PICS TO SEE BETTER
As some come in, others assist with docking the many cruisers attending the meeting. 55 were docked at the lodge.
A 4788 Pilothouse exactly like ours arriving in early morning fog.
The "Loopers" come from all walks of life and from all over the globe. My old friend Jim White used to say "you hang your occupation on a hook when you come on the dock" as all boaters have a common bond that rises above all else when on a boat. Now that I said this, I gotta tell ya that I even met a Paelentologist (thats a guy who digs up dinosaurs) at the conference and really enjoyed talking to him durring one of our breaks.
Wheeler Lake is on the Tennessee river and is beautiful.
Many, many boats from all over doing the Loop with names like "Blue Heron", "Sea-Quel", "Inching Along", "Good Karma", "Bucket List" and "True North" to name a few. In all over 55 boats came in for the meeting and others who couldn't get a slip anchored elsewhere and dinged in.
Boaters from as far away as New Zealand and Australia are here to do the "Great Loop"
Yep! Thats a flag from BRAZIL !! and Jack sailed it here with his wife and 4 year old daughter (Beatrice) aboard. We had a special Halloween trick or treat day for her on the dock as she was upset that she was missing it at home.
The meetings were held in two rooms and covered topics ranging from diesel mech. repair at sea to Galley cooking at sea. The high points and hazards on the next half of the loop (Tenn-Tom to Norfolk) were covered also in the meetings to inform the loopers and to make the trip more enjoyable.
Judy and Mike on "One September" had nice things to say at the meeting about "Port Charles Harbor", where JoAnn and I are AGLCA Harbor Hosts.
Evening wine and cheese receptions under tent were daily treats.
Old friends from boating, Freya and Don
Friends made while harbor hosting at Port Charles we meet again.
Meeting and dining room was full as we had a record attendance of 250 loopers.
Boat purchased just to do the loop. They sold their resort and bought the boat, a 52 foot Sea Ray
Wine and cheese fun provided by sponsors
"Looper flag" White backround means in progress of doing the loop. Some do the loop in as short a time as 9-10 months and others over several years.
Larry and Cindy on "Bucket List". They are from Grafton Marina and plan to become Harbor Hosts when they complete the loop and "cross their wake" at Grafton.
Loopers pose for the anual photo on last day.
Early morning sun rise and loopers are leaving the meeting to head south toward the Gulf.
Tom and Patsy Conrad, the volunteers who make the whole organization work. The did the loop in a 28 ft. sail boat and are wonderful people. (Also Patsy is an awesome singer!)
Beautiful!
The "Loop"route is indicated on the map. To "do the loop" is to start at any point on the route and complete the circle in a counter clockwise direction. The name AGLCA stands for American Great Loop Cruisers Association.
As "Harbor Hosts"for AGLCA, Joann and I wanted to attend the meeting to renew friendships and enjoy the relationships that we started back at Port Charles Harbor (this pic is us at our dock at Port Charles.)
As loopers arive this is their first view of Joe Wheeler Lodge and Marina on Joe Wheeler Lake. DOUBLE CLICK THE PICS TO SEE BETTER
As some come in, others assist with docking the many cruisers attending the meeting. 55 were docked at the lodge.
A 4788 Pilothouse exactly like ours arriving in early morning fog.
The "Loopers" come from all walks of life and from all over the globe. My old friend Jim White used to say "you hang your occupation on a hook when you come on the dock" as all boaters have a common bond that rises above all else when on a boat. Now that I said this, I gotta tell ya that I even met a Paelentologist (thats a guy who digs up dinosaurs) at the conference and really enjoyed talking to him durring one of our breaks.
Wheeler Lake is on the Tennessee river and is beautiful.
Many, many boats from all over doing the Loop with names like "Blue Heron", "Sea-Quel", "Inching Along", "Good Karma", "Bucket List" and "True North" to name a few. In all over 55 boats came in for the meeting and others who couldn't get a slip anchored elsewhere and dinged in.
Boaters from as far away as New Zealand and Australia are here to do the "Great Loop"
Yep! Thats a flag from BRAZIL !! and Jack sailed it here with his wife and 4 year old daughter (Beatrice) aboard. We had a special Halloween trick or treat day for her on the dock as she was upset that she was missing it at home.
The meetings were held in two rooms and covered topics ranging from diesel mech. repair at sea to Galley cooking at sea. The high points and hazards on the next half of the loop (Tenn-Tom to Norfolk) were covered also in the meetings to inform the loopers and to make the trip more enjoyable.
Judy and Mike on "One September" had nice things to say at the meeting about "Port Charles Harbor", where JoAnn and I are AGLCA Harbor Hosts.
Evening wine and cheese receptions under tent were daily treats.
Old friends from boating, Freya and Don
Friends made while harbor hosting at Port Charles we meet again.
Meeting and dining room was full as we had a record attendance of 250 loopers.
Boat purchased just to do the loop. They sold their resort and bought the boat, a 52 foot Sea Ray
Wine and cheese fun provided by sponsors
"Looper flag" White backround means in progress of doing the loop. Some do the loop in as short a time as 9-10 months and others over several years.
Larry and Cindy on "Bucket List". They are from Grafton Marina and plan to become Harbor Hosts when they complete the loop and "cross their wake" at Grafton.
Loopers pose for the anual photo on last day.
Early morning sun rise and loopers are leaving the meeting to head south toward the Gulf.
Tom and Patsy Conrad, the volunteers who make the whole organization work. The did the loop in a 28 ft. sail boat and are wonderful people. (Also Patsy is an awesome singer!)
Beautiful!
The "Loop"route is indicated on the map. To "do the loop" is to start at any point on the route and complete the circle in a counter clockwise direction. The name AGLCA stands for American Great Loop Cruisers Association.
As "Harbor Hosts"for AGLCA, Joann and I wanted to attend the meeting to renew friendships and enjoy the relationships that we started back at Port Charles Harbor (this pic is us at our dock at Port Charles.)
