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.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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!)
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.)
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