We did it, we crossed our wake! It was one of the coldest days of our trip but the day was filled with excitement!
Although no two loops are the same for any boater, it was unique for us to cross our wake outside of Fort Myers Florida. Most boaters cross from their home ports or the place where they bought their boat, but for us it was really one of the furthest places from home on our loop. It certainly was an eerie feeling traveling in waters for the 2nd time – something we hadn’t done for over six months after heading north up the Hudson River in June 2024. The accomplishment will take some time to settle in. Along the way, we certainly encountered our share of challenges. We certainly can enjoy the thought that both we and the boat were able to overcome them to accomplish this journey.
For a slow boat, our flag got quite tattered!
One of our favorite souvenirs – our sticker wall! To be sticker worthy criteria had to be met: along with really liking the place/location, it had to have place name and location with a tad bit of uniqueness.
Three Sons has turned Gold. We crossed our wake (AKA completed America’s Great Loop) in Fort Myers, FL. After a slow start heading the ‘wrong way’ in September 2023, Three Sons turned south in the Caloosahatchee River and started our travels counter clockwise on December 31, 2023.
It has been an amazing adventure to say the least. Every stop was such a unique experience and eye opening to all the incredible things to see and do along the way that we never imagined. Sharing this adventure with fellow boaters added a dimension that we completely underestimated. Friendships created on the water run deep and will carry with us long after our boating travels.
What started as an adventure is leading us to a lifestyle of cruising. We will continue cruising down to the Keys, a trip to the Bahamas for the winter and a slow ride up the east coast in the spring to be home for the summer.
Of course, some stats are in order to document the journey:
STATS
- 7,353 nautical miles traveled
- 494 days/16.2 months/70.5 weeks
- 158 locks
- 3 countries
- 2 provinces
- 17 states
- 3,180 gallons of diesel fuel
- 164 breweries visited
- Over 500 miles by bike
- 2 ER visits, one with an admittance to hospital
- Furthermost North Stop: Northern Channel Lake Huron, Canada
- Southernmost Stop: Georgetown Bahamas
- Where we slept!
- nights on anchor: 82 (16%)
- nights on a dock: 285 (58%)
- nights on a mooring: 50 (10%)
- nights on the hard: 26 (5%)
- nights off the boat; 51 (10%)
- Our Route
- East Coast: Westport, MA to Port St. Lucie, FL
- Lake Okeechobee: Port St. Lucie, FL to Ft Myers, FL
- Florida Coast: Ft. Myers, FL to Key West, FL to Key Largo, FL
- Bahamas: Key Largo, Fl To Bimini, Bahamas – Exuma’s – Abaco’s – Grand Bahama to Ft Peirce, FL
- East Coast: Ft Peirce, FL to New York, NY
- Hudson