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One of the most interesting boating trips one can take in the United States is the Great Loop. The Great Loop is a system of waterways that circumnavigates the entire eastern portion of the United States. The Great Loop is massive - some 6,000 miles long and is made up of both man-made waterways and natural waterways.
If one can complete the Great Loop, one may be tempted to sail all the way around the world on a personal pleasure boat. Or one could sail around the Caribbean and Central & South America discovering the many tropical beaches along the route.
What America's Great Loop Is
The Great Loop goes around the eastern USA and parts of Canada. For many (called "Loopers"), completing the Great Loop is the adventure of a lifetime that people complete on their own private boat. The waterways of the Great Loop include the Atlantic and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways, the Rideau Canal, the Great Lakes, the Mississippi, and Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.
The exact length of the Great Loop depends on routes or shortcuts taken. The minimum length of the Great Loop is 5,250 miles but can be thousands of miles more. Most Loopers average around 6,000 miles.
- Length: Normally Around 6,000 Miles or 9,700 km
There is no single route or itinerary to complete the loop, but sailors do seek to avoid the winter ice in the north and the summer hurricanes in the south. One can start anywhere on the Great Loop - the main concern is the time of year.
Time To Complete The Great Loop
Most people take a year to complete the Great Loop, although some have completed it in as little time as two months. The record time to complete the Great Loop is around six weeks, while others have taken their sweet time to explore the route and done it over a period of 12 years.
- Time To Complete The Loop: Traditionally Around 1 Year
There has been a trend for people completing the Great Loop in segments - complete a few weeks or months and then go back to work.
Typically, the seasonal transit of the Great Loop is:
- Summer: The Great Lakes and Canadian Waters
- Fall: The Mississippi or Tennesse-Tombigbee Waterway
- Winter: The Gulf of Mexico and Florida
- Spring: The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway
Loopers also typically do the Great Loop counter-clockwise. This is so that one can go with the current and not against it on the rivers like the Mississippi. There are a number of alternative waterways along the route - to plan a route, refer to America's Great Loop's Public Interactive Map.
What States Are Along The Great Loop?
The exact number of countries and states in the Great Loop depends on the choice of the route taken. Generally, the route goes through Canada, but there is also an option to only stay within American borders.
Countries Of The Great Loop:
- United States: The Main Country
- Canada: There Is One Route Option to Avoid Canada
- The Bahamas: A Side Trip Many Loopers Make
Depending on the choice of route, one will go through at least 13 US states and 2 Canadian provinces. They include Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Quebec, Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama.
How Big Of A Boat Does One Need For The Great Loop?
One can complete the Great Loop in anything from a kayak to a 70-foot yacht. The best boat is more of a personal choice.
- Smallest Boat: A Kayak
- Largest Boat: No Practical Limits On A Pleasure Boat Size
There are a number of restrictions along the route - the lowest unavoidable fixed bridge is at 19.6' on the Illinois River - so the boat will need to fit under this. If the air draft of one's boat is less than 15', then one will have more options of routes to take.
It is also recommended that one's water draft not be greater than 5' - Canadian Canals are maintained at a depth of 6'. More than 5' will also give issues in the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.
There are no length restrictions for doing the Great Loop. That being said, the longer one's boat, the more expensive it will be to tie it up at marinas, etc. The beam of the boat normally doesn't matter - the smallest width of a lock on the route is the Port Severn Lock on the Trent Severn Waterway which measures 23' across.