It’s hard to take in, that moment when you cross your wake and complete the 6,000-mile waterway tour-of-the-U.S. called The Great Loop. Such mixed feelings! Many Moons has been traveling The Great Loop for 337 days. Behind us (well, behind me anyway), months of diverse experiences and emotions. So much delight and even thrill but also, sometimes, discouragement. Such determination but also, sometimes, doubt. Dozens of arrivals and departures…a new place almost every day for weeks on end. New friends who became very special friends. Learning (and re-learning!) something new almost daily, which is part of the fun, but also feeling exhausted at times by the need to keep doing that. The constant decision-making, with often-incomplete information, when safety and comfort are at stake. The total reliance on a partner in a close space and sometimes under duress, which works well most of the time but, being humans, not always! 😉 And, in my case, the uncertainty of how long I would stick with it (because I began “just to get you started”), leaving the boat a few times and coming back to start again. No regrets, though! Challenges? For sure. But regrets? Nope.
And now…done! So it’s a mix of celebration and sadness. Because it’s been a lifestyle for almost a year. The boat has become home. The new friends were often hard to leave behind. I’ve learned so much, not just about parts of this country I didn’t know but also about myself. And that learning will continue.
In some ways, it’s a survival story. In other ways, it’s a celebration of dreams realized. Below, the story in photos and captions of Many Moons crossing her wake yesterday. (I”m still doing this by phone because of a weak signal. Please excuse any typos.) PS: More posts to follow on the completion of our journey – Lake Superior still to come – and my continuing reflections about it.
For Many Moons 
Much credit of Many Moon’s success certainly goes to its Skipper Jeff and you, the first mate. Congratulations!
LikeLike
Congratulations on crossing your wake! I’ve really enjoyed living vicariously with you throughout your journey. You’re a very good and talented writer.
John H Rochester, NY
(Sent remotely)
LikeLike
Thank you so much! On evenings when I didn’t have the energy, followers like you inspired me to write anyway. And it always helped me too. More to come!
LikeLike
Congrats on crossing your wake! Did kitty have a hard time adjusting to boat life?
LikeLike
Thanks! Boo-The-Boating-Cat probably adjusted more easily than i did. 😄 She has kept to her usual habits. Mainly sleep all day and explore a little at night. She goes outside less after she fell overboard! Or more cautiously anyway.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thats what I would bd worried about, the falling overboard! But glad she adjusted..
LikeLike
Mary,
Great job! Congratulations to you and Jeff!!! Thanks for taking the time to take pictures and post about your adventure. This has been the best Great Loop blog I’ve ever followed. Will really miss the daily updates. Looking forward to hearing about your next trip in Many Moons.
LikeLike
Thanks for commenting! And for the compliment. (You know, better than most, that this casual and personal writing approach is a stretch for me. 😄) Sorry i wasn’t able to fulfill your request and hope your trip to Europe went well.
LikeLike
Congratulations, and don’t you have to do it again now that you know what to do an what not to do? Like skip Beaufort and spend more time in Beaufort, or vice versa?
LikeLike
Funny!! But yes, many do. And i will consider it! (With a few changes.)
LikeLike
WOW! I can’t wait to put your victory approach in the paper! Congratulations to the both of you. What an achievement.
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike