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Writer's pictureLisa
Dec 13, 202118 min read

2021 Dec - The Great Loop: SCOUT Highlights, Memories, Tips, & Tricks

We have just completed the Great Loop!


Time Flies When You’re Having Fun!


Over the past 9 months, we travelled almost 6,000 statute miles on the Great Loop.


Over nearly three years, we’ve travelled 7,650 nautical miles, or 8,800 statute miles – as far south as Key west and as far north as the Canadian border.


It’s about the journey AND the destination.


We docked in many fun ports and dropped the hook in several great anchorages. We saw amazing sights, enjoyed awesome restaurants, and discovered countless breweries. (Ok … Ray counted. 😉)


🙏 Thanks for the inspiration!


To our readers, your views and generous comments were part of our motivation to keep the blog going weekly.


To future loopers, we hope we have given you a few tips and ideas for your journey.




What we learned on the loop -- tips, tricks, and navigation notes…….


1. Windy (http://www.windy.com) was by far the most accurate for wind and wave forecasting looking 2-3 days forward, even on the notoriously finicky Great Lakes. The graphical representation of wind, wave, and swell directions and period allowed us to see whether it would be a washing machine or roller coaster.

2. We never planned a firm schedule any more than 2-3 days out due to weather predictions – there was just too much variability.

3. We prioritized travel comfort over schedule -- every time. We stayed in port many times when others moved on. As a result, in traveling over 7000 miles, including the length of three Great Lakes, we were never uncomfortable underway.


4. We learned to never go out in a slow boat with beam seas over 2ft.

5. Wave height predictions are for the average of the highest 30% of waves. This necessarily means there will be waves HIGHER than those predicted (quite a few of them!). Don’t get fooled. Here is a good representative graphic. Ref: www.bom.gov.au


6. Use the land masses and “wind shadow”, when and where the water depths and wind direction allow, to travel on days when you wouldn’t normally be able to. Staying close to shore allows protection from all but the very worst conditions.

7. Navionics sonar charts were surprisingly accurate in all areas of the loop we traveled. Even on the rivers, if you offset the sonar readings by the current pool level, they were dead on nearly all of the time!


8. When fighting against current on rivers, travel just outside of the main volume of water in the center of the channel – at the edges. The penalty for this is you must pay closer attention to “things” in the water. This allowed us to pick up 1/2 knot or more on occasion. Likewise, with a favorable current, stay in the center of the most water volume for fastest speed.


9. The Michigan DNR dock/slip reservation system on the Great Lakes was fantastic. A few tricks in knowing how they process information is helpful. If you specify 50A power, for instance, the system will lock you out of slips that may have two 30A ports available. Also, if your beam is wider than the slip the system shows for your length boat, you may or may not be able to reserve the longer-length slip that is wide enough. If the system does not allow you to reserve, you will likely need to call the marina directly to reserve.


10. Use Google or other satellite views of areas to look at details about marina layouts, channels, and shoaling areas, and even area sightseeing particulars.


11. We were glad we got to know our boat before setting off on a long cruise. We spent about 6 months cruising locally and working on the boat.


And our #1 Great Loop Tip: Be an early riser!


Early morning (yes, dawn) travel has many advantages:

· Calmer winds and seas are usually in the early morning hours

· There is typically less traffic on the water

· By 10am, you could already have nearly 4hrs underway

· You arrive at first-come, first-serve anchorages and town walls before most anyone else

· You may arrive at bridges/locks alone and before most anyone else

· After covering the day’s miles, you have many hours left in the day for a “Plan B” if needed

· You get to see incredible sunrises on the water!



A little about how our blogs are organized.


We have categorized our blogs to make it easy to focus on places you are interested in. Those categories are listed across the top of the blog page. Click the “More” label to see more categories.


You can start from the beginning – when we purchased SCOUT in 2018. Just remember, the blogs are displayed with most current first (within the category you selected), so you’ll need to scroll down to see the oldest blog in that category.


If a picture is worth a thousand words, a drone video must be worth a million words. 😊


This blog is a walk down memory lane, highlighting some of our most memorable experiences. It’s a long one! I guess that’s why they call it the GREAT Loop!!


The highlights are organized by the various legs of the Great Loop. I included links to the blog categories for each section of the loop -- in case you want to read more in the blogs.




💛 Memorable ports along the Great Loop:



St. Augustine is probably the most historic city in Florida, so it is always an interesting stop. However, “Nights of Lights” during the holidays is a MUST-SEE! My favorite spot was the lighted maze in front of Lightner Museum.


Drone video of St. Augustine Nights of Lights:



Fernandina Beach FL, on Amelia Island, or Isle of Eight Flags, is the only place in America where eight different flags have flown. The island has a lot of wildlife and beautiful landscapes, parks, and several breweries and restaurants.


Beaufort SC (BU-firt). Beaufort SC is also a beautiful historic city. Nice trees, aromatic Carolina Jasmine (in spring), a good selection of restaurants/shops, a nice waterfront park with swings, and home to previous owners of Great Harbour mv Moonbeam. 😊 Every cruiser should definitely stop here to smell the flowers!


Beaufort NC (BO-firt) is another old southern town rich with history (and you can find Carolina Jasmine).



Kingston NY was New York’s first capital city. Don’t miss “The Four Corners,” the only intersection in America where the buildings on all four corners were built pre-Revolutionary War, and Hoffman House Tavern, in a colonial building dating back to 1679.


Catskill NY: A relaxing “vacation” from the loop. The neighborhoods are peaceful, there are nice restaurants/shops within easy walking distance, and provisioning is nearby, with Wal-Mart, Lowe’s Home Improvement, & Walgreens just 1.2 miles away.



Fairport NY offers great exercise opportunities for walking or bicycling. Cyclists have a lot of riding trails in this area of New York, and many cyclists use them!


Little Falls NY was our biggest find on the eastern Erie Canal -- full of hidden gems and warm welcomes.


Tonawanda NY has everything “ in reach”. Not only were there great restaurants, breweries and groceries in walking distance, Niagara Falls was a short Uber ride away.


Cleveland OH. If the highlight was the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the “low” light was the variety of architecture throughout the city.


Kelleys Island OH. If Catskill NY was our Hudson River “vacation” from the Great Loop, Kelley’s Island was our Great Lakes “vacation.” A quiet, bike-able island with great food, interesting history, a natural wonder, and beautiful sunsets.


Chicago IL not only offered the expected sightseeing, but also surprised us with natural areas to explore by foot or scooter.



Paducah KY is another town with interesting history, great restaurants, a brewery, and the National Quilt Museum!


Mobile AL. We received a warm welcome from this big city with beautiful architecture and great restaurants, wine bars and breweries.



Fort Myers FL. History, entertainment, easy access, tree-lined streets, and great sunsets are a few of the pluses, but the Smoked Old Fashioned at the 86 Room is my most talked-about memory of the “City of Palms”.


Apalachicola FL. Solitude seems out of place for this small town with lots to offer. “Oyster City” has great food, a brewery, shops, and entertainment options.


Dunedin FL has 8 breweries within walking distance, and both a trolley and a rail trail that connect with Tarpon Springs, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg.



💛 Memorable anchorages on the Great Loop:




Angelfish Creek, northern tip of Key Largo. In the beautiful clear blue water here, we spotted comb jellies that glow at night, but we could not capture a photo. Ray did get nice daytime drone shots! 😊


Pine Island - near St. Augustine. This anchorage is full of wildlife. We saw a small skate, several dolphins, and lots of birds: pelicans, egrets, ospreys, herons, seagulls, terns, whooping cranes and a bald eagle.

Bird Island NC - at the border of SC – is a national bird sanctuary/refuge.




Walberg Creek, St. Catherine’s Island GA. We appreciated this quiet anchorage after 11 hours off-shore from Fernandina Beach FL. We saw several dolphins, then this shrimp trawler joined us at sunset.





Black Creek, St. Johns River (Great Loop side trip). We spotted turtles, ducks, and birds, but the swampy landscape was most memorable -- hyacynths (lilypads), palms, Spanish moss, and an unknown pink shrub.


Drone Video:


Mill Creek, Wicomico Church VA. While waiting for better weather, this quiet anchorage provided kayaking opportunities and lots of ospreys to photograph.



Les Cheneaux Islands, Lake Huron, MI. We enjoyed our break from big town sightseeing the week we spent here anchoring in clear blue water. Although we enjoyed our dinghy trips to shore. Les Cheneaux Distillers, “distillers who brew”, in Cedarville, has great beer & cocktail options and awesome food! Our timing in Hessel was perfect for attending the annual Antique Wooden Boat Show; here were literally HUNDREDS of wood boats in the water.


Drone Video:



Three Rivers, off the Tenn-Tom, near McIntosh, AL. The entrance is known to be narrow and shallow, so Ray carefully snaked in past the from fallen trees and branches.


Action Cam & Drone Video:



Everglades National Park, FL - 10,000 Islands (side trip).

We’ve stopped in several anchorages during 2 return trips from Key West.

Camp Lulu Key.

This was one of our last anchorages before the Covid lockdowns.

The most noise we heard was from the young ospreys nearby, and the occasional respectful fishing boat.



White Horse Key.

While there is a little boat traffic from nearby Marco Island, this is a quiet anchorage with birds and dolphins, and a beautiful beach nearby.




Drone Video of Gulf and Everglades:


East Bay’s California Bayou, near Panama City FL, off the Gulf IWW.

Both dolphins and fighter jets from the nearby Tyndall AFB were entertaining in this otherwise quiet anchorage.





Cayo Costa, off the Gulf IWW, FL. We enjoyed the quiet despite a number of boats in the anchorage. We enjoyed the nice beach at the state park and a “cheeseburger in paradise” (after dinghying to Cabbage Key Inn).



💛 Memorable Side Trips on the Great Loop:



Sanford. We spent about a week nestled into the calm, protected Monroe Harbour Marina in Sanford, FL -- as far south as we could go with our boat in navigable waters. What a fun, yet relaxing, busy little waterfront, with many shops and places to eat, a rich history, a veterans memorial, and a library within blocks of the marina. There is also a convenient trolley, a quick-link train to other areas, and five breweries!


The town, restaurants & pubs offer many entertainment options: monthly food truck fiesta, themed Alive After Five street gatherings, and Block Party. Bingo, karaoke, trivia, movies, open mics, bands, and stand-up comedy are frequently happening at a number of places.


Cruising the St. Johns River (to and from Sanford FL). We spent about a week each direction – up to Sanford & back down to Jacksonville. Yes, I said that correctly. Read the blogs. 😊 Below are some of the sights and videos from the 3-week trip.


Ravine Gardens State Park, Palatka FL.


Spanish moss and gorgeous fall colors on the St. Johns River.


Hontoon Island State Park (left). Sanford holiday lights (right).


Anchored outside of Goodby Creek.



Silver Glen Springs is a first magnitude spring that maintains a year round water temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Lake George is Florida’s second largest lake (after Lake Okeechobee). The photo below shows the clear turquoise water in Silver Glen Springs Run.


Drone Video:


Dinghy Video:



Blue Springs is a designated manatee refuge. Temperatures in the spring run remain a constant 72 degrees, creating a safe haven for the West Indian manatee.


Video: Blue Spring kayak and trail excursion.


Chestertown MD. Chestertown was a peaceful stop with several good restaurant choices, and a rich history. Chestertown is second only to Annapolis in the number of still-standing buildings built before 1776.



Chattanooga. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Chattanooga. Although the downtown seems spread out over a wide area, we felt safe walking wherever we went. And the free shuttle is very handy – for those days when you just don’t feel like walking (any more).



Islamorada, Florida Keys We loved our 2 months here! Just some of the memories…the view – and wildlife viewing -- from our slip, sunsets, hogfish sandwiches, waterfront dining, and visiting family!


Bluewater Adventure on a Craig Cat, seeing a frigate bird, exercise options like kayaking the mangroves or walking to monuments and geological parks, banyan trees, and learning how to filet a mutton snapper from the local charter fisherman, bow yoga over blue water. Live music & tuna nachos at Islamorada Brewery and Distillery on Sunday afternoons while doing laundry.



💛 Amazing Sights on the Great Loop:



Cows in the Okeechobee waterway.



Lightning. Heading north to Beaufort NC.


The new (current) Croton Dam, Croton-on-Hudson NY, took 14 years to build (1892 – 1906).






The Four Corners, in Kingston NY, is the only intersection in America where the buildings on all four corners were built pre-Revolutionary War.






Walkway over the Hudson, Poughkeepsie NY. At 1.28 miles long, the bridge is the longest, elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. It is 212 feet above the Hudson River.



Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook Bridge, Amsterdam NY, felt like an outdoor museum, gallery, and memorial park.


9/11 Memorial, Amsterdam NY, was impressive, with an actual remnant from the World Trade Center.


Newark NY had an impressive dockside mural near the boater services building at the town wall.


Medina Railroad Museum, in Medina NY, is a “looper favorite”. The HO-scale model train display is huge -- 204 x 14 feet!


Original hitching posts and mounting blocks in Medina NY.


2 locks in Lockport NY (left in the photo), replaced the original “flight of 5” locks on the Erie Canal.



Glacial Grooves in Kelleys Island OH. Due to their large size and ease of accessibility, these are the most famous glacial grooves in the world.


The S.S. Badger in Ludington MI is the last coal-fired passenger steamship in operation in the United States.


Clear water in the Great Lakes. Photo taken at Les Cheneaux Islands MI.


2 Bald Eagles. Photo taken at Les Cheneaux Islands MI.


Arch Rock in Mackinac Island stands 146 feet above Lake Huron, which is nearly 15 stories tall, and is more than 50 feet wide.



Wilson Lock in Florence AL was the tallest lock on our Great Loop (since we took the side trip to Chattanooga). At 120 feet tall, Wilson is the tallest single lift lock east of the Rocky Mountains. I think the tallest lock on the “traditional” Great Loop route is Jamie Whitten Lock (on the Tenn-Tom), at 84 feet.


4+ knots of current on the Ohio River near Olmstead Lock.


R/S Rocket Ship, seen on the Ohio River near Paducah KY, is a unique cargo ship used to transport rockets from United Launch Alliance's (ULA's) production facility in Decatur, AL.


The concrete Flood Wall in downtown Paducah KY is 14 feet tall, goes all the way around the town along the riverfront, and minimizes the flood risk for 11,000 acres and more than 20,000 people.



A pod of dolphins surfing as we crossed the Gulf of Mexico. While we were not really enjoying the waves and swells, the dolphins seemed to be loving it!


Click the video to see all the action:


Gorgeous Blue Water off Lignumvitae Key, Florida Keys.



💛 Memorable SCOUT images on the Great Loop:



Bow yoga while crossing Lake Okeechobee.



Dismal Swamp, North Carolina.



Statue of Liberty. New York NY. An emotional cruise!



The Erie Canal crosses over “Culvert Road”, just past the Knowlesville lift bridge.

Drone Video:



Sleeping Bear Dunes in Maple City MI, as old as continental ice sheets, are 450 feet tall. They are the world’s largest collection of freshwater sand dunes.



A small plane buzzed us in the Tennessee Gorge near Chattanooga TN – “in” being the key word. Video:


St. Louis Arch. The Gateway Arch, on the Mississippi River in St. Louis IL, takes its name from the city’s role as the “Gateway to the West” during the westward expansion of the United States in the 19th century. Thanks again to our new friends on mv Subject to Change for this photo of SCOUT!



Drone footage of SCOUT cruising in the Gulf of Mexico and into Everglades National Park:


SCOUT at Camp Lulu Key -- part of the Ten Thousand Islands, near the Everglades, Florida.



💛 Memorable Food on the Great Loop:



Islamorada Brewery and Distillery in Islamorada FL. Great beer garden and live music on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons (Ray Jaworski)!Great beer (and cocktail) selection. Great tuna nachos (food truck Spanky’s Kitchen).Across the street from Seafoam Laundry.


Water Street Grille in Yorktown VA -- delicious Ginger & Black Pepper Crusted Salmon and brick oven pizza.


We tried Smith Island Cake at The Pier in Solomons MD. We all wanted to know how they cut the layers so thin – and so even. We learned…they don’t!They actually bake thin layers.


Ava’s Pizzeria and Wine Bar in St. Michaels MD: The first tough decision was where to sit – cozy bar, window seat, or backyard patio. After being outside all day, we opted for a cozy high-top in the bar. There was no doubt about the appetizer – Shrimp in BBQ Creole Sauce! Yum! Beignets were awesome! The patio out back has a creative water fountain made with beer taps.


Our favorite restaurant in Annapolis-Eastport was Boatyard Bar & Grill, where we had an awesome GF cauliflower crust pizza with Mediterranean toppings.


We stopped at Fox’s Den for a drink on our way back from dinner. This basement pub is what we had been looking for. It was also pizza night, and the pizza looked amazing! But we were already full from dinner elsewhere.


We had a delicious (and reasonably priced) dinner at Retriever Bar & Oysters in Chestertown MD, whose bar manager has cocktail recipes in Food & Wine, and chef Thomas Kaylor worked under Gordon Ramsey for Kitchen Nightmares.



Black Rock Kitchen, in Croton-on-Hudson NY, had a cozy atmosphere, delicious food and beverages, and live music most nights. We sat at the bar and enjoyed welcoming conversation with the owner. The 1.3-mile, steep hill walk was well worth the effort.


Hoffman House Tavern. Both atmosphere and food quality were memorable at Hoffman House Tavern. The colonial building dates back to 1679. The “grill/gate” above the bar is a reproduction of the original “bar and grill”. At night, the innkeeper would pull the grill down to lock up the spirits for safekeeping, as patrons would oftentimes sleep in the inn.



Babes Café, Cohoes NY (left):If you can handle a 3-mile walk (or scooter), don’t miss a delicious, filling breakfast at Babes. I recommend home fries with onions.





The Daisy, Cohoes NY (right): Schedule an Uber for this 3-mile trip and enjoy a delicious tacos dinner with a creative beverage. I recommend the Spicy Caramelized Pineapple margarita with jalapenos!




Canal Side Inn, Little Falls NY. Though we shared an entrée, Chef John personally presented our 2 dishes superbly plated. The special entrée of surf & turf was delicious, as was the mile-high cheesecake!


Remington Tavern and Seafood Exchange, Tonawanda NY, which is in a c.1895 trolley barn. We split a seared scallops dinner, which was not only delicious, but filling! We enjoyed our meal so much that we ate at Remington again the next night – lobster night. Awesome!


The Kelleys Island House Restaurant, Kelleys Island OH is downtown, but away from the crowds near the mini golf. Ray and I shared a Bison burger and house cut fries -- delicious! We enjoyed this obvious locals hangout so much, we ate there a second night. We highly recommend the Shrimp Piri Piri (if you like peanuts and a lot of garlic). 😊



Grafton Oyster Bar in Grafton IL sits harborside – right by the marina. The offer a good variety of seafood options (some creole style) and our oysters and BBQ shrimp were delicious!


Bossanova Lounge in Alton IL had a good beer selection and great GF pizza. We enjoyed our first dinner so much that we went there a second time with mv Subject to Change.


The Freight House in the Paducah KY c.1925 railroad freight depot, is a farm-to-table restaurant. I recommend the Scottish salmon with bourbon maple chili glaze.


Old Town Stock House in Guntersville AL is a bit pricey, but we had plenty of food when we shared the Pompano dinner entrée with awesome crispy Brussels sprouts & other veggies. The building was built in 1901. For a view of the river, I recommend sitting at the bar -- or one of the nearby tables with windows.


Whiskey Thief, on the top floor of The Edwin Hotel in Chattanooga TN. Though pricey & busy (on the weekend, when we were there), the balcony view is awesome and sunset from the bar was priceless. The truffle fries were excellent! For a unique cocktail experience, I recommend the CHATTANOOGA C.G.R (chattanooga 111, chattanooga rye, buffalo trace bourbon cream, chicory liquor, salted vanilla demerara, cold brew).


Dauphin’s Casual Fine-Dining in Mobile AL. The view from the 34th floor is outstanding. We had lunch at the bar. Ray’s seafood chowder (soup of the day) was also outstanding, and my Caesar salad was good (and huge). I image dinner would be outstanding, as well.



“Oyster City” Oysters (Apalachicola FL).Dinner & drinks at the outside bar of Half Shell Dockside were excellent! We had their simple oyster stew, plump Oysters Rockefeller, and a good basic burger – accompanied by a beautiful marsh view! Since we were in “Oyster City”, we sampled more oysters at Up The Creek Raw Bar; the oysters were good, but we preferred the vibe at Half Shell Dockside. Oyster City Brewing Company (OCBC) even has a good Oyster Stout (which had no oyster taste 😉).


We ate at Roxy's Bistro several times during our stay in Clearwater FL. They had quality food, and the selection of beer and wine was good. We recommend sharing the seafood platter – delicious & plentiful!



💛 Memorable Breweries on the Great Loop:



Palm Coast - Moonrise Brewing has good beer and good food. Ray likes “The Dark Prince” nitro milk stout, and usually sample “Black Moon” imperial coconut coffee porter. There is often live music right in the courtyard of the European Village there. We almost always have the Brussels Sprouts (with bacon, apples, walnuts and balsamic) -- fantastic!


Islamorada in the Florida Keys has 2 awesome breweries -- and a free shuttle.


Florida Keys Brewing. Great beer garden and live music variety! Great beer (and wine) selection. Great tacos (food truck Taco Jalisco). Unbeatable evening ambience.


Islamorada Brewery and Distillery. Great beer garden and frequent live music! Great beer (and cocktail) selection. Great tuna nachos (food truck Spanky’s Kitchen). Across the street from Seafoam Laundry. 😉


Ookapow Brewing, West Palm Beach FL (left), is a nano-brewery that was struggling from Covid lockdowns when we were there. I recommend the smokey Wee Heavy Scotch Ale. Ray enjoyed the only porter they offered at the time. We may need to go back since it appears they have expanded their porter selections.


Old Coast Ales in St. Augustine FL (right) is convenient to Conch House Marina (across the Bridge of Lions from the downtown city marina). Our go-to’s are the Port of Call porter and Kookaburra (coffee brown ale); they also offer wine. We often grab take-out from Osprey Tacos, right next door. (That’s our our good friends and former Great Harbour owners of mv Journey & mv Tanuki.)



Mill House Brewing, Poughkeepsie NY, is one of my favorite breweries. The brick and dark wood created a cozy lounge “feel” and they offered cocktails (for the gluten-free crowd). The 1.3-mile walk from Shadows Marina includes about 5 blocks that are fairly steep uphill, but it was worth it.



Ironrock Brewing, Little Falls NY, was a happening spot, just a short walk from the marina. We heard a great local country band. In addition to their beers, they offer cider, wine, and bourbon and moonshine from local companies.


Prosper Brewing, North Tonawanda, is a short walk from the marina after crossing Main Street Bridge. Ray enjoyed a small flight of mostly dark beers.



Alcona Brew Haus, Harrisville MI, is housed in an old biergarten, Muehlbeck's Bavarian Village, built in 1950. The Sunday we were there they offered smoked ribs and brisket. It must have been my lucky day -- I got the last half-rack of ribs available! Everything we had was tasty! The 3-mile round-trip walk (or bicycle ride) was worth it.


Les Cheneaux Distillers, Cedarville MI -- “distillers who brew”. I thoroughly enjoyed my espresso martini. The beer selection and the food were awesome!


Rare Bird Brewpub , Traverse City MI, is in a c.1931 building. They had a good selection of beers AND cocktails on tap. I highly recommend the *Nitro* Cold Brew Martini on tap! (I’m noticing a trend. 😊) Rare Brid offers Gluten Free buns, so we shared a delicious Lamb Burger and Pecorino Garlic Dusted Frites!


The Mitten Brewing Company, Northport MI, has various food trucks adjacent to the brewery. The day we were there, The Big Hot Woody - North End Eatery was onsite making wood-fired pizzas – even Gluten Free cauliflower crust, which was awesome! Ray like the nitro stout, and I liked that they offered wine.


Ludington Bay Brewing Company, Ludington MI. They offer a tasty selection of beers, the food was great, and they have a large active venue – both inside and out.


Silver Harbor Brewing Company, St. Joseph MI. We went mainly for the smoked beer. Both the Maple Bacon Brussels Sprouts and the Harbor Burger we shared were awesome!


Beards Brewery, Petosky MI – We went for the great weather, awesome view and live music, but Ray also found a dark beer. 😊


The Back Lot Beer Garden, Petosky MI. I had a delicious lamb taco from one of the 6 or 7 food trucks on the lot – Happy Tacos. I discovered the tasty pineapple jalapeno margarita (pre-mixed by “On the Rocks”), and Ray discovered Keweenaw Widow Maker Black Ale !


The Old Bakery Beer Company, in Alton IL, is in the old Colonial Bakery building; that started in the late 1800's. The taproom has the original tile walls, and old rolling pins now serve as tap handles. Ray found a dark beer he liked; they also offer wine and cocktails, as well as a food menu that includes burgers, sandwiches and, on certain days, pizza and fish & chips.


The Lone Buffalo with Tangled Roots Brewing, Ottawa IL. The farm-to-table food and “Farm-to-Foam” beer was delicious! Ray especially liked the nitro stout. We enjoyed it so much, we went a second time with fellow loopers on mv Nauti Tradition & mv Varlabania.


Paducah Beer Werks, Paducah KY, is in the old Paducah Greyhound Bus Station. We talked mv Subject to Change into joining us with their pup, Maggie. 😊 Ray like – what else? – the porter.



Oyster City Brewing Company, Apalachicola FL, has a relaxing vibe. There is a pretty good selection of beers, including an Oyster Stout (which had no oyster taste 😉). Many of the local restaurants serve Oyster City drafts, so Ray also got to try their brown ale at dinner, which was good/hearty.


Unrefined Brewing, Tarpon Springs FL, is in a c.1912 house on Tarpon Avenue. Great selection - IPAs, Pumpkins, stouts, porter. My favorite aspect of this brewery was the vintage table arcade gam, including Galaga – my favorite, – and it was free to play. 😊



What’s Next?


Now that we have completed the Great Loop, we will reduce the frequency of our blog posts from weekly to monthly (approximately 😊).


We are headed back to our “home” port of Jacksonville to get our car from storage and visit family for Christmas.


After Christmas, we’ll haul SCOUT for a check-up and regular maintenance.




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