TWO COUNTRIES, THREE GREAT LAKES, 23 STATES, SCORES OF RIVERS AND LOCKS: ALL IN A YEAR’S CRUISE

Jack and Meredith Rogers’ 6,064-mile year-long voyage started in Kennebunkport on a sunny day in June, 2022. They headed south from the Kennebunk River to New York harbor, up the Hudson River to Albany, through the Erie Canal and across lakes Ontario, Huron and Michigan, down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to the Gulf of Mexico (which they traversed at night!) before passing through Florida’s Lake Okeechobee and entering the Atlantic Intercostal Waterway when they turned their helm north towards home. Whew!

“Every inch of ocean, river and lake was new territory but I wouldn’t call it a vacation!” Jack Rogers said, laughing. “It’s a terrific way to see our beautiful country and it’s a major commitment.” Highlights included snapping photos of the Statue of Liberty and St. Louis Arch with his Canon Rebel from aboard his boat, negotiating 44 locks over 10 days through the the 240-mile-long Trent-Severn Waterway, spotting an Amazon guy on Michigan’s Mackinaw Island delivering packages in a horse-drawn carriage, overnighting at the Chicago and Pensacola yacht clubs (“the best!” Jack confirmed) and devouring “delicious oysters” in Mobile.

What prompts a retired couple in their late 60s to leave home, hearth and creature comforts to embark on a 12-month trek of living, eating, sleeping and “getting along” in a space the size of a large living room? What about family holidays and monthly bills, wicked thunder storms and pea soup fog? Whose idea was this anyway? 

Apparently, Meredith’s, because the couple named their 41-foot 408 Meridian cruiser “Her Idea.” 

“After I retired a few years ago, I suggested we take a cross-country RV trip but Meredith would have NO part of that plan, none,” Jack said. “She grew up working at marinas on Cape Cod and is passionate about cruising. When she began researching the Great Loop, I wasn’t so sure. I wanted to be a ski bum in Colorado but I respect her nautical knowledge.” 

Both Rogers have sturdy sea legs. They are not “boots” on the high seas. Prior to purchasing “Her Idea,” they owned six boats ranging in size from 16 to 30 feet and spent numerous summers cruising the Maine coast. Jack added, “We get along and never fight. We agree that if one person doesn’t want to do something, we won’t do it. The 'go-no go’ rule is crucial for a trip like ours.” 

Commitment and preparation began several years ago when they attended several three-day Great Loop conventions where they met other “loopers,” watched instructional movies and heard first-hand accounts of what lay ahead. (Every year, fewer than 200 people complete the Great Loop.) During this time, Jack also studied for and received his captain’s license.

Countless and careful considerations went into finding just the right vessel. In addition to twin diesels, they wanted a bow and stern thruster, a comfortable stateroom “for hanging out during our layovers” and a good working galley. (“I love to eat and Meredith is an excellent cook,” Jack said. “We also had a grill on board.")  

“It was important to have all stairs with treads and risers, no ladders, plus two separate state rooms, each with its own head. We wanted the main stateroom aft so we didn’t spend every night listening to water slap against the bow. We had two hotspots that provided connections for T-Mobile and ATT, the internet and television, along with the NEBO-Boat Logging app which allowed our two Colorado-based daughters to track our nautical path.”On June 11, 2022: Anchors aweigh!

(Entering a lock on the erie canal)

Once underway, the twosome followed a daily regimen. Every morning, Jack rose between 5:30 and 6, quickly chugged a cup of coffee, then checked his Windy, PredictWind and Weather apps. He also consulted Waterway Guides (he used 12 different ones during the cruise) to assess bridge heights (“Her Idea” is 18-feet high) and “escape spots” (in case the weather turned sour). Meredith got up around 6:30 and immediately hauled binoculars, headsets, cameras and life jackets up from below. (“We took our valuables down every night,” she said.)

By 7 AM, with lines in, bumpers up, headsets on (“otherwise we can’t hear over the noise of the boat”) and Captain Jack at the wheel, “Her Idea” steamed out of the marina for that day’s leg. Meredith soon took over, maintaining an average speed of six to eight knots while Jack studied Garmin, AquaMaps (to assess depths and channels) and Navionic apps on his iPad. “I believe in that old saying, ‘The sea is so great and my boat is so small.’ Plus, 50% of the time we cruised alone so I wanted to be prepared for anything and everything.”

Clocking 30 to 50 miles daily, they generally reached their destination around noon while the seas were still calm. After mooring and hosing down the boat, they set out to explore the town on foot, ride their bikes to the nearest supermarket for provisions, or do laundry at the marina. (“We had a washer/dryer on board but it was small,” Meredith said.) 

Food storage aboard “Her Idea” was crucial. “We’d buy a big box of Honey Nut Cheerios, then empty it into ziplocks,” Meredith said. “I’d make burger patties and freeze them. We primarily ate protein, like chicken and fish, and had very little junk food because we didn’t have room to store it. But we ate on board most of the time.”

Around 5 PM, the Rogers gathered with other loopers (sometimes three couples, often 10) for “docktails.” Casual friendships flourished as they shared tales of the sea and swapped business cards; the Rogers returned to Maine with nearly 100 cards. Most loopers are retirees and senior citizens, “But we met several young families who are boat-schooling their children,” Meredith added.

After an early dinner, a game of cribbage and maybe an episode of “Ted Lasso” on the Samsung TV, Jack said, “We fell into bed. A looper’s midnight is 9 PM!” He admits he didn’t always sleep well. “I’m anxious about the route, the channels, the next day’s weather, so I’d check my phone apps a lot during the night.”

Most days on the water were “spectacular and unique,” Jack said, citing the magnificent Palisades along the Hudson River and the sparkle of Alexandria Bay in the Thousand Islands. “One day we docked at Blind River in Ontario, a place so remote that the two boys who helped moor us had never even been on the Internet.” 

There were scary moments too. One night their sleep was interrupted when they heard voices and movement on the top deck. Jack says, “I’m standing down below in my underwear, hollering ‘Get off the boat!’ I don’t have a gun or even a Louisville slugger but it turned out the guys were just drunk. They were gone before we knew it.” 

“The Mississippi is an adventure, too,” Jack recalls, citing the day they encountered a 1200-feet-long 60-feet wide barge with a tow. (Note: Protocol for the approaching boat is to radio the barge captain for instructions on passing. He decides and declares,“Go to one” or “Go to two.” One means port, two means starboard. This American Merchant Seaman’s Manual signal once referred to bells — one short blast for port, two quick blasts for starboard — but today, captains use boat radios to communicate this vital information.) “I just wanted to stay out of his way,” Jack added. 

Mechanical difficulties cropped up periodically. The Rogers had planned to cross the Gulf of Mexico at night, traversing the 180 miles with 10 other boats. “But our alternator was acting up and not charging the battery, so we had to find a mechanic, order a part and wait for it to be installed,” Jack said. The eight-day delay meant they traveled alone through the Gulf, leaving at 3 PM and arriving the next day at 10 AM. “You learn to just suck things up. Not much else you can do,” he declared.

In retrospect, Jack admits, “We brought way too many clothes!” He packed 10 pairs of gold-tipped black socks and five good shirts but wore a bathing suit and tee shirt 24/7. “And I forgot dress shoes and only had deck sneakers,” Meredith said. During their year at sea, Jack lost 20 pounds, Meredith aggravated an already-sore right shoulder throwing mooring lines, and they both missed nibbling on carpaccio at Hurricane Restaurant in Kennebunkport.

But steaming up the Kennebunk River on a sunny Saturday in late May, past friends waving “Welcome Home” posters and balloons, Jack and Meredith Rogers felt undeniable pride in realizing they’d successfully completed one of the world’s unique adventures. After sipping champagne with their pals at the Arundel Yacht Club, they went home to their house in Kennebunk, ordered Chinese take-out for dinner, and went to bed early. Jack said, “And for the first time in a year, I slept like a baby.”

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The Great Loop is a 6000-mile continuous waterway that recreational mariners can travel. It includes part of the Atlantic and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways, the Great Lakes, Canadian Heritage Canals and the inland rivers of America's heartland. 

Anyone who completes the journey is then named an official “looper.” During their year-long voyage that began in June, 2022, the Rogers consumed 2,868 gallons of fuel (approximately $15,000). Their most northern point was Blind River in Ontario, most southern point was Sanibel Island in Florida, most eastern point was Boon Island off Maine, and most western point was Peoria, Illinois. They “crossed their wake” at the Statue of Liberty on May 12, 2023. 

(Crossing their wake in New york harbor, may, 2023)

(For readers who wish to know more details about Jack and Meredith’s amazing adventure, Jack wrote a near-weekly online blog:  https://herloopyidea.blogspot.com/)