Saturday, November 1, 2014

October 2 Green Turtle Bay Marina Grand Rivers KY

Wonderful time watching Loopers come into Green Turtle Bay Marina and to hear their stories of the Mississippi River.....


Lifetime Friends....Lee and Judy....stop by on their way home from Florida


Green Turtle Bay Marina hosted a BBQ for Loopers.....Bill IV



Burk and Stel arrive at Green Turtle Bay


We had a wonderful day visiting the sites of Peoria


Grafton.....looking at the Mississippi River


Leaving Grafton at dawn



The Nanseann crossed her wake September 24, 2014 at Green Turtle Bay Marina, Grand Rivers KY.
Our adventure began October 14, 2012 covering 5907 miles on The Great American Loop.
This adventure can not be explained unless you are a "Looper". Only you know what we have accomplished on this voyage. We have met friends for life, visited ports we did not know existed and tested our abilities 24/7. It is a honor to fly the Gold Burgee.
Thank you EVERYONE for your support.

Congratulations Rik & Nancy,
It is indeed a great accomplishment and a lifetime of memories. We sure enjoyed meeting with you along the way, including in Grand Haven. Hope you enjoy the next phase of your adventures. May your autopilot always keep you straight. ;-)
All the Best,
Dale and Linda
Gold Loopers 2013-14
On the Hard in Grand Haven

Congratulations to two of the nicest people you could ever have the pleasure to meet. And the best mac and cheese maker in the world.
Dave and Terry
Just Us


Rick & Nancy:
Congratulations on Crossing your Wake. You have stated quite well that you can only understand what you have accomplished if your are a Looper.
Testing Abilities Daily, Right On, and learning something each time. We will be stopping in Green Turtle, We have your Boat Card, N.J. and Brewerton stops together are remembered.

Look forward to seeing you in the weeks ahead. Again Congratulations to you both.  Fly the Gold Burgee
Proudly, You folks certainly have paid your dues, and not meant monetarily, but at the Helm and piloting your boat safely back to Green Turtle bay. Fly the Gold Proudly, you earned it!.

All the Best
Capt Helen & Chief Engr Bob
Onboard ALLEZ!

Satisfaction
Congratulations, Rik & Nancy (& Saddi)!
What an achievement! Pat & I (and Ashley) sure enjoyed
traveling with you guys off and on for the last two years -
meeting at Joe Wheeler in Oct. '12, crossing "The Whale" together
in the Abacos, the wet and wonderful dinghy ride to Pineapples in
New Plymouth, the ride down the coast of Michigan, fun with
hydraulic shifter and masthead light repairs, the trip down the
flood swollen Illinois and, most certainly, evening docktails on
the Nanseann flybridge! You guys are special folks to us and we
hope and expect to see you often as we both continue our travels
on land or by water.

John & Pat
'Satisfaction'
Grafton Harbor
Gold Loopers '12 - '14

Wonderful friends.....wonderful memories.......a trip of a lifetime.....
What do we do NEXT???????
Captain Rik
First Mate Nancy
Admiral Saddi






























































Thursday, October 2, 2014

September 28 Green Turtle Bay Marina Grand Rivers KY

We are invited to a potluck Sunday evening......What we didn't know....."It's was a Crossing Your Wake Party" for the Nanseann.....by our fellow looper friends.......WOW!!!!!
We were surprised, pleased and honored.....


We met Scott and KC the very first day of the Loop at Pebble Isle Marina


Caroline and Bill from BC


Jan and Tim on Sweetwater


Vicki and Mark who travel with Daisy


Dave and Michelle.....our Mississippi River gang


Captain Steve and Captain Dave


We spent a month with Anne and Lou in Clearwater Beach


Brenda and Glenn....Henry's Fish Camp


Finally meet Mark and Jane on Average Looper


Now this is a Looper Party


Everyone has a story


Regina from Island Time


They just arrived at Green Turtle Bay....here is a plate


Paul and Lynne.....with them..... their first lock....rafting


Cary and Martha.....218 miles of the Mississippi River together

This was some kind of evening.....It is so nice to be a Looper
And, it is so nice to be a Gold Looper!!!!!!!
















Monday, September 29, 2014

September 27 Green Turtle Bay Marina Grand Rivers KY

Lots of activity on the pier today......it is Coach's birthday and he is fixing catfish and all the trimmings.  They are also calling this the "Welcome Home" party.  We feel honored!!!!


Dinghy ride to check on the Loopers


Wendy breading catfish


Coach and Tim working their magic


Will we get catfish too


Fries to go with our meal


Enjoying the evening


Pier 11 is a busy place

Happy Birthday Coach.......we hope to celebrate many more with you......







Sunday, September 28, 2014

September 26 Green Turtle Bay Marina Grand Rivers KY

Pier 11 Welcome....the gang arrives on Friday afternoon....great seeing everyone.....



Coach showing Rik pictures of the British Open...one of his students played


Saddi saying hello to Riley


This is the Meeting Place


The Three Gold Loopers


We are very proud of our accomplishment



5907 miles completed


More toasts from our friends


Tim and Janice made the Crossing....Coach drove to Clearwater Beach


Tim, Janice, Coach and Wendy met us at Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas


Saddi with Riley and Max....her friends


Riley "booze hound" Smith

It has been quite a welcome home......














Saturday, September 27, 2014

September 25 Green Turtle Bay Marina Grand Rivers KY

This has been one of those days you don't know what to do.......we are here.....we aren't going anywhere......well lets have docktails on Freedom.


Beautiful evening at Green Turtle Bay Marina


Steve and the Captain.....toasting time...oh me...


We are proud Gold Loopers....thank you for a wonderful 2 years


Hammond has the spotlight...he loves his company

We have reservations at Patti's for 2 inch pork chops, flowerpot bread and mile high pie.....,. Four couples and one car.....OK Captain....you are the shuttle service.....Thank you Steve and Janet for bring us a car.......


Michelle and Dave from Just Us 


Cary and Martha from Freedom


Sheli and Steve from Pura Vida


Rik and Nancy from Nanseann

Dinner was wonderful.....the evening was wonderful....

Thank You for sharing our crossing.














Friday, September 26, 2014

Day 428 September 24 33mi Green Turtle Bay Marina Grand Rivers KY

The Cumberland River flows almost 690 miles through Tennessee.  The navigable portion is 381 miles and ends at Celina.  However, today we will travel along the river for only about 33 miles.  The Cumberland snakes its way through a pretty region,  a peaceful, gentle river, ultimately taking us to Lake Barkley and Green Turtle Bay Marina.  This is our final travel day on the Great American Loop.


Leaving the Cumberland Towhead at 8:30 AM


Back out to the Ohio river, around the bend and we are on the Cumberland River


Smithland KY


Looking at Smithland Lock and Dam on the Ohio River


Such a change from the Mississippi River



Land for Sale


Traveling with Pura Vida and Freedom


Tugboat working the river....lots of barges along the banks


Large commercial area


Interesting watching the truck dump his rock


Bissell Bluff


Good morning Howard Corse....Pine Bluff AR



Barges unloaded


Barges loaded.....so low in the water


Super Stone Towboat ready to take them down river


Jerry Jones collecting his load


I-24 Highway.....how many times have we traveled over this bridge


We are almost to our marina


Eureka Highway.....blue bridge


Barkley Lock and Dam with a 57 foot lift


We have sat up there and watched the river traffic


Towboat with his load goes first.....PCs wait @ an hour


This is one of the newest locks we saw


Pura Vida


Freedom


We even had a towboat in our last lock


Captain....we have completed 98 locks


Lake Barkley


Don't cut the corner....follow the channel


Barkley Lock and Dam


Green Turtle Bay Marina

We have completed the Great American Loop.......1907 miles this season makes it a total of 5907 miles we have traveled in 428 days......
No....we don't know what we want to do when we grow up.......