Closure of a wonderful journey.

A wonderful arrival and our home port in Hampton, Illinois.








On Monday August 30, 2010, Noah Genda crossed her wake in St Charles, MO officially closing what we like to refer to as one of the most fantastic experiences of a lifetime.

Our 12 month journey is difficult to put into a few words the enjoyment we have shared together on this fantastic voyage. We can’t believe a year has passed and our journey has come to an end. We are thankful that we live in a country that affords us the freedom to experience this incredible trip. This has been a truly wonderful amazing, rewarding experience that we will remember for the rest of our lives.

Our travels introduced us to so many interesting, fun, good quality people whose friendships we will cherish forever. We are often asked, “What was the best part of the journey?” It is difficult to refer to a “Best Part” of the Loop, but maybe more simply stated the entire loop has been the best part. There are certainly memorable events such as dolphin sightings, the people we have met along the way, Canada, the history of the entire East Coast of America, all of Florida, Dismal Swamp, Lake Michigan, the Studebaker Museum, the inland waterways and of course the educational AGCLA rendezvous. However it is all great and you could just go on listing the entire experience as the “Best Part”. Our routing included a side trip to Chattanooga as well as north from NY to Lake Champlain, Richelieu canal, Montreal, St Lawrence to the 1000 islands to Kingston, Ontario before reconnecting with routing to the Trent-Severn Waterway..

So what’s next?? Who knows, however we have both decided we love this cruising lifestyle. We will take a break in this chapter to visit family and friends at home and plan our next cruising adventure somewhere in this beautiful country on the waterway.

We wish to extend our most sincere thank you to all who have traveled with us on this journey through the intranet. We have enjoyed your kind words, support and lasting friendship. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. We additionally hope this encourages others to pursue their dreams and share your visions together while you are able.

Statistics:

Total Great Loop Miles 6,889.0
Total gals of diesel fuel consumed 2,842.0
Number of Engine Hours 888.6
Days Start to Finish 360.0
Days underway 162.0
Average miles per travel day 42.7
Average miles per travel hour 7.75
Average travel hours per travel day 5.49
Number of nights at anchor or free dock 50.0
Number of days in a marina, w/slip fee 310.0
Number of locks 130.0
Number of States visited 21.0

Diann & Tom Lanum
“Noah Genda”
’91 39’ Ocean Alexander Sun Deck

Day 358, 359, 360 Arrived Home 9/8/2010

Thanks Dennis, Diane, Carollee and Ron for the fun welcome reception.








Steve & Liz northbound in Lock 18, Mississippi River. Hate to see them go, they have been fun companions









Roger, Rod & Jolene at anchor our first night back in hometown waters.







Our grandkids Sydney, Jensen and Riley heading home.







Our long time friends Randy and Kris Teel, Paul and Linda Slagel greeted us just before the nights anchorage.








Entering the harbor at our hometown Lindsay Park Yacht Club.







We departed Burlington IA at daybreak for a long days run. We had three locks to pass through, address severe oncoming current, and deliver our daughter Dawn and family to their vehicle located at the Fairport IA marina.

At MM 470 (Andalusia, IL) one of our favorite anchorages of years past, we found our friends Rod & Jolene Teel already anchored. Storms and high winds were predicted later in the evening but we were secured to Rod’s boat just before the high winds arrived.

It was a pleasant surprise as we entered our hometown area to see so many friends welcome us home and the radio chatter was a warm welcome. The following day the very high winds continued as we ventured one additional lock along with our looper friends Steve and Liz Kemper that we caught up with at Lock 15 on the Mississippi River. We peeled off at our hometown yacht club in Davenport IA and decided to stay one additional night out before heading for home port the next morning, eight miles up the river in Hampton, IL. Our very dear friends Ron & Carollee Baltzer, Dennis Smith and Diane Oberhardt greeted us at our home port Tuesday Morning 9/7/10 bringing our “Great Loop” to our final chapter. What an absolutely memorable journey.

Day 357 Burlington, IA 9/4

Tom Biehl and Daughter Dawn










Tom Biehl, Diann & Tom







Tom & Tom








Daughter Dawn, Riley, Jensen, Diann & Sydney






Dawn at Burlington downtown City Park Fountain








Dawn, Kevin and family








Another Street Rod, Tom just manages to find.







Friday 9/4 our friend Tom Biehl delivered our daughter Dawn and her family as promised from Quad Cities to Keokuk. Thank you Tom for your generosity. We had a great time catching up before Tom ventured back to the Quad Cities.

The Keokuk Yacht Club was having an annual Labor Day festivity and invited us to join them for a cook your own steak dinner. All of us enjoyed the cook out as well as the warm friendly hospitality extended by the members of Keokuk Yacht Club.
Today’s itinerary was a short run up to Burlington Yacht Club. The current has subsided to a more tolerable pace providing a much more relaxed cruise than the last few days. The bridge clearances are still reduced by high water and today’s RR bridges were required to open for us to pass under them. Trains were scheduled on both bridges and we had to wait a few minutes for trains to pass the bridges before opening. All three of the kids spent time steering the boat and learning the electronics.

Our good friends Steve and Liz Kemper are also here at Burlington’s Bluff Harbor. Tomorrow’s goal is departure at daybreak for a 60 mile run to Fairport, IA plus we have to pass through 3-locks. The commercial traffic has increased dramatically since the river closing this past week for dredging at Hannibal, MO. The channel has since opened up and the backed up traffic is now moving north and south. We are dropping Dawn, Kevin and family off at Fairport tomorrow evening hopefully before dusk.

It has been fun with the grandkids, Dawn and Kevin and we are glad it worked out to connect. It is always difficult to make this work out with timing, location and logistics, but I think we can call this a success story. Everyone is having a very relaxed good time.

Day 355 Keokuk, IA

Quincy Riverfront Park








Quincy IL has some interesting old buildings








Our view of the skyline sailing up the Mississippi River from Hannibal MO.








Mark Twain excusion boat - Hannibal MO








Quincy Bridge








Lock 20 with rollers up - can you see all the logs?







A little current wouldn't you say????







The high water and current slowed us down to sometimes 5 MPH. When we met the Des Moines River flowing into the Mississippi River just below Keokuk IA the current was relentless. Just a wall of water and debris.

We pulled into Keokuk Yacht Club at 1:30 on Thursday and our first problem happened when Tom called the marina telling them we’d be a day early making a 2 night stay rather than one. They had cancelled our Friday reservation and of course a big party was starting Friday night. Tom got that straightened out when he said find room because we're not leaving! Where we had docked the boat ended up being right in front of the band and picnic tables. Tom had also called for a diesel truck to meet us and when he arrived it was a raining like crazy! On the brighter side it is taco Thursday here so I don’t have to cook! After dinner and some conversation with some very pleasant Yacht Club Members the wind picked up significantly. Several members suggested that we relocate our boat to a safer location inside their harbor in lieu of exposed on the seawall. With help of considerate club members we successfully repositioned our boat in a slip out of the strong winds. A special thank you to the Keokuk Yacht Club members for their extended kindness.

With today’s storm, it appears the weather is going to be moderate with cooler days, nights and less humidity. A welcome change for cruising the remaining miles to home port.

We are getting closer to home and the reality of this wonderful journey coming to closure is certainly bitter sweet. We will miss the adventure and the many friends we have met along the way. However, we will also be happy to be back home to see family and friends.

Day 353/354 Port St Charles, MO & Rockport, IL

Now we have are own Burgee!






Jim & brenda Hampton off "Dream Catcher" just starting their adventure!




Clarksville, MO





Wide open rollers at the dam



















A little current on the Old Mississippi!






These were pictures when we had dinner at the Aeries Resturant in Grafton. It was located high high up on a bluff.












Great new friends Heidi & Kelly York





Grafton IL is a happening place on the week-end due to the many waterfront Pubs that provide music all week-end. A stand on Main Street provides fresh vegetables, canned products and more important is fresh baked pies daily. The staff at Grafton Harbor (AGLCA sponsor) is very efficient and friendly. I spent hours on the bridge of Noah Genda watching all the traffic coming in and out of the harbor. It is the busiest marina I have seen with boats getting fuel, coming in to eat at the restaurant or local boaters leaving or coming back to their slips. Those dock boys ran their behinds off catching boats that come in with no lines or fenders ready.
While we wait for the flooded river to go down, we chose to spend 6-nights at Grafton Harbor and take advantage of the pay 4 and get 3 nights free. We enjoyed the harbor swimming pool, on site restaurant, courtesy vehicle and spending time with several “Loopers” coming and leaving Grafton Harbor.

Our friends Brenda and Jim Hampton from the Quad Cities started their “Great Loop” journey Thursday 8/26 and arrived in Grafton yesterday. We spent some time catching up on their first 3 days traveling down the flooded Mississippi. We are so happy for them, starting out on a new adventure to enjoy the beautiful American and Canadian waterways. They will meet so many new wonderful friends on the journey.

We both departed Grafton, IL this morning in a light shower and headed across the river to Port Charles Harbor (St Charles MO). This is where we had our first boat repair done. (You remember the rock story after our first anchorage, don’t you?)

We had our 2nd Gold “Loopers” Burgee sent here to Port Charles Marina since we crossed our wake a few miles ago and wish to display our celebration flag the rest of the way home. We also filled up with diesel fuel here for our last leg heading up the flooded Mississippi River. This has been the most reasonable fuel cost per gal for the last year. $2.68 gal. Entry in to Port Charles Harbor has changed from a year ago. Call the Marina on channel 16 or cell for harbor entry instructions. The previously used channel entry has been filled with dredge spoils and is no longer a safe course of entry. DO NOT Use the old routing from main channel south of the harbor or you'll find yourself aground.

Jim and Brenda Hampton “Dream Catcher” came to our boat with champagne to celebrate our completing the loop and the beginning of theirs. We borrowed the Harbor courtesy car and with map in hand headed out to find the restaurant “LOCO”. We were a little turned around on the country roads (I had the map but hey, we only missed 1 turn) After flagging down a pickup truck and following their directions we finally made it for a bite to eat. It was worth the long trip because we didn’t stop laughing the whole way. Jim wondered if the meal was for breakfast. We had the mgr print out specific directions for the return.

Port Charles Harbor is also an AGLCA sponsor and an absolute pleasure to stay at their facility. Fuel and dockage is very reasonable and the staff is just plain first class. Huge accolades for Paul Hopkins, family and staff. They offer a full service yard and their workmanship is extremely professional.

We departed Port Charles Harbor at 6:15 to reach Two Rivers Marina 61 miles and 2 locks away. We drove right into both locks so that was a plus but it still took us 10hours traveling at 6-7 mph fighting the horrendous current and watching for floating logs and debris. The dam rollers/gates were all of the way out of the water at locks 24 and 25. The river is flowing fast with absolutely no restrictions. Anyway we’re here now at Two Rivers Marina in Rockport, IL and in the air conditioned boat so we’re happy campers! Quincy, IL tomorrow is our goal.

Day 350 Grafton, IL

Pot luck at dockside, Grafton Harbor







Us dining at the "Mississippi Half Step" restaurant in Grafton








The Mississippi Half Step Restaurant







Main Street Grafton, IL








Our view of the Illinois Bluffs along the Mississippi River from our boat located in Grafton Harbor.







We are holding up here in Grafton Harbor in Grafton Illinois with several Loopers waiting for the Mississippi River to recede from flood levels. This is a junction point of the Illinois River meeting the Mississippi River. The river is running very fast both north and south from here from the elevated water levels. We anticipate departing north the Monday or Tuesday of next week although water levels are falling very slowly.

This has been a fun lay over with all of the Looper vessels coming in and out of this marina. We have enjoyed meeting new friends as well as rekindling previous friendships. This is very small community that has taken advantage of the tourism opportunities offering a few restaurants, specialty shops and bicycle riding. Grafton Harbor is a nice facility and a great place to rest up from the trip down the Illinois River before starting your next venture north or south.

Last night, Liz Kemper, off “Shingebiss” assembled a dockside pot luck for seven looper vessels. This always a fun evening sharing tales, mishaps, funny experiences and just reliving the last year of great memories. What a fun night. Thanks Liz, you are the greatest.

Day 348 Grafton crossing our wake

Waiting to enter the Lagrange Lock on the Illinois River.








Diann and Liz






Leaving one of our anchorages






Some of the group









The gold burgee for crossing our wake






Liz and Steve Kemper




It is nice to have our computer back so we can stay in touch with everyone. Our good friends Jim and Brenda Hampton left the QC's today for their start of the "Great Loop". We are planning to connect with them somewhere in this area later this week. We are picking up our daughter, Dawn, and her family on the 3rd of Sept for a couple of nights and a 100 mile cruise with us on the boat. Our current goal is to reach the QC's by Sept 6th, Labor Day - We will just have to see how we do going north against the strong Mississippi current.

Grafton is where we came down the Mississippi River from home last Sept and crossed the mouth of the Illinois River. It just doesn’t seem like it has been a year! We still have 300 miles to travel north up the Mississippi River to reach home, however we have “Crossed our wake” here in Grafton which means we have completed the loop and you get to replace your white Looper flag (burgee) with a gold burgee. You take your picture with your gold burgee and send it into the Great Loop Assoc along with a recap of your adventure and it gets published in their magazine. Well, we could do that if I hadn’t screwed up when ordering our gold burgee! It was sent home to Hampton instead of to our current marina. Since our friends the Kempers also crossed their wake, we borrowed their gold burgee for our picture. Don’t tell – that may be against looper protocol! We’ll have ours in a couple of days thank goodness, since Tom has not been easy to live with!

This destination is certainly bittersweet since it seems close to the closure of our journey of a lifetime. We have met so many wonderful friends and seen so many beautiful parts of this magnificent country. At this junction of the rivers, you can turn south and head to Florida or north to the Quad Cities. We have missed our family and friends at home so we are turning north. We will make future plans for the next chapter of the cruising lifestyle that we have grown to love.