Gold Loopers for Life

Velsignet has made it safely to her new home in Miami, Florida.  As Mike and Brenda slowly make their way back home to Long Lake near Bemidji, MN, we are reflecting on our Mainship 400 and our adventures on America's Great Loop:

1.  We had the perfect boat for the 6000+ mile adventure.  Velsignet cleared most bridges without requesting them lifted, cruised most channels with little worry of running aground, and allowed us 360-degree access around her to manage our way through the 100+ locks.

2.  Boats are costly (BOAT=Bring On Another Thousand=1 Boat Unit).  Velsignet was considered an economical boat with a 2.3 MPG fuel consumption.  Even though Velsignet came pretty much turnkey and we were able to sell her for the price we paid for her (and without brokers fees), we reupholstered the flybridge, replaced an air conditioner/heater, replaced the bank of batteries, replaced isenglass panels and had her bottom repainted.  There's also regular maintenance costs. Most we did ourselves (oil and filter changes, washing, minor repairs, canvas repair) and some we hired out (bottom cleaning by divers, buffing and waxing).  Unlike many other Loopers, we didn't experience any major failures (broken shafts, lost propellers, engine breakdowns) or major incidents that required fiberglass repair.

3.  There is community in boating.  The world becomes smaller in scale while Looping.  Whether anchoring, in a marina slip, or cruising, we were surrounded by instant friends by virtue of the AGLCA (America's Great Loop Cruising Association) burgee.  It didn't matter where you were from, what you did in life, or what kind of boat you sailed, the shared experience of boating was enough to get quickly acquainted.  It was common to, for example, meet someone new in Florida, meet up again in Baltimore, see each other again along the Trent-Severn in Canada, and by Chicago be lifelong friends!

4.  Although we've been traveling for more than 18 months, we found we were never far from our family and friends.  Through cell phones, email, texts, the blog, car trips and airflights, we kept our children and grandchildren, our parents, siblings and friends and neighbors in our lives.  Their support and encouragement and patience for us kept us grounded amid the changes of scenery, tides, weather conditions, and traveling status.  We are so grateful!

5.  Living on a boat taught us more about ourselves.  For Brenda, despite the need for personal space, the importance of connectedness and community was heightened.  For Mike, he found he enjoyed living on the water; he enjoyed it as a luxury.  We were both surprised that we felt we had all we needed to live fairly comfortably within the small confines of 40' X 14' boat.  While we sometimes yearned to get off the boat, we never tired of the water--the motion of it, the challenges of it, and the beauty of it.   

And finally, 6.  While the Loop is a great adventure for seeing the eastern half of the United States and parts of Canada, the memories of adventures with people along the way are what will be with us forever.  We won't miss our Mainship.  Rather, we will miss the boating lifestyle and the people who shared in it.  The friends we made on America's Great Loop have developed into life-long relationships.  The strangers we encountered re-enforced our faith in humanity by their kindness. They (and our own sense of accomplishment) are what made America's Great Loop and our days along the way truly "velsignet." 

This is the last blog we will be submitting about our America's Great Loop Adventure.  We're off the boat and currently making our way home via Orlando, FL; Myrtle Beach, SC; Kittyhawk, NC; Williamsburg, VA; Indianapolis, IN; Des Moines, IA; and Saint Paul, MN.  Thank you to friends and family who have been with us and helped us along the way.  We are grateful for your interest, love and support in this leg of our life's journey.

As Velsignet made her way from Stock Island towards her new home in Miami, we received a text from her captain, Ang, "We've taken good care...I have just today fallen in love with her."

It's the day of closing the sale of Velsignet.  The original sofa is reinstalled with the original stools to the dining table.

We're moved out and ready for Velsignet's Captain Ang to move in.

The master stateroom with its original bedding.

The beds in the guest stateroom are re-installed.

The head is ready for its new captain and crew.

The salon is ready for its new owner.

Documents are signed and then a run-through on the vessel's systems one more time with Captain Ang.

With business completed, we toast to good times on the Mainship 400--to the past and to the future!

Susan, ET, Captain Ang Lovin, Brenda and Mike.

We appreciated updates from Captain Ang while she cruised Velsignet from Key West to Miami.

Next to Captain Ang is her American Airlines Pilot Friend, ET, who stood by her side cruising Velsignet on the way to Miami.

After leaving Key West, Brenda and Mike drove to Orlando.  From Orlando, Brenda flew to Saint Paul, MN to attend an art exhibition at the MN State Capital that featured grandson Killian Stow's art piece entitled "Cityscape."

The Art Exhibit was part of "Youth Art Month" sponsored by the MN Art Teachers Association.

It's now official.  Mike and Brenda have received their Bacca-Loop-Erate Degree and are now Gold Loopers!  

Can't take it away; We're Gold Loopers now for Life!!