So I am a reluctant spouse when it comes to cruising The Loop. Tom has talked about making The Loop for years. I thought (hoped) that this was a fantasy.
Our son and daughter-in-love moved back to the farm in 2020. So, Tom and I started making plans to build a smaller house on the farm. (The old saying “Man Plans and God Laughs” fits well here). Well – Covid – lumber prices were sky high and getting higher every day along with all building supplies. So, I told Tom now is the time to make the loop. Maybe when we are finished floating around, lumber prices would be reasonable.
So we started looking for a boat. Tom had already done tons of research and knew what he wanted and what fit my list. We went to the end of a Great Harbour Trawlers Association gathering in Jacksonville, FL. We got to tour several Great Harbours but not the one Tom wanted. A few weeks later, we had the opportunity to look at Lollipop, a Great Harbour 37 in Ruskin, FL. It ticked all the boxes, and we started the offer process on the way home.
There will be no perfect time to make a year-long trip. But while we have our health and the support of Tom’s dad, our daughter, son, and daughter-in-love, 2021 and 2022 will be our excellent adventure year on the waters of The Great Loop.
