That is why in the 60th edition of Quimby’s Cruising Guide we chose to highlight some stops and resources to aid in the navigation of the 5 waterways that make up the inland portion of The Great Loop. Along with a brief summary of each waterway, suggested marina and fuel stops are listed—including some potential sights along the way!
Per usual, we have updated the 2022 edition with the latest marina listings, fuel stops and lock & dam information through individual mailings, e-mails, calls and user input. As 2021, again, provided a relatively calm year on the waterways, marinas had a significant stretch of continued business—uninterrupted by flooding and extended well into late spring—putting them in a good position ahead of the 2022 season.
And, in conjunction with the printed guide, we will continue to provide updates through our weekly e-newsletters and website (www.quimbysguide.com), including additional destination and lifestyle articles, know-how tips, navigation aids, classified boat listings and much more. As always, if you see something out on the water that may need our attention or would like to share your story on the water, feel free to give us a call at 314-561-4701 or e-mail zac@wjinc.net.
See you around the bend!
The Team at Quimby’s Cruising Guide
On the cover of this year’s edition of Quimby’s Cruising Guide, the crew of the “Here’s To Us!!” is captured on camera by Capt Dois Allen in October of 2021 on their second trip around America’s Great Loop.
Captain Sam & First Mate Rev have chronicled each time they moved the 50’ Carver 504 on What Yacht To Do.com. A total of 124 individual trips along their first loop:
- Starting near Baltimore in May of 2019, via the Atlantic, the Hudson River, Erie and Oswego Canals
- Then into Canada’s picturesque Trent-Severn Waterway onto the Georgian Bay and the North Channel
- From there, they then went down the east side of Lake Michigan to Hammond, Indiana
- They entered the Cal-Sag, then down the Illinois River and Mississippi River
- Then it was up the Ohio River and Tennessee River to Pickwick Lake
- From there, they took the Tennessee Tombigbee to Mobile, Alabama and eastward across the panhandle of Florida
- They crossed the Gulf to Tarpon Springs, FL and eventually made their way to the Florida Keys
- Their final run was up the Intra-Coastal Waterway to the Chesapeake Bay and they crossed their wake in August of 20
They loved the journey so much they decided to do it again starting two days after finishing their first loop. They stopped at some of the places they missed on the first loop and also traversed all five Great Lakes, the west side of Lake Michigan and the Green Bay area.
You can follow their adventures along both of their loops on YouTube. Sam is a retired USAF officer and airline pilot, and a USCG 100T Master Captain. Rev is a former educator and administrator. Their online videos show each stop along the way, tips about planning, and the challenges of navigating the rivers, canals, locks, bays, lakes, channels, Intra-Coastal Waterway, Atlantic ocean and the Gulf of Mexico that are part of the Great Loop. If you are interested in the Great Loop or boating education, they have a free newsletter with sign up available on their website.
INSIDE THE 2022 GUIDE
America’s Great Loop — Inland Stops & Resources
In each edition—in addition to covering 9,400 miles of waterways in a single guide—we highlight a unique trip on the waterways. In 2022, we chose to take a look at the Inland portion of America’s Great Loop. This section of cruising is like no other and cuts straight through America’s Heartland—passing by the historic towns, bridges and infrastructure that helped shape Midwest industry and the eventual expansion to the Western States. And, other than the occasional barge wake and wing dam—unlike the unpredictable nature of the coastal waterways — the placid flow of the Western Rivers allows those at the helm to kick back a bit to take it all in.
Marina Listings
Every edition contains the listing and contact information for over 500+ marinas—including fuel, slip, repair and amenity options. Updated annually, we reach out to every marina via mail, e-mail and phone to ensure that the listings are up-to-date. We also rely on individual experience and encourage folks to send in updates as they come across them along the waterways.
Charts & Resources
Every guide lists current and available charts and other resource supplements—including information on where to access the many Army Corps Charts that plot the waterways. Along with lock and dam information listed in each waterway summary, we will continue to offer a separate section of the guide dedicated to the listings for bridge clearances and lock and dam statistics for the entire system, as well.
As an essential part of any onboard library, Quimby’s Cruising Guide is proud to offer this valuable resource for 60 years. To order your 2022 copy visit our online store here: https://quimbyscruisingguide.com/store/
