Bad news for 2020 Great Loopers: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is closing six locks and dams on the Illinois River, which is the section of the Loop connecting Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River for major infrastructure repairs. The closures are happening from July 1 to Oct. 31st next year.
Good news for would-be Loopers: TrawlerFest-Baltimore will be devoted to Great Loop work-arounds for 2020 and alternative “loop” cruises at opposite ends of the East Coast. Ticketing is now open for Baltimore, which happens Sept. 24-28 at Harbor East Marina (with seminars at hotels a few minutes away from the waterfront).
In Bad News for the Great Loop? What To Expect & Workarounds, Kim Russo, executive director of the America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association, will give a detailed briefing about the status of the project and how to create a cruising strategy to deal with this temporary closure.
The Illinois closure will not affect cruising boats going up or down the Intracoastal Waterway, which comprises a major segment of the Loop. In Cruising the Intracoastal Waterway captains Chris and Alyse Caldwell can help you plot your course along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway from the Chesapeake Bay through mile marker zero in Norfolk, Va., all the way to the Florida Keys.
While lesser known than the Great Loop, the Down East Circle offers spectacular scenery and a full range of waterways. In The Other Loop: The Down East Circle, boatbuilder and cruiser Steve Zimmerman will share his itinerary, recommendations, and lessons learned, along with jaw dropping photographs (such as the one atop this page). The trip begins in the Hudson River, into the Erie canal and into Lake Ontario and the beautiful Thousand Islands region. Following the St. Lawrence River brings you to the French speaking cities of Montreal and Quebec. After you leave the St. Lawrence River, the spectacular Prince Edward Island, Magdalen Islands, and Cape Breton lie before you. The eastern seaboard of Nova Scotia provides a wide range of anchorages and history, including Halifax and Lunenburg.
Hidden Florida (Including the Mini-Loop & St. Johns River) is another seminar devoted to the notion that it’s more fun not having to return the way you came. Florida native and all-around raconteur, Ken Fickett takes you on a journey that encompasses many of Florida’s remaining wild and eccentric places along the Okeechobee Waterway and Florida’s Ten Thousand Islands.
Meanwhile, Capt. John Clayman will present Great Loop Boats, Great for Bluewater, Too. Clayman, president of Seaton Yachts and a mariner with tens of thousands of ocean miles under his belt, will review the particular requirements for Loop boats and those for more strenuous cruising. He will provide examples of dual-purpose vessels for every budget.
Loops are only part of the course content for TrawlerFest, of course. With more than 25 seminars, the Baltimore education program will cover many other topics too, including navigation, weather, electronics, seamanship and safety at sea. Seminars will include TrawlerFest stalwarts such as Everything You Need To Know About Diesel Engines, Boat Buyer’s Survival Guide and Cruisers Roundtable (with its freewheeling, audience participation format).
SEMINARS: Tuesday through Saturday, Sept. 24-28
IN-WATER BOAT SHOW: Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 26-28, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
HARBOR EAST MARINA
40 International Drive, Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 625-1700
Would you like to be an exhibitor? Email Ryan at [email protected]
IN-WATER BOAT SHOW
General Admission: $15 in advance, $18 onsite
Available for Thursday – Saturday, valid one day only
Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Kids up to age 14 enter for FREE!
Seminar participants enter in-water boat show free on day of seminar
VIP Packages Available:
5 Day VIP – $549
The 5 Day VIP PACKAGE includes:
• General Admission to all Three (3) days of TrawlerFest’s In-Water Boat Show
• Unlimited access to seminars (Tuesday-Saturday)
• Entry for one (1) to Thursday’s VIP Activity
• Entry for one (1) to Friday’s Docktail Party
• Value: $1105, 55% savings
• Diesel Engine course, Multi-Function Displays, and Boat Handling On The Water are NOT part of the VIP package
3 Day VIP – $449
The 3 Day VIP PACKAGE includes:
• General Admission to all Three (3) days of TrawlerFest’s In-Water Boat Show
• Unlimited access to seminars during show days, Thursday – Saturday
• Entry for one (1) to Thursday’s VIP Activity
• Entry for one (1) to Friday’s Docktail Party
• Value: $615, 45% savings
• Diesel Engine course, Multi-Function Displays, and Boat Handling On The Water are NOT part of the VIP package
