Crossing our wake in New Buffalo

Really bittersweet pulling into New Buffalo. It was our home port in summer of ‘22, so it was very familiar. Remembering the shoaling in the entry, we took it really slow. Going past boats we knew left us feeling nostalgic. We were going back into the very same slip we had vacated 9 days short of a year ago. Since we were the only loopers coming in to the harbor, we had no welcoming committee. Still, it was an historic moment for us, and we took the obligatory photo on the bow of the boat.

Heading into the New Buffalo breakwater and the harbor

The same slip we vacated when we left for the loop was magically available for our return. # 13

The guy who grabbed our lines took our gold looper photo. Forgive the digit. Totally unintentional.

Right after this photo Marshall drove me to Chicago so I could get my car and return to the harbor on Saturday to begin the laborious process of offloading all the clothes and supplies in preparation for turning the boat over to the new owners.

Saturday morning Marshall’s family came by to wish us well and share in our success. Later we went with Barb and her family to the pizza place, Stop 50.

Stop 50 and pizza. Marshall isn’t in a bad mood. He’s flat out exhausted!

We had a beautiful sunset on Saturday night as a welcome home to New Buffalo.

Oselka Snug Harbor Marina in New Buffalo, Michigan

On Sunday my bridge friends Wally and Liz came to see the boat they’d heard so much about. They were appropriately impressed with her.

While I lived on the boat, my hours were marked by the bells of the ship’s clock. It strikes every half hour, with the change of watch (8 bells) ringing at 4, 8 and 12. To reward myself for having finished over 5500 miles on the water, successfully negotiating numerous locks and docking in all sorts of weather, I bought myself a Chelsea ship’s clock. Now, although I am off the boat, I am comforted by the regular chiming of the bells.

Mike and Sue McGeary, the friends we started out with in St. Pete. They will cross their wake there.

Half of the Crustacean crew which will cross her wake in Sarasota.

Tammy and Stewart from Espiritu whom we met in Annapolis. They will cross their wake in Tampa.

The end of the journey has been so hard in many ways. Being on the water is my happy place, but keeping Escape was impossible for so many reasons. I know it will be a huge adjustment to be back in my “dirt home”, but I will be forever grateful for having had the Loop. I met so many wonderful, generous people, loved all the different boats I was able to see, and was entranced by the people and culture of America’s small harbor towns, not to mention Canada’s welcoming people and marinas. And I have to give a big “Thank you” to Marshall for helping me realize my dream after 20+ years.