September 28 Home at last

WE CROSSED OUR WAKE

at 2:14 PM September 28, 2010

Arriving at the no wake zone of the little jetties.

Entering Chicopit Bay

Our dock waiting for us in the distance

One more turn and Kids Again will be resting on her lift.

One final Great Loop photo of Captain John, First Mate Vicky and Admiral Cutter

Home at last

Rick and Eileen greeted us on our arrival

Suzie helped us pack the boat at the beginning and greeted us at the dock

Jack and Sammie were glad to have us home.

There's no place like home.

Our 157 day Trip covered 5734 miles with maximum speed of 23.2 knots in the swift currents of the St. Lawrence and an average speed of 10.2 knots. We transversed over 150 locks with a maximum water change of 87 feet and a minimum of 2 inches. We traveled through 16 States and 2 Canadian Provinces. Saw cities, towns, villages, lock walls and anchorages that most boaters only dream of. But the best part was the kindness and generosity of the people we encountered and the friends we made.

This life changing experience started as a trip, became an adventure, and transformed into an Odyssey. These visions and experiences will live in our minds forever.

Thanks to all who shared our trip through this journal.

Sept 26-27 Vero to Jacksonville

Couldn't help but snap the mosaics on the pillars of the bridge.

The Indian River has many islands to stop and spend the day
We stopped in Cocoa Beach and visited with Nancy and Bill Spalding, friends from when we lived in Titusville in the late 1960's

Bill did a fine job of Piloting Kids Again

The haze and rain did not stop us as we passed NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building

on our final leg home

Ponce Inlet lighthouse

The cadmium red and orange lit the sky over Palm Coast on our final night of the trip

We really thought the bridge of lions would be completed by now

Misty rain reminded us how fortunate we were to have such great weather on the whole trip

Castillo de San Marco

Excitement started to mount as we saw the Butler Blvd bridge in the distance,

knowing home is less than 12 miles away.