Savannah & The Great Loop
Savannah's River Street One of Many Stops on the Great Loop
The Great Loop is a route that navigates the eastern United States and parts of Canada. This famous loop contains many notable stops including the New York State Canals, the Great Lakes, and Savannah, Georgia. The loop in total is over 5,000 miles long, and with so many great spots in its route, it can be difficult to choose the must-see sights.
As the name suggests, the Great Loop is a continuous trajectory of waterways that recreational mariners can travel. The loop includes passing through parts of the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf Intercoastal Waterways, the Great Lakes, the Canadian Heritage Canals, and several inland rivers within the United States. Along the way, travelers can visit many interesting areas including marine sanctuaries and estuary research reserves just to name a few.
Sailors can embark on the Great Loop through multiple different starting points, starting and ending in the same spot. Experts recommend starting in Chicago, Illinois to take advantage of existing river currents to help push you along. Then, sailors can continue to float downstream through the Gulf of Mexico before sailing eastward toward the Florida Keys.
After passing through the southernmost point in Florida, sailors then continue northward toward Canada with several must-see destinations along the way. One of the most intriguing cities to visit on the northward journey is Savannah, Georgia. As the center of many historical events, the city is filled with sights waiting to be explored. At this thriving city located right on the riverfront, sailors will undoubtedly enjoy the local treasures the city has to offer after docking on
River Street.
Preparing for tackling the Great Loop requires not only navigational skills but also a great deal of time. On average, sailors can expect to be on the water for at least a year as they traverse the U.S. and Canadian waterways. While it can be done in as little as twelve weeks, the delight is in the journey, and not just in reaching a destination. Timed right, sailors can enjoy the best weather at each one of their stops without running into severe winter conditions in the northern areas.
More recently, sailors have been opting to complete the Great Loop in segments. Through the hustle and bustle of daily life, not everyone can afford to take a full year off to sail the Great Loop. This doesn’t mean that it can’t be done, though. By breaking the trip up into smaller increments, sailors are able to tackle several weeks at a time with the ability to return home before setting sail again for the next portion. This method has opened up the possibilities for more sailors to want to embark on this journey, as there are options to fit different lifestyles.
If you’re considering tackling the Great Loop on your next sailing adventure, we recommend planning to spend some time in the city of Savannah and its world-renowned coastal landscapes. Adequately names the Hostess City of the South, Savannah welcomes sailors as it has always done throughout the years.
