In the loop

Sailors cruising America's Great Loop have found a worthwhile detour in Port St. Joe.

Charted by America's Great Loop Cruisers' Association (AGLCA), the loop is a continuous waterway that encompasses the east coast, including the Atlantic and Gulf Intracoastal waterways, the Great Lakes, Canadian heritage canals and the inland rivers of the U.S. heartland.

Though the Port St. Joe Marina, accessed through the Gulf County canal and St. Joseph Bay, represents a 6-mile detour on the course, more and more loopers are making the journey.

The reason?  Ray Whitney.

Working without pay as the Marina's "Harbor Host," Whitney is one of Port St. Joe's most dedicated ambassadors.

Each year, he boards his 40-foot trawler, the PatsyRay, and sings Port St. Joe's praises like a siren, calling sailors to his side.

This summer, he and wife Patsy sailed the Tennessee River, inviting travelers to the city all the while.

"You have to make a case for how great a place Port St. Joe is," said Whitney, noting that few marinas are as centrally located, with shopping only blocks away.

Those who stop in Port St. Joe stimulate the local economy, spending as much as $500 a week, Whitney added.

 Loopers sail according to the season, journeying north in the spring and summer and making their way south as the weather turns cold.

Florida's looper season extends from October to February.

The Port St. Joe Marina has welcomed 42 loopers since late October, and expects to have over 60 by season's end.

This largely through the efforts of Whitney, who in addition to conducting public relations blitzes, monitors loopers' comings and goings through the AGLCA Web site.

Last week, Whitney welcomed Betsy and John Johnson, North Carolina natives sharing their 26-foot Glacier Bay power catamaran with miniature schnauzer, Beamer.

The Johnsons met Whitney this summer and were charmed by his love for his hometown.

"By word of mouth and being a good ambassador for the city, he has persuaded people to come here and take advantage of the marina and the staff," said Betsy Johnson, who now shares Whitney's passion for Port St. Joe.

"It's off the beaten path, but it's a worthwhile detour."

A bit of mystery

On a recent PR excursion in Alabama, Whitney met a charming New Zealand family sailing aboard a motorboat.

The Ashbeys – dad John, mom Phillippa and teens Alice, 16, and Lloyd, 14 – arrived at the Port St. Joe Marina last Sunday just in time for a shrimp boil thrown by marina staff.

Even before the family had reached the dock, Whitney was there to greet them.

"It's only Ray's goodwill that brings people here," said John, who was echoed by Phillippa.  "It's nice to feel that you're welcomed," she said.

The Ashbeys are not your typical looper retirees.

Hailing from Christchurch, John and Phillippa Ashbey are teachers who take a year-long sabbatical every five years to explore the world outside New Zealand.

Five years ago, they spent six months in Europe sailing the canals and rivers.

They learned about America's Great Loop from a Canadian couple while vacationing in France, and set their sights on an American expedition.

After joining the AGLCA, the Ashbeys poured over travel maps and read a humorous account of a couple's first looping adventure, entitled, "Honey, Let's Get a Boat."

The family spent some time looking at landscape maps on Google Earth, but did not quite know what to expect on their journey.

"It was all a bit of a mystery, really – what we would find when we got here," said Phillippa.

Having secured home school materials for Alice and Lloyd, the Ashbeys flew to Ft. Lauderdale in January.

Trolling the docks for a suitable boat, the family found what they were looking for in Ft. Myers – a 30-foot motorboat named "Pearl."

Purchased for $20,000, the boat lacked virtually all modern conveniences – electricity, heat, refrigeration.

The Ashbeys equipped Pearl with a large ice chest, propane stove, fold up table and a few chairs, and began their voyage.

Sailing Away

From Fort Myers, the Asbeys sailed across Lake Okeechobee, taking the Intracoastal waterway north.

Sailing through Quebec, Montreal and Ottawa, the Ashbeys looped along the eastern side of Lake Michigan, taking the Illinois, Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers south.

Along the way, they stopped in scenic locales and explored some of the nation's largest cities like Philadelphia, Chicago and New York.

 In New York, they toured art galleries, took in the lights from Times Square and enjoyed free concerts in Central Park.

Whenever they could, the Ashbeys purchased the cds of performers they saw live. The music became the trip's unofficial soundtrack.

While traveling, the family kept a look-out for other loopers. They identified them by an AGLCA flag displayed prominently on their boats.

The fellow loopers exchanged cards, shared sea stories and drank a few "docktails" from time to time.

"Everyone is very friendly. The comraderie among the boats is extraordinary," said John.

Alice and Lloyd, whose days were occupied with schoolwork, rarely met other teen loopers, but found other ways to interact with youngsters.

Both Sea Scouts back home in Christchurch, the teens met up with their American counterparts at a regatta on the Potomic River.

In Kentucky, Alice and Lloyd shared their adventures with middle school students, the invitation extended by an area harbor master.

The Ashbeys kept their schedule flexible to allow for such amusements, and enjoyed most every stop along the way.

Alice discovered a love for Dunkin' Donuts and Seventeen magazine and Phillippa chronicled all their adventures in a journal.

Upon her return to school, Phillippa will share her travels with her students.

"You build it into your being really," she said. "It becomes what you do and talk about as a teacher and you go back with extra energy. You have a sense of the rest of the world and what's happening."

Hospitality

Sailing the loop taught the Ashbeys the true meaning of hospitality.

In nearly every city, strangers welcomed them with open arms, and occasionally the keys to their automobiles.

In Pensacola, a barmaid named Dee Dee recommended that the family visit the naval aviation museum and loaned the Ashbeys her car as she worked her shift.

In Elizabeth City, NC, the mayor greeted the Ashbeys and other loopers with a wine and cheese reception. All the women received a rose.

In Port St. Joe, the Ashbeys were impressed by the Marina's helpful staff and the general friendliness of the city's residents.

"Here, as soon as you go in the store, someone says, 'Can I help you with anything?'" remarked Phillippa. "You can stand at a supermarket at home for hours before anybody helps you."

Now nearing the end of their journey, the Ashbeys have put their boat up for sale, and plan to fly home Jan. 17.

Pearl served the family well, much better, in fact, than they ever imagined.

"There have been no problems. We've been very fortunate," said John, adding, "There's not much on it to break down."

The loop has brought the already close family even closer together.

And even though they long for the comforts of a warm bed, the Ashbeys have enjoyed their year at sea.

"It's something we'll remember forever," said Phillippa. "You share the good times and the bad times. We've had more good times than bad times."