We all know the Great Loop, one of America’s most famous year-long cruising adventures. And, we know the Great Eastern Loop that leads from New York City up the Hudson River and then out the St. Lawrence Seaway and around the Canadian Maritimes before closing the circle back in the city.
But what about the FLOOP or what’s better known as Florida’s Southern Loop? For snowbirds heading south in the fall along the Intracoastal Waterway to the Sunshine State, the FLOOP is a natural cruising attraction. Why stay plugged into a marina all winter when you can go exploring and experience southern Florida in all its variety?
Unlike the Great Loop, there is no seasonal scheduling involved since you can cruise Florida all year long, particularly if your boat has air conditioning. You can take as long as you like and can start the Loop anywhere along the way. All you have to do is return to your starting point and you’ll be FLOOPER.
Thinking of southbound snowbirds, let’s start our Loop where the ICW and St. Lucie River meet the Okeechobee Waterway. Take a right and head west toward Lake Okeechobee and the wild interior of the state. Ahead of you are five locks that will lift you up to the lake and then bring you back down to sea level at the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way you might find yourself wondering why you didn’t know that Florida is a huge cattle ranching state.
You’ll enter the Gulf through San Carlos Bay and from there it is 30 miles southward along the coast to Naples with its abundance of marinas and restaurants. Pushing on, you can visit Marco Island and stop for a day or so in the wild and woolly Little Shark River in the edge of the Everglades where you might see an alligator or two. Key West is just a skip and a jump away.
Cruisers are bound to hang out in Key west for a while to enjoy the Conch Republic’s mix of art colony, tourist trap and the pirate spirit long famous on the island. A side trip to the Dry Tortuga National Park, 30 miles to the west is a worthwhile and historically interesting mini adventure.
Unless you have a deep-draft boat, the next leg will take you inside the Keys through narrow channels and mangroves until you get to Key Biscayne and Miami. Coconut Grove is a worthwhile stop and if you want the Miami Beach nightlife, the Miami Beach Marina will be a good destination.
Heading north again, you’ll pass through some of the most densely populated parts of the state and anchorages will be few and far between since Florida continues to add anchoring regulations along this coast. This is drawbridge country, so you’ll need to have the opening schedules at hand.
Once you get to the Palm Beaches and lake Worth, the waterway begins to open up and anchorages for quiet nights on the hook will be more available. North of Lake Worth, the shores are less densely built up and you will find a bit of old Florida called the Treasure Coast with mangroves and scrub pine barrens and plenty of egrets, osprey and the occasional iguana sunning on a log.
You’re Loop is almost complete, and you may want to hang out in Jupiter for a while to see if you can run into Tiger Woods or one of the other famous golfers who live there. And, then, a stop in Stuart, where you will find some of Florida’s premier boat yards—Hinckley, Grand Banks, Palm Beach and others– will give you a chance to ogle beautiful boats, get some boat work done and reflect on a winter well spent discovering the Florida Loop. You’re a FLOOPER now.
