We did it...
As of July 3rd, we are officially Loopers. Check out the Great Loop website for more information.
As of July 3rd, we are officially Loopers. Check out the Great Loop website for more information.
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Chris is an engineer and will continue working part-time on the voyage. He has painstakingly upgraded all systems so LaRea will be a safe and secure home on the water. The idea of boating every day is motivating him to work through the winter. He is looking forward to exploring new places and possibly finding a new home port for LaRea when the Loop is done. He is also a musician who wants to enjoy live music along the way.
Diane retired in June 2024 from a teaching career of thirty-eight years and has begun working on her second career dream: author. A boat is a perfect place to complete the second and third books in her dystopian trilogy. Reading is one of her many passions she hopes to indulge in during retirement. She is most looking forward to honing her boating skills and trying to pry the wheel out of her husband's hands.
LaRea is a 2011 Maritimo A50 Enclosed Flybridge. She is named for Chris's mother who passed in 1997. All of our boats have borne her name to honor the love of nature she instilled in her children. We searched patiently for four years for the right boat and finally found her in April of 2023 in Miami. She is powered by Volvo Penta D-12 800 straight shaft diesels. With the hydraulic swim platform, she is 53' overall with a girthy 17' 6" beam.
Major reasons she is "the one": climate controlled enclosed flybridge with interior stairs, tender garage, hydraulic platform and covered cockpit with a large freezer aft. Oh, and she is very swoopy...translation: sexy!
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All dates are tentative and subject to the weather and our whims.
Check the Voyage Logger below for actual location details.
MVYC to Fort Washington to Wade's Bay
LaRea will lead the MVYC Parade of Lights for the twenty-first year in a row. As the fleet returns, we will make our way down the Potomac f...
MVYC to Fort Washington to Wade's Bay
Colonial Beach, VA
Hanging with buds from Fairfax Yacht Club. Thanks Shane and Christa!
Colonial Beach, VA
Annapolis, MD
Hanging with Brad and Karen from MVYC
Annapolis, MD
Chesapeake Beach, MD
Hanging with Brad and Karen from MVYC
Chesapeake Beach, MD
Lewes, DE
Visiting Chris's brother and his wife Vanna at Marbella.
Lewes, DE
Eau Gallie Murals are everywhere!
Morning Walk Vero Beach
Loggerhead Pool Vero Beach
Loggerhead Lounge Vero Beach-see LaRea?
St. John's Island Community-Vero Beach
Carl and Lynne-MVYC Friends
Best Brussel Sprouts EVER!
Pelican Yacht Club, Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce Jetty Park Art
Fort Pierce Jetty Park Memorials
Pelican Yacht Club, Fort Pierce
Ready to be back on the water!
Ready to Splash...
Look How Shiny!
Finishing Touches
Scary tall Scaffolding
Ready for her Spa appointment!
Step Two: Remove Locking Mechanism
Step One: Remove Swim Platform
The new one in place...
Success!
We have to get this up there?
Tearing up a perfectly good floor!
White Marlin Flag Riviera Beach
Hanging Out in North Palm Beach
Lobster Po' Boy
Racing a Storm
Chris in his Fighting Chair
Fresh Lobsters for Dinner
Getting the Band Back Together
Trolling from Freeport to West End
Freeport, Grand Bahamas
Dinner at Xuma
The View from our Table
Heading to Dinner
Highborne Sunset
Highborne Cay
After Dinner
Chris vs Lobster
Norman's Yacht Club Bar
Mini Beers on Hakuna Matata
Hanging with Marie and Sylvain
The brand new pool at Norman's Cay
Happy Hour on our Private Island, O'Brien's Cay
My Birthday Gift to Chris
Space X Landing
Our new pet...
Rachel's Bathtub, Compass Cay
Schoonering Fowl Cay
Fowl Cay Tidal Pool
Secret Tidal Pool
Not so cute!
So cute...
Exploring
Stinkin' Cute!
Two LaReas in Fowl Cay
Goodbye Staniel Cay
Daniel's Art
Staniel Cay Airport
Pig Mural
Staniel Cay Walking Tour
Delicious Meal
SCYC Dining
Staniel Cay Nurses
Rick is real; we met him!
Best boat name yet?
No caption needed...
Cheers from Staniel Cay
Staniel Cay Yacht Club
Chris Highborne Cay
Iguanas Allen's Cay
Our Neighbor Highborne Cay-Shark Ray
High Seas Aftermath
LaRea-Yacht Haven Nassau
Welcome to Nassau
What? Chris relaxing?
Poolside Bimini
Dolphin House
Dolphin House Bimini
Helipad Shot
Bimini Beach Resort End
Bimini Beach Our End
Janky beyond all Janktitude
Bahamas Prep
LaRea checks in to Bimini
Exiting Miami-Haulover Inlet
Little Florida, New River Ft. Lauderdale
Entering The Wiggles-New River Ft. Lauderdale
Destiny, our dockmate
Happy Place
Paradise Found-Ft. Lauderdale
Broker Bobby from Below Deck!
Someone is boat shopping...
Bill Bird Marina Miami-16 Fenders!
Brickell Key-Hi Bob and Linda!
...Here we come!
Lookout Miami...
Rinker Friend Jeff Key Largo
Dinner Key Largo
Marathon Sunset
Cocktails in the Cockpit
Moon over Marathon
Sandi's Birthday
A gift from Chris
BFF's-Boat Friends Forever
Together Again
View New Place Auburn Hill
Another Goodwill Run
Packing Up with Fred and Kelly
Minnie Poses
Bad place to visit on a Saturday!
Another Great Boat Name
Hemingway's Last Red Cent
Hemingway's Urinal Fountain
One of Hemingway's Cats
Named after Sandi's Boat?
As of 1/16/25
Another great boat name
Claudia Rolls a Cigar for Chris
Rum Punch Key West
Monitoring Engines Underway
Generator Repair
Who has a shopping problem?
Of course he did!
Concours Club Miami
Chris Co-Pilots
Thanks Bob for the sweet ride!
Let the shoveling begin!
Should have stayed in Florida!
View from our Rental
Chris Supporting the Mission
Celebrating 90 Years, or are we?
Birthday Girl
Birthday Boy
Visiting Charlottesville with Jim
Ready for a new year!
You got PUNKED!
Happy Boys!
Bacon Crackers!
Anchor Project
Neighbors Marco Island Marina
Marco Island Yacht Club
Walking off Dinner
Good Friends-Good Food
Bourbon Roasted Bird
Elf Diane
Christmas Feast
Christmas Eve Chili Dogs
Frolics with Dolphins
Hurricane Damage
Our First Mooring Ball
The front was cool, check out the back!
They go all out here!
Marina Jacks Sarasota
Pretty Girl
Chris's Gift to Me
SYC Burgee Exchange with DJ
SYC Foyer-LaRea in slip
SYC Pool
SYC
SYC from our Dock
Sarasota Moon
Even Cuter Close Up
Stinkin' Cute! Grandma LaRea would be proud!
Boat Lost From Longboat Key Moorings Marina
Tampa Bridge
Hurricane Damage
Sponge Diver Diane
Sponge Diver Chris
Mural Tarpon Springs
Another Favorite Boat Name
Tarpon Springs-Sponge Capitol!
For Paula
Yes, there was drinking involved.
Changing the Flag
Lisa and Greg cross their wake
Clearwater-nice shot Ruckman!
Gulf Crossing Begins
Shopping in Carrabelle
Pearl Harbor Day Carrabelle
Random Stuffed Animal Display
Happy Birthday Boy
Silly Friends
Birthday Party for Bill
Sunset Fort McCree
Dunes Fort McCree
Post Thanksgiving-Christmas Tree Decorating
Thanksgiving with Bill and Sandi
Orange Beach Marina
Orange Beach Mailbox
Terry Cove-incredible boat house
New Friends
Dang it! They already have an MVYC burgee.
FYC Slip View
FYC Sunset
Fairhope Yacht Club
LaRea Fairhope Yacht Club
Endeavor Last Lock
Last Lock until the East Coast
Muggin' for the Cameras
Mist Tornados
Sunrise Demopolis Lock
Mick and Dawn cross their wake in Demopolis on Shamrock
Locking with Lady Lisa and Endeavor
Fog Lifting
Very friendly and hungry!
Goat Island
Making Friennds
Quite a Legend-her, not me!
FAME Studio
Iconic Studio-pretty unassuming outside...
Great day with Tracey and Ried
Rainy Lock
Denise and a Fancy Horse
Griddle first use...blueberry panckaes!
Franz
Sean and Mary's beautiful home, Mercy Farm
Bev-Sean's Mom
This one was as big as Chris!
Swims with Fish
Look how cute!
Denise and Terry Arrive
Made it to Chattanooga
Captain Sean
Entering the Gorge to Chattanooga
Random Goats Hales Bar
Dinner Sean and Mary-Top of the Rock
Top of Rock View-Jasper
Cooking on LaRea
One of these things is not like the others...
Double Up-Uh! Wilson Lock
Creepy!
Tribute to Peace and Love
Or does she? Decatur Harbor AL
Decatur AL-she just fits...
Stern Anchor Caught a Cable
Pickwick Lock
Lock Strong
Window Cleaning
I don't care who you are, that's funny!
These are going to make great Halloween Costumes!
Seriously, the first time he has ever played BINGO?
Condo Living Green Turtle Bay
Patti's Round Two!
Patti's 1800's Settlement
Nice form!
Victorious Victory!
Let's try heating that sucker!
Hydraulic Lift Repairs-Stubborn Pin
Good News: No damage and remarkably clean bottom!
Haul out Green Turtle Bay
Ghost Fishermen
The View from Pier 6 Green Turtle Bay
20 Years from now, you'll wish you'd jumped.
Graffiti Art Pisgah Bay with Tim and Beth
College Campus? Nope, Kentucky State Penitentiary
HOMES Prizer Point
Moss Creek, Kentucky
Lonely Locking in Kentucky
Kentucky Lock-Eleven Hours!
Looper Line Up Paducah
Paducah Docks
Sailor Seth's Boat "No Name"
Thanks to Looper Friend for Photo!
Sunrise at the Ohio and Mississippi
Kaskaskia Lock Overnight
Cool, but nowhere to stay here for boats.
St. Louis here we come!
What a blast!
No brakes!
Happy Boy
The Ride Up in Grafton
Grafton from Gondola
Gun Show at Courthouse Lincoln's First Case
Beardstown Mural
Logsdon Tug Service
Sunrise IVYCC
Illinois Valley Yacht and Canoe Club
Asian Carp
Look how tiny our boat is! Thanks Sandi for the pic.
Home Sweet Home at Henry's
Starved Rock-Pic Sandi
Sylvain and Marie at The 252
Seneca Provisioning
Cal-Sag Waterway meets the Illinois River
The Illinois River Beautification
Welcome to the Inland Rivers!
Happy Boy-No U Turn!
Chris surveys his work!
Chris lowering Anchor Light
Joliet Wall
Dinner Smith and Wollensky, Chicago
Reflections
Another Favorite-Note Windbreak near the top...
Chicago Skyline
Architecture Tour
Sunrise Chicago Yacht Club
Money Shot Chicago
Corn Cobs-Diane's Favorite
Chicago River Walk
Chicago Yacht Club Burgee Exchange
End River Walk
The L
Columbia Yacht Club
Another reason she is the ONE!
Livin' the Dream
MVYC
MVYC
MVYC
MVYC
MVYC
MVYC
MVYC
MVYC
MVYC
MVYC
Keeping you in the loop!
MVYC
A time honored tradition at MVYC
MVYC
Dennis Point
Another hole in the boat...
Dennis Point
Neptune Drive
Everything Must Go!
Neptune Drive
Dennis Point
Trim Tab Replacement Starboard
Dennis Point
Pohick Bay
Great weather for floatin' and drinkin'.
Pohick Bay
Peterborough, ON
Peterborough, ON
Gannons Narrows
Gannons Narrows
Talbot Lock Wall
Talbot Lock Wall
Port of Orillia
Port of Orillia
Big Chute Marina
Big Chute Marina
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