At the Rendezvous.

Loopers Rendezvous – Joe Wheeler Park

After Florence we left for the main event of the month – The Loopers Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park. This is a 4 day event organised by the AGLCA (Americas Great Loop Cruisers Association) and held twice a year – we went to the one in April this year in Norfolk. They have many sponsors who give away door prizes, welcome bags of information & goodies, sponsor the event including some meals & give out useful information. There are sessions where experienced loopers inform everyone about best routes to take, how to navigate the more difficult routes and good marinas & docks to tie up to. Topics cover safety, medical emergencies, budgeting, how to handle locks & much more.

We had wine & beer cocktails each evening sponsored by commercial attendees, and door prizes each night. I won a door prize of a Florida water ways guide & a couple of our friends won varying weeks stays in Florida Marinas. Col & I also got 3 years free membership for the people who had travelled the furtherest to get there. There was one other guy from Australia there who hopes to start the Loop soon with 3 friends – he is currently sourcing the boat. He recently charted a boat to the Antarctic!

Dinner & lunches were included so there was plenty of opportunity to meet & exchange stories & pick up tips & information.Colin & Bob played 9 holes of golf one afternoon & there were kayak races and a blindfolded dinghy race with a navigator that our friends Bob & Liz won. There was also an opportunity to visit other boats. On 2 afternoons, willing owners opened their boats up to others to view – we had over 22 couples look at ours. We had made people aware that it would be up for sale next year when we had finished the loop after, hopefully, adding a trip to the Bahamas. Being in the centre of country & western music where early artists were first recorded before Nashville took over we were given the opportunity to go to a music night in local Rogersville where an old cotton gin had been converted into a large music venue. Some of the band had been back up for & played with many Nashville stars (of which they constantly reminded us) & the music was good but very LOUD in a tin shed. Also a guy sat outside smoking a cigar & the smell wafted in nearly all night.

However we plan to go to the home of country music next at Nashville where we will be spoiled for choices. We couldn't rent a car from Joe Wheeler Park so decided to return to the Florence Marina where we'd been last week & rent one from there to go visit Nashville & Chattanooga.