After we sold our sail boat, the search was on for the perfect trawler. One that was comfortable but more importantly, one that was reliable and seaworthy. After much reseach, we focused our search for a Monk 36. We were lucky to find a 2000 model in Virginia that had very low mileage on the engine and had been meticulously maintained by its former owner who was an engineer.
We renamed the boat, the Duddon Pilot. The Duddon estuary is in Cumbria in the North of England a region that Maureen's mother was from. The tidal fluctuations are around 19 feet and require great skill to navigate:http://www.duddon-estuary.org.uk/about.htm
Over the next few years, we spent considerable time and money to outfit and upgrade the boat's electronics and creature comforts. We also went on several long cruises to get to know the boat well to prepare for our ultimate adventure: the Great Loop!
"The Great Loop is the continuous waterway that encompasses the eastern portion of North America including the Atlantic and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways, the Great Lakes, the Canadian Heritage Canals, and the inland rivers of America's heartland.
It is also known as the Great Circle Route and is considered one of the safest long distance cruising routes in the world. To travel all, a portion, or any of the magnificent side trips of the Great Loop is an adventure of a lifetime." AGLCA website: http://www.greatloop.org/
Purple is for Fall/Winter
The "Great Loop" is at the top of Peter's "bucket list" so the plan is to leave some time after Memorial Day to begin this adventure. The trip can take up to one year and obviously needs a great deal of advance preparation. Hence phase two: list making and planning!
