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Started By
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St. Bernard couple's shrimp boat takes them on 5-month, 6,000-mile trip around Great Loop
Posted on 3/24/25 at 11:28 am
Posted on 3/24/25 at 11:28 am
LINK
quote:
The route is in mostly protected waters. It includes the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, New York State canals, Canadian canals, the Great Lakes, inland rivers, and the Gulf. What makes the voyage so special is that "Loopers" take on this adventure using their own boats in their own time. Some have done it in as little as six weeks. Others have taken years to complete it.
quote:
To prepare, the couple began researching the Great Loop, deciding on the right vessel for the journey. After much deliberation, they chose the boat they know best — the Stacie Lynn, a 41-foot Lafitte Skiff and the family shrimp boat.
quote:
After fueling up with 750 gallons of diesel, and loading 150 gallons of water and provisions aboard to last several months, (including Louisiana seafood in the freezer), the Alfonsos were ready to embark.
The Stacie Lynn departed Delacroix Island on May 23, 2024. Each day, the couple would witness the sunrise, eat breakfast, and travel for about five hours.
quote:
Tracy Alfonso said one highlight stands out above the rest — 305 feet in the air to be exact. When they reached the New York Harbor and got a picture of the Stacie Lynn in front of the Statue of Liberty. “We couldn’t believe we made it to the Statue of Liberty on our own shrimp boat, probably the only shrimp boat to ever anchor there.”
By the end of the trip, they had befriended several wealthy boat owners. "We left Louisiana on a shrimp boat, and here we are in Canada eating hors d'oeuvres and drinking Champagne on the back of a yacht," he said.
The experience was life-changing and a reminder of the good in the world, Stacie Alfonso said. “With the hustle and bustle of the world today, we sometimes forget that there are lots of good people out there. We made some of what we feel will be lifelong friendships with some wonderful people.”
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Posted on 3/24/25 at 11:34 am to Major Dutch Schaefer
First time butterfly nets were seen in the great lakes :)
Glad they had a great trip
Glad they had a great trip
Posted on 3/24/25 at 12:13 pm to Major Dutch Schaefer
These are the two nicest people in the world. Staci was the principal of Lacoste for many years. Tracy owns an airboat company. They are generally the most loving, welcoming people I have ever met.
Before this they bought a nice Peterbilt to haul their camper around and did a US tour. Seriously, they deserve every bit of happiness they have in their retirement.
Before this they bought a nice Peterbilt to haul their camper around and did a US tour. Seriously, they deserve every bit of happiness they have in their retirement.
Posted on 3/24/25 at 12:48 pm to Major Dutch Schaefer
Imagine tossing those nets out at night up the ICW and catching your own shrimp and having dinner that night.
Posted on 3/24/25 at 2:36 pm to Major Dutch Schaefer
Very cool! Thanks for sharing.
Posted on 3/24/25 at 3:18 pm to Major Dutch Schaefer
Very cool!
Posted on 3/24/25 at 4:10 pm to Major Dutch Schaefer
That's pretty cool. I hope I'm able to do something like this when I retire. Sounds more fun than hiking the Appalacian Trail. 
Posted on 3/24/25 at 4:22 pm to dstone12
quote:
Imagine tossing those nets out at night up the ICW and catching your own shrimp and having dinner that night.
They traveled without the nets so the government wouldn't arrest them. Get caught with the wrong net in the wrong water in the wrong month without the local/state/fed permit would be considered terrorism.
Posted on 3/24/25 at 9:10 pm to Major Dutch Schaefer
One of the cooler things I’ve seen. Thanks for sharing
Posted on 3/25/25 at 12:04 am to dstone12
quote:
Imagine tossing those nets out at night up the ICW and catching your own shrimp and having dinner that night.
And a few months later, pull the same nets to help the NYPD locate a body in the East River
Posted on 3/25/25 at 8:11 am to Major Dutch Schaefer
My retirement plan includes a the Great Loop. Probably not in a shrimp boat though.
Posted on 3/25/25 at 9:44 am to Major Dutch Schaefer
There is a fella(Robert Yoens) on FB planning to beat the Great Loop record in a aluminum boat and 60 hp tiller tohatsu
Posted on 3/25/25 at 9:48 am to Park duck
quote:
60 hp tiller tohatsu
lots of questions here but the first that comes to mind:
Why not a slightly larger boat like something with a 150 and a small enclosed cabin for protection fron the elements, bugs, etc
Why Tiller? Why not at least a steering wheel? Tiller would wear you out.
How is he going to carry enough fuel? There are gaps of 200 miles with no marinas.
No way he can do the Great Lakes portion with a 16 foot boat. Waves are too high. He would have to have perfect weather conditions to scoot along the S coast. If a storm hits, he's dead.
Seems like an odd adventure
Posted on 3/25/25 at 9:52 am to No Colors
Go check him out he explains all of that
Posted on 3/25/25 at 10:39 am to Park duck
quote:
Go check him out he explains all of that
Yeah I just read up on it. And he explains SOME of it
It seems like the 16 foot Weldbuilt with a 60 Tohatsu tiller is what he is going to use, because that's what he has. Which is fine. But it brings up some issues.
He plans to start the trip from Pensacola and run straight across the Gulf to Key West. 480 miles in the middle of the ocean in a Jon boat. He says he will wait for the right weather window and hit it in one 15 hour crossing. In July. I mean, that's possible. But if he runs into a popup thunderstorm that he's not expecting, then he's dead.
And then he's counting on a south wind as he goes along the shore of the Great Lakes. Which is possible. But he could be stranded there for several days waiting on the right window. Or, he could catch a bad break and end up on the bottom.
There's a BIG difference in a 16ft tiller 60hp and an 18 foot center console with a 90hp. I would feel a lot better for him if he stepped it up at least one grade higher on his boat. But he seems to know his gear. So I'll be pulling for him.
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