• betty staugler
  • betty staugler

Molly’s Great American Loop

We’re Betty & James, along with Luna cat and Moki dog we are cruising America’s Great Loop aboard our boat the Molly Brown. She is a 24’ C-Dory TomCat. We expect it will take us 8 or so months to complete 😀. Read more
  • Trip start
    March 11, 2024

    Day 1 begins

    March 11, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    Day 1. And we’re off

  • Picnic Island

    March 11, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    At anchor at the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River after logging 35.8 miles. Animals are settling into boat life nicely. Tomorrow we head east.

    Secchi at Picnic Island .8m
    Total depth 1.3m

  • Labelle City Docks

    March 12, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    We had a nice cruise today logging almost 50 miles. We’re tied up for the evening at the Labelle City Docks. Right next to a busy bridge but with the air running it’s not bad. We’re also too tired to care. Short walk to a shaded park. Next to us is another looper. They are also on day two but started in Crystal River. Across the River several sea planes took off at sunset just as I was headed out to walk the dog. The benefits of dog ownership! Pretty sunset.Read more

  • Lake O

    March 13, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    After two days off, today was back to work and I had a busy day! Stopped in Lake O to take today’s secchi reading which was .4m (pretty stirred up!) in 3.4m total depth. Scientist doing science stuff 🤷🏼‍♀️. We’re now in Okeechobee visiting with CDory friends and tied up to their dock for the night. More on that tomorrow when I get pics off James’s phone. Barely a ripple on Lake O made for a nice crossing.

    BTW.. look who’s featured for Women’s History Month!

    https://www.flseagrant.org/fsg-celebrates-betty…
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  • Okeechobee

    March 14, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    We just departed from a nice visit with Ken and Sharon in Okeechobee, and Jim who was also visiting from MN. They are great hosts. With Molly Brown on the dock and dueling Dory’s Sea Angel (Ken & Sharon) and Blue Rose (Jim) in their new boat barn it could have been a mini gathering. Last night was burgers on the grill and this morning eggs and bacon. And Ken hooked me up with a dongle for my mouse….so far the only thing that didn’t make it on the boat. Although I’m sure the more missing yet to be discovered. Lake O is once again calm for the remainder of our crossing. 5 locks completed at writing although 2 were bonuses into and out of Ken and Sharon’s place. About 145 miles logged so far.Read more

  • The adventures of Luna

    March 14, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    Little Missy had quite the day. James forgot to close the helm window at the St. Lucie lock and she made a run for it. Water level was high making for an easy getaway to land at the top of the wall. Her time on the lamb was short as her desire for treats is strong and she was quickly apprehended by a lock tender and handed back over. THEN while Moki and I went to shore she tried to do a cat leap with 1/2 turn on the gunnel but ended up dismounting with a front pike into the water. It’s been almost two hours and she’s still cleaning herself.

    On a good note we survived 7 locks (5 ACOE and 1 WMD that we did 2x) and are done with those for a while. We found a nice little nature park for dog walking off the main channel and are likely here for the night. 47 miles today.
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  • Officially Headed North

    March 15, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Today we all woke up feeling refreshed. Usually takes us a few days to get in the groove and I think we’re made it! We are also officially headed north. Winds are 17 gusting to 24 out of the SE so we anchored up out of the wind at one of the many spoil islands that allow camping for our afternoon break.

    Today’s secchi is 1.1m in 1.8m total depth. 2pm at our anchor
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  • Spoil Island IR36

    March 15, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    After a couple false attempts to anchor for the night we hit the jackpot with our final destination. spoil island IR36. Course we had to wait out the drunks playing some kind of drinking game on the beach but what a great anchorage this is!!!!! Oh yeah… and a Falcon 9 launch.Read more

  • Honest John’s Fish Camp

    March 16, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    Had an easy cruise day making our way to Honest John’s Fish Camp where we are visiting with Jonathan and Rosa and staying on their dock. They have a young lab so Moki got some good running in. I was pretty lax on taking pics today so will try better tomorrow. Edit* more pics added. Rosa was working so missed getting one of her. Off to Merritt Island.Read more

  • South Dredge Island

    March 17, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 79 °F

    Long day 73 miles. This was after we tried to access a trail on Merritt Island but it was too shallow and we had to push. Stopped at the boat ramp going thru Haulover Canal and witnessed manatees mating. And then found a great spoil island to ride out the next couple days of windy weather. Oh and Sundays are lounge days with the dinette down and Benny Goodman on Pandora. A tribute to my dad. Imagine our surprise when Bob Crosby ‘Loopin the Loop’ played. Weather was nice for cruising . Overall great day!Read more

  • Zero mile day

    March 18, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Today and tomorrow are down days. It’s blowing pretty good so we got a good test of our new anchor and 8 plait anchor chain splice. Today was also the last warm (relative) day for a while so when I broke for lunch we hopped in the water. By 5 when I shut my laptop it was noticeably cooler. 50 for a low tonight and high tomorrow 62 w 15-25 winds. No sunset tonight but our sunrise this morning was quite nice. Getting a good kayak workout in.Read more

  • New artificial reef

    March 19, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 57 °F

    Well this morning on one cup of coffee I paddled Moki to shore. Took some pictures and paddled back. Somewhere between shore and the boat now lies my phone. New one ordered. So your picture tonight is our coffee pot from James phone. Winds have calmed and it’s quite nice. We head north again tomorrow.

    Today’s secchi on bottom in .8m
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  • Marineland

    March 20, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 61 °F

    We had a long travel day and I had a busy work day so it went by fast for me. I’m sure slower for the captain. We’re now anchored in a cove off the ICW just south of Marineland. It’s pretty shallow outside of the channel pretty much everywhere here but we lucked out with a spot that has good protection and enough water.Read more

  • St. Augustine

    March 22, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 64 °F

    We’re tied up at the municipal marina till Saturday. My new phone arrived and I’m sort of set up. Forgot my iCloud password and am locked out 😡. But I can make calls and take pictures. Of course all this happened late so although I walked around yesterday no pics of those travels. But here you can see the spectacular blue lights James added to the back of hull and the torches I bought in the 11th hour before we left. It’s raining and our new sun/shade fly is great. Hatch and center window wide open and we’re dry inside 👍. Also adding a couple photos my friends Craig and Cindy took of us passing Gamble Roger’s State Park where they were camping and the Nao Trinidad Tall Ship here at the marina (it’s a floating museum). Today is domestic duties followed by sightseeing.Read more

  • St. Augustine day 2

    March 22, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Got a nice stroll around St Augustine. First walk with Moki we got poured on but had a good time. James came out for round 2 and then of course because there’s a dog onboard there was a round 3. St Augustine is going to miss Moki. He was quite a hit around town. Reprovisioned and laundry is done. Tomorrow we’re on the move again.Read more

  • Dutton Island Preserve

    March 24, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌬 64 °F

    We are now at anchor till Monday off Dutton Island Preserve a small park with a kayak launch, fishing piers, a nature trail and eight very nice tent campsites. Winds today (Sunday) are north 20-30 gusts to 40.Read more

  • St. Marys

    March 25, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    Welcome to the Peach State! It was a rough day. The wind did not shift directions as predicted. We were on target to make it to Cumberland Island by 2pm but It was a busy work day and with water going over the bow (and the roof) at 12:30 we had to detour. The Coast Guard also had boating pretty much stopped at the pass for a tow to come in with a boat taking on water. Took one of the many tributaries of the St. Marys River which was still rough but not as bad. We are now tied up to a city boat ramp with fingers crossed no one forces us to leave. Guy from Massachusetts in parking lot with the same intention. Today’s casualties were the AGLCA burgee (MIA) and a rip in the plastic on one of the side curtains on the back canvas. Once we get north of Cumberland Island we will be in virgin territory.Read more

  • Cumberland Island

    March 26, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Left St Marys early and headed over to Cumberland Island. Winds and waves are way down and it’s actually a really nice day. Moki and I did quite the hike while James and Luna entertained park rangers and guests at the landing (but did he take any pictures… no!). We got a lot of walking in and never did make it to the beach but that’s ok as I made it there on our last trip. We did find more that we missed on our 2021 trip here.Read more

  • Crooked Creek State Park

    March 26, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Anchored off the state park tonight. There’s some trails here but when we came in a dredge crew was staging for ICW dredge just north of here and had the dock mostly tied up so we only did a touch and go for the obligatory pup walk. Not much of a sunset tonight but torches are a glow and the animals are chill. Tomorrow off to Jekyll Island for two nights.Read more

  • Jekyll Island

    March 27, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Got some stormy weather on our way to Jekyll Island but it stopped as we were docking and turned into a nice day. Moki and I did some early recon and then James and I took some bikes out for a spin to dinner. From Jekyll Harbor Marina where we are staying it’s only .8 miles to the beach. Supposed to rain again this evening and all day tomorrow with NNW 15-25. Will be a good day to be in a marina!Read more

  • Darien

    March 29, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Ok so this is a really quaint city with a lot of history. I was attracted by the shrimp boats so we planned to stay on the downtown docks for a day or two. But apparently the city lost their permit and can’t allow overnight dockage. The guy that came out seemed very frustrated that the permitting was taking so long. He said it’d been three months already. Our suggestion was update website, have a message on the phone line and change the sign at the dock. We are now at anchor in a mud bank with enough upland for Moki’s evening potty break. Enjoyed the shrimp boats which were really well maintained and our walk along the river front. …
    **Update- Well it turns out our city dog won’t do his business on a mud bank 😂. So we pulled anchor and back to the city docks for a quick stop then back on the hook for the evening. Nice anchorage up river with minor current.
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  • Darien part 2

    March 30, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    This morning we went back to the city docks and Moki and I walked to the Fort King George State Historic Site. Very cool and dog friendly. After I rode the bike to a grocery store about a mile away and James found a hardware store to pick up some supplies for projects on the boat. We’re now back on the hook upriver enjoying some down time. Tomorrow we will be traveling again.Read more