We have read about, dreamed about, imagined and finally getting ready to leave on our Great Loop adventure! This has been over 10 years in the planning stages. Last September we bought our boat, Callin In Gone. She is a 1989 32 foot Marinette Sedan Flybridge. She is all aluminum with a 2 foot draft, 2 Chrysler 318 engines, 6.5 kw generator. We have outfitted her for our needs and our 3 canines needs. The Great Loop is a system of waterways that encompasses the eastern portion of the United States and part of Canada. It is made up of both natural and man-made waterways, including the Atlantic and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways, the Great Lakes, the Rideau Canal, and the Mississippi and Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. The entire loop is approximately 6,000 miles or 9,600 kilometres long. Adding sidetrips the length can exceed 10,000 miles. Hurricane Florence had hit east coast and bearing down towards Knoxville. The Smokie Mountains were being evacuated so we decided to take off early. Winds at 20 mph. Daniel had driven us to boat and got all stocked up.We have already cruised her from Watts Bar Lake on the TN River 700 miles to Nashville.