Hey, Northport: Katie and Jessie are sailing in! Way back in 2012, when they were just 23 years old, Katie Smith and Jessie Zevalkink hoisted sail out of Northport on their 27-foot sloop Louise to take on The Great Loop: Lake Michigan, down the Mississippi and Tennessee rivers, across the Gulf, through Florida, over to the Bahamas and back up the East coast through the Erie Canal and back to the Great Lakes. Louise, Katie, Jessie and their trusty dog Reggie are scheduled to pull into Northport shortly after Labor day. Along the way they had many an island and maritime adventure—all chronicled in their blog.
Keep an eye out for the Louise. Then you might offer to buy the two beautiful pirates aboard a beer at one of the many watering holes that have popped up in Northport since they first set sail. (Click here to check out Northport eatery and drinkeries!—we know we want to eat and drink in Northport after we’ve seen the brew, wine and food explosion that has happened there this summer!)
And if you have ever thought about sailing The Great Loop, you might start your planning by reading the blog Katie and Jessie kept faithfully throughout their trip: