Editor���s Note- Last month we featured the first part of Alan and Jean Lloyd���s Great Circle Cruise. (���Round We Go,��� May 2005) When we last left the Lloyds, they were emerging from the mighty Mississippi and heading out across the Gulf of Mexico towards the sunshine state. In this second installment, we follow the Lloyds from Florida up the East Coast, and back into the Great Lakes. This Great Circle route is popular for boaters looking for an extended cruise and a little adventure. Alan Lloyd is the author of ���Great Circle Navigation Notes.��� You can access his web site at www.NavigationNotes.com for more information on the Great Circle Cruise. resource.You can access his web site at www.Navigation Notes.com for more information on the Great Circle cruise.

Eventually Jean and I reached Carrabelle, Florida, the end of the Intracoastal Waterway.We had climbed to the high diving platform, walked to the edge and were about to jump off to the Gulf of Mexico, the biggest challenge of our boating career up to this point. Most trawlers and sailboats take a direct route from Carrabelle to Tarpon Springs, a distance of 170 miles. Our Silverton 33, however, does not have sufficient range for a direct crossing so we planned an intermediate stop in Steinhatchee.

We set off before daybreak following the lighted markers to the mouth of the Carrabelle River. Dawn broke as we passed through East Pass Inlet into the Gulf of Mexico. The GPS read seventy-one miles to the first waypoint. The waves were about two feet and the autopilot handled them with ease.We were able to stay on plane for the entire crossing.We were soon out of sight of land and heading into the rising sun. After three hours we sighted a small post on the horizon. It was a 19-foot green marker displaying the number one���our waypoint. We had challenged the Gulf of Mexico, an often rough body of water, and survived without a hitch.

The second day of our crossing, Steinhatchee to Tarpon Springs, was as comfortable as the first.We tracked our position until level with the Withlacoochee River. Although twenty miles east, this would be a safe haven if the weather turned nasty. The weather was perfect, however, so we continued towards the far horizon.

Tarpon Springs has a strong Greek heritage. It seems the first Greeks to arrive noted a similarity between diving for sponges in the Mediterranean and diving for sponges in the Gulf of Mexico. More sponge divers followed. Now Tarpon Springs is a great place to enjoy gyro and baklava after buying a souvenir sponge.

The West Coast of Florida is a delightful cruising area protected by a handful of barrier islands. A local real estate agent told us many Great Circle Cruisers don���t go any further having discovered paradise right here. Indeed, Jimmy Buffet was inspired to write the song ���Cheeseburger in Paradise��� on the barrier island of Cabbage Key.

Back in the real world we are faced with a choice. Do we continue south to the Florida Keys or take a short cut across Florida? We decided to leave the Keys for another time and crossed Florida via the Okeechobee Waterway. It was a relief to be back in fresh water after so much salt.We arrived in time for the July 4th fireworks in Stuart. Departing Stuart, we banged a left on the Intracoastal Waterway around Mile 1,000 heading north towards Mile 0. We docked in Vero Beach and walked across to the Atlantic Ocean, yet another milestone for the crew of 2 If By C.

Knowing how to transit locks becomes second nature after any Great Circle Cruise.

After leaving Florida, we made our way through Georgia towards the Carolinas. The route across Georgia passes behind a series of islands that provide a barrier from the Atlantic Ocean. There is no protection, however, as you pass the gap between islands. The ocean was full of fury on the day we crossed the wide St. Andrews Sound, and we were glad for the shelter of the Waterway. Our entry into Charleston, South Carolina, where we once lived, was homecoming of sorts and it was exciting to recognize familiar places.We stayed at The City Marina, now privatized and completely remodeled after being destroyed by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Jean and I toasted ourselves with a tasty drop of rum. In my opinion, the placid, tea-colored Waccamaw River was the most scenic segment of the Great Circle Route to that point. It twists and turns between banks of cypress trees until it becomes too narrow for navigation, giving way to a canal that we followed into Myrtle Beach.We stopped for a couple of nights at Barefoot Landing to sample the carnival atmosphere of the beach resort community.

After crossing the border into North Carolina, we anchored with a dozen other boaters behind Wrightsville Beach near the municipal dinghy dock and went ashore to indulge in the local delicacy���cold custard. It tastes like very creamy ice cream.

Next we docked at Elizabeth City,N.C. where Fred Fearling, a retired mail carrier invited Jean and I and some other boaters to his house for wine and cheese. On other occasions he has entertained celebrities such as Walter Cronkite and Willard Scott. That night���s group included a solo sailor working his way from Cuba to New York City, and a South African couple who sold everything to buy a catamaran and sail forevermore.

The Dismal Swamp Canal, straight and narrow to the vanishing point, was a pleasant change of scenery. At one point it shares a rest area with highway 17, where motorists took our photograph and asked if we had seen the swamp monster.At the end of the lazy canal, we suddenly found ourselves in the busy harbor of Norfolk, Virginia. We were expecting a neon sign reading: ���Mile Zero-Congratulations to northbound cruisers. You have just completed 1000 miles of ICW.��� But we just saw Red ���36���, an ordinary buoy.

When was the last time you had fish and chips from a school bus? You can in Killarney, Ontario.

After the Chesapeake, we rested in Cape May situated where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic. This Victorian seaside resort is a delightful anachronism despite the $4 per person fee to walk on the beach. The ride to Atlantic City, New Jersey, was surprisingly pleasant. The huge marquee in the harbor read ���Trump Marina���. Actually the Farley State Marina is merely operated by Donald Trump. Not surprisingly, the marina includes a casino in its list of amenities.

Millions of immigrants wagered their lives on a fresh start in America. What a thrill it must have been for them, as it was for us, to pass under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and see the Statue of Liberty in the distance.We cruised closer until we could read the expression on the lady���s face and the inscription on her book. This has to be the highlight of our trip. We cruised past Ellis Island and found a slip at Liberty Landing Marina, across the Hudson River from lower Manhattan.

We set off up the Hudson, past the Empire State Building and the passenger cruise terminals where the Titanic would have docked had she completed her voyage. Farther up the river we cruised between the highest mountains of the entire trip. At Albany Yacht Club, the dock master���friendly, as was everyone we met on this cruise���gave us three bags of hay for the Erie Canal. He said they were meant to act as fenders so our real fenders would not get worn down by the lock walls. A little further up, we came to a sign that read ���Erie Canal turn left.��� Now that���s easy navigation.

The first five locks are close together, like a flight of stairs up a hill. At the top, one can look back at an awesome view of the Hudson Valley. At first the Erie Canal utilizes the Mohawk River. Along the beautiful Mohawk Valley weeping willow trees mark the river���s edge. Halfway along the canal, the waterway opens into Lake Oneida, a 30-mile stretch perfect for a short sprint. Along the next length of canal, we came to a junction. A right turn took us to Oswego, New York. We expected a weather delay but the forecast was just within our limits so we decided to do Lake Ontario. We managed to get on plane almost as far as Galloo Island, halfway across, but then we had to slow down because of the rain and waves.

We took a circular tour of the Thousand Islands and the scenery was spectacular as the channel wound around tree covered islands. We entered Canada at Gananoque, Ontario, and immediately called customs. The fine for not calling is $100 per hour! The next stop, Kingston Ontario, reminded us of a European city.

Another highlight of this cruise, we thought, would be the Trent-Severn Waterway but when we arrived at Trenton Marina, Craig Carter calmly informed us that the Waterway was closed due to high water. He expected it to be open in a week, so we waited along with a dozen other cruisers. When the waterway finally opened, we made our way through 12 locks in one day. The next day it rained four inches as we pulled into Peterborough Marina, and were told the waterway was closed for two weeks. The Trent Severn had become an obstacle to be overcome instead of a pleasure to be enjoyed. Still, we admired the novel lift locks and enjoyed our ride on the Big Chute marine railway.

Then we arrived in Lake Huron���s Georgian Bay, a Bay that is so big it could be called the sixth Great Lake. So many Great Circle Cruisers chase a rhumb line across the Bay, missing the best part. The scenic route is along the eastern shore through an area of 30,000 rocky islands. A well-marked Small Craft Route twists and turns between these pristine isles and bluffs of pink granite. Any cruiser who can successfully steer into a marina should have no problem.

Have you heard the marketing mantra for success���location, location, location? How about a restaurant on a remote rocky island accessible only by boat or float plane? It seemed every boat in Ontario was rushing there.We were concerned the dock would be full. Paul Elliot, the owner of Henry���s Fish Restaurant does not take reservations. No problem, an excellent boat/air traffic controller, he juggled the slips among those stopping for dinner and those staying overnight and turned none away.

Point au Baril Lighthouse provided the next photo opportunity. The original light on the point was simply a barrel of combustible material that was ignited to illuminate the way. Now imagine a pretty red and white lighthouse with washing hanging out over the rocks between the lighthouse and a nearby tree.

From here the route gets narrower and rockier. Although the Coast Guard has taken good care to identify the rocks, the captain must concentrate to stay between the reds and greens and delegate photo ops to the first mate. Some twists and turns were so tight we decided our next boat would have a hinge in the middle.

Our next anchorage was The Bustards, a group of islands in Georgian Bay. We made our way into the middle of the group, took the dinghy ashore and enjoyed clambering over the rocky bluffs. Another anchorage, Bad River, was just six miles along the route. The name alone was enough to make us enter at dead slow speed, but it wasn���t bad at all. With about a dozen boats in this anchorage, we could hear the sound of distant motors as we all explored the many side channels.

From our calm anchorage it was hard to believe the weather report of small craft wind advisory. The good news was the north wind had a relatively short fetch here at the top of the Bay. Immediately on leaving the protection of the islands the waves rocked the boat. After ninety minutes we entered the calm of Collins Inlet. This is a narrow fourteen-mile waterway between high cliffs.

The small craft route ends at Killarney where we celebrated with the best tasting fish and chips served from a school bus. Ahead lies the North Channel. At Baie Fine, where white quartz mountains surrounded us, we found a trail through the woods to Topaz Lake and picked and ate blueberries. The Benjamin Islands, the most popular anchorage, has two dozen boats every summer evening. Ashore we climbed the high bluff to admire the scene and photograph our boat completely alone as the season was ending.

Soon we returned to the States and I���m sure the temperature rose by at least 10 degrees as we crossed the dotted line.We made a beeline for Drummond Island Yacht Haven where the owner, Denny Bailey, is also the customs agent in this area.We had purchased the $25 customs decal before beginning our Great Circle Odyssey so immigration was a breeze.

We stopped at Mackinaw City Marina and took the express ferry to Mackinac Island. We set our course for Beaver Island at the north end of Lake Michigan. Beaver Island was a contrast to Mackinac Island.It is much quieter and we enjoyed a walkabout along the shore to the St. James Lighthouse where we found a sobering memorial to locals who had lost their lives on the Great Lakes.

Our route now lay down the Eastern Shore of Lake Michigan. The last day, we had only 60 miles remaining, from St. Joseph to Chicago. From 45 miles out we could see the tallest buildings and we felt like shouting as we spotted the Chicago skyline. We smiled broadly as pulled out our cameras.We tied up at our last marina, and then broke open the champagne that we had carried more than 5,000 miles for this very special moment.