Tom and Tina Osborne Great Loopers

Tommy and Tina Osborne had been boaters for decades when they finally decided to take on the famous Great Loop, also known as the Great Circle Route, a 6,000-mile journey they started from their home in Tellico Village, Tennessee. They spent a year on the water, venturing down the Mississippi River, through the Gulf of Mexico, up the Atlantic Coast, through the Great Lakes and back down before arriving home to Tellico. We asked them about their adventure.

What first inspired you to try the entire Great Loop?

Being a boat owner since I was 15, I always dreamed of traveling the rivers of America as Tom Sawyer did. When we moved the boat to the Tennessee River in 2006, it was on navigable waters, open to the Gulf of Mexico and beyond.

Aboard what kind of boat did you make the journey?

Our 2004 Sea Ray 450 Express Bridge.

Did the trip require detailed planning or spontaneity?

Good question. Over the years, I had [been planning] the Great Loop journey. Tina called me the “spreadsheet king.” I planned where we would go, what time of year we would be in a location, even where we would stop for fuel. By the time we had gotten to Mobile Bay in November, less than two months into the trip, we trashed the plan. The rest of the trip was very spontaneous.

Is there a particular stretch of water that stands out?

We get asked this question frequently, and it is a challenge to answer. Every stretch of water has its beauty and uniqueness— rivers and the locks, coastal waters with tides, sea turtles and watching feeding dolphins. Large, exposed open waters of the Gulf, Atlantic and the Great Lakes all stand out, as well as the people you meet and their willingness to help.