Media Release, America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association
GRAND ISLAND, NY—July 12, 2026—Mike & Bobbi Hopkins, of Grand Island, New York, received their BaccaLOOPerate degree from America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (AGLCA). The degree is given in recognition of completing one of the world’s most unique adventures, America’s Great Loop.
Boaters doing the Great Loop are on a 6,000-mile journey that circumnavigates the eastern part of the U.S. and Canada, cruising up the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, through the New York State Canals, into the Great Lakes, down the inland river system, across the Gulf of Mexico, and around the southern tip of Florida.
Mike & Bobbi completed the Great Loop aboard their Grand Banks 36CL power boat, Tortue de Mer. In addition to facing the challenges inherent to long-distance cruising, the couple enjoyed unparalleled views of the U.S. and Canada from the distinct vantage point of the water’s edge. They had this to say about their adventure:
“The Great Loop was so much more than a boating trip. It challenged us, inspired us, introduced us to amazing people, and took us to places we never imagined we’d see and then to experience them from the water made it all even more memorable.”
Approximately 200 boats complete the Great Loop each year, making it a feat more unique than swimming the English Channel or climbing Mount Everest. Throughout this trip of a lifetime, they relied on America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association to provide them with information and assistance vital to the successful completion of their journey.
For more information on America’s Great Loop, contact America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association LLC, 1235 Boone Hill Rd., #3, Summerville, SC 29483, 1- 877-GR8- LOOP (478-5667), www.GreatLoop.org., email: info@greatloop.org
