Mequon couple completes nearly 7,000-mile journey by boat

 

MEQUON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Last year, a Mequon couple left their house and set out on the adventure of a lifetime. 

Now, they have some incredible memories after completing a nearly 7,000-mile journey by boat. 

"When I saw the name, I thought, 'okay, there's something karmic about this boat, it's really gonna work for us," said Gert Grohmann, captain.

This was the end of the ride for "Patriot," her captain, and first mate Chris Grohmann. 

"When we were down in Racine, we took our time coming back up here because it was like -- this is gonna be it. This is the end," said Chris. 

That last leg was emotional for the Grohmanns, who for 12 months called a 32-foot Nordic tugboat home.

Patriot carried them into 15 states, plus Canada and the Bahamas, passing through 167 marinas and 140 locks. In all, a nearly 7,000-mile voyage. 

"Everything we did was new, from going through locks to making open water crossings to passing barges on the Mississippi that were 200 feet wide and 1,200 feet long," said Gert. 

The couple learned to cautiously pass those barges. 

"And you go where they tell you to go because they can't slow down, they can't stop," said Gert. "So, you have to stay out of their way."

The Grohmanns completed what's known as America's Great Loop, a challenge very few of the overall boating population have, and something Chris wasn't into at first. 

"Over time, he talked me into it," said Chris. "I'm what they call a reluctant looper."

The gold flag means Patriot successfully navigated over a dozen bodies of water, starting right at the Port Washington Marina. 

They're home now, with many great memories -- most of them, the connections they made with other "loopers."

"These are what they call board cards, and these are all cards from different boats that we met along the way," said Gert. 

The journey had some tough times, too. 

"The one important thing is you have to put everything away on the boat, because we had crashes of things came off -- 48 cups, dishes came out of cupboards when the weather was bad," said Chris. "I had a spot where I sat and I hung on, you know, for dear life, for six hours where I didn't move."

The Grohmanns say the hardest part about being gone for a year was missing family. They haven't thought of their next adventure just yet.