Pamela Gibson

We left Birmingham on a drizzly day, taking a direct route to Memphis, Tenn. where we’d turn left onto Interstate 40 and head west for several days. This is my eighth cross country trip. I was six years old for the first one. What I remember most was the large green Sinclair gas station dinosaurs, … Read more

We crossed our wake back into Dog River on the Western edge of Mobile Bay on a warm, sunny afternoon, just one day ahead of a big storm.   We pulled out the Gold America’s Great Loop Cruiser’s Association burgee and tied it to our bow while our neighbors—some just beginning the journey—congratulated us on our … Read more

Three bears were tied to a dock. The owner of the first bear said, “Panda Bear and I are doing the Loop.” The owner of the second bear said, “Elizabear and I are doing the Loop.” The owner of the third bear stood up and grinned. “I am proud to say Sea Bear are I … Read more

Nine years ago when Mark and I did our first boating trip from Florida to the Chesapeake, we had never before owned a powerboat. That’s not to say we weren’t experienced boaters. We’d been sailing for years and knew about weather, tides, rules of the road, and where to get the best margaritas. We knew … Read more

At anchor in a narrow creek off the Mississippi River one night, I noticed a ghostly light in the darkness. As it got closer, I realized it was someone in a dinghy, swinging a flashlight back and forth, looking for something on shore. A moonshiner looking for his still? A pirate looking for an x … Read more