We Did It! Thanks to Dr. Charles Metzger, Jr., Our Dream Adventure Came True!

For twenty years plus my husband, Patrick McLaughlin, and I have dreamed of completing the "Great Loop" on our 34-foot motor trawler, Sunshine. Finally, in 2022, we took the plunge and embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. The "Great Loop" route is approximately 6,000 miles, by boat, from Florida up the east coast of the United States, across the Erie Canal, into Canada, the Great Lakes, and down the river system that winds through the center of the States, to Mobile Bay, Alabama, across the Gulf and down the west Coast of Florida, and across Lake Okeechobee. We traveled May to September in 2022, leaving our boat in Canada for the winter. We resumed our journey July of 2023, and reached home to Boca Raton December 19, 2023.

Dr. Metzger was instrumental to the success of our trip, providing continued healthcare along our journey. He was a phone call away, supplying medical advice and prescriptions. We couldn't have done this trip without him. Dr. Metzger has been our primary care physician for over twenty years. We are so grateful for the outstanding medical service he has provided us. As we are now in our seventies, we consider ourselves exceedingly blessed with excellent health, thanks to Dr. Metzger.

There were many challenges on this trip. Married 34 years, we were surprised at how much we learned about each other! It was a privilege to see this great country by boat, and to learn about our neighbor, Canada. We visited the coastal towns of the Eastern United States, and had our picture taken, on our boat, in front of the Statue of Liberty in New York City harbor. We saw waterfalls, lighthouses, sand dunes; spent five weeks in Chicago, waiting for locks to open; toured Lake Michigan islands and waterfront towns. We survived the locks, flotillas, river barges, and rescued two grounded boats. The Captain went overboard, our boat got grounded, and we found a dead body in the Mississippi River! We say it wasn't a vacation - it was an adventure. We met too many wonderful people to name, who we will be forever grateful for.

We wish to thank Dr. Metzger for his ongoing support. Thank you, thank you!