You don't have to figure out the Great Loop alone.
Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already underway, Loop Life Academy is built from real experience on the water, not theory.
Here's who we are and how we can help.
We know how this feels.
There's no shortage of Great Loop information. What's harder to find is someone who can help you figure out what actually applies to your situation: your boat, your timeline, your family, your budget.
The planning phase can feel overwhelming. The information feels scattered. And the Loop itself, as incredible as it is, can feel impossibly far away from where you're standing right now.
That's exactly why Loop Life Academy exists.
Hi, I'm Alison.
I'm a Gold Looper, author, TEDx speaker, and founder of Loop Life Academy. In 2023–2024, my family and I completed America's Great Loop aboard SV Fika—two years of living, working, and raising kids on the water.
I didn't set out to build a business around the Loop. I set out to document an adventure. But somewhere along the way, I realized that the resource I wished had existed when we were planning — something honest, personal, and practical — didn't quite exist.
So I built it.
Why Alison & Loop Life Academy?
Completed the Great Loop as a liveaboard family
Two full years aboard SV Fika, working remotely, raising kids, navigating everything from the Erie Canal to the Bahamas.
Not a highlight reel… the real thing, including the hard parts.
Wrote the book on remote work afloat
Remote Work Afloat exists because I couldn't find the resource I needed when we were planning.
It covers what actually works for staying employed while cruising: internet setup, client communication, and the real tradeoffs.
Built tools for capturing what matters
From prompt journals to storytelling frameworks, I've built resources that help you capture not just where you went, but how it felt.
The story is worth telling. I want to help you tell it.
Spoken about the Loop on and off the dock
I've presented seminars at Loop events, been interviewed by international cruising magazines, and delivered a TEDx talk on journey, uncertainty, and what it means to go anyway.
I've also been a guest on cruising podcasts and spoken to planning Loopers at AGLCA rendezvous events.
Documented the journey in real time
The Loop Life Academy blog, YouTube channel, and community have followed this journey from planning through completion, including the parts that don't fit neatly into a planning guide.
There's no one right way to do the Loop.
Only the way that’s right for you.
Whether you're still in the dreaming stage, deep in planning, actively cruising, or reflecting after the fact, my role isn't to tell you what to do. It's to help you find the resources that match where you are, ask better questions, and hold onto what matters.
Loop Life Academy complements AGLCA — the official home for Great Loop Cruisers — not replaces it. I'm an AGLCA ambassador because I believe in what they do. What I'm building here is the more personal layer: smaller conversations, practical courses, and a community for the human side of the Loop journey.
Find your starting point.
Or jump straight to what you need:
New to the Loop? → Start with Dream
Ready to plan? → Planning resources
Already underway? → Live It
Want to document the journey? → Tell Your Story
Just want to connect? → Join the free community
Free to join. No credit card. Stay as long as you need.