Meet Karly and Evan Nietzel!

Hello, fellow boating enthusiasts! We are Karly and Evan, high school sweethearts originally from Iowa, now living in sunny South Florida. In 2025, we plan to take on our biggest adventure yet — America’s Great Loop! What started as a dream of Evan’s in high school turned into a shared passion once we became immersed in the boating capital of the world.

If you are unfamiliar with America’s Great Loop, it is a 6,000-nautical-mile journey that takes you up the Eastern coast of the United States, through New York City and the Erie Canal, followed by the Great Lakes, then through Chicago and down the Midwest and inland rivers to Florida.

Growing up on the Mississippi River, we are not strangers to the water. When we first began dating in high school, our shared passion for water activities like waterskiing, fishing and paddleboarding was one of the things that shaped our relationship. Since then we have graduated from college, got married, and added our sweet Goldendoodle, Ripley, to the family.

Through many discussions, the shift in remote work, and a belief that life is meant to be lived now, we decided to complete America’s Great Loop before starting a family. As tomorrow is not promised, we couldn’t bear the thought of waiting until retirement when there is no guarantee we will live until then.

Another deciding factor was our current living situation in West Palm Beach, Florida. With thousands of boats for sale within an hour’s drive, we knew we had an advantage when it came to boat shopping. Ultimately, we found the perfect boat for us: a 1985 36-Foot Marine Trader Europa. The two-stateroom layout with a large flybridge and ample walking room along the perimeter made us feel safe with just enough living space. We named our boat Northern Attitude for a couple of reasons:

1. The compass always faces true north and we desire to constantly seek adventure.
2. We never want to forget our roots up north in Iowa.
3. There is a song by Noah Kahan called “Northern Attitude” that we love!

Our plan is to start our loop from Stuart, Florida, in January or February, where we will head north up the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. We hope to get a headstart as we will be working remotely, and we would like to chase the cooler temperatures. So far, we have documented every step of the journey on our YouTube channel, Navigating Nietzels.

Beyond YouTube, you can follow our journey through weekly updates on lakelandboating.com. We cannot wait to officially begin our journey and take you along!