  The fully-packed loop model of closed paths covering the honeycomb lattice is
studied through its identification with the $sl_q(3)$ integrable lattice model.
Some known results from the Bethe ansatz solution of this model are reviewed.
The free energy, correlation length, and the ensemble average loop length are
given explicitly for the many-loop phase. The results are compared with the
known result for the model's surface tension. A perturbative formalism is
introduced and used to verify results.
