Day 13 - Stuart FL to Fort Myers FL

Yesterday, I gave Rachel an option. She could either sleep in and we would have a leisurely cruise about half-way through the Okeechobee Waterway (which meant spending the night somewhere in the "swamp"), OR get up really early today and try and make the entire run from the east coast to the west coast of Florida. Not that either option was among her favorite things to do, but spending the night somewhere among the alligators, snakes and Florida "crackers' (our word for rednecks), was definitely not her idea of a good time.

So early this morning ... and I mean at "first light" early this morning, we departed Stuart for our planned 128 mile 9.5 hour run. This would include managing FIVE separate locks on the waterway and cross Lake Okeechobee, the second largest fresh water lake in the United States (Lake Michigan is first). The first two locks would raise us "up" about 8 feet total from the Atlantic side, and the remaining three locks would lower us "down" about 15 feet to the Gulf of Mexico side. Each lock transit takes about 30 minutes. Since we have done this on four other occasions, we have gotten pretty good at managing the entry, exit and required line handling. Don't get me wrong, it still requires some skill and patience, but today we executed the tasks without issue!

To show you the level of planning involved in making this transit, below is my float plan and times for today. Fortunately, we had the lock openings and little boat traffic in our favor, so we improved on the plan by over 2 hours. That was big, and the best we have ever done. Considering this will probably be our last crossing, it was especially good!

I'm tired. I need a drink. And I'm going to bed.

October 31, 2018

Sunrise: 7:30 am

Sunset: 6:30 pm

Mile Marker

7.4 (start) Old Roosevelt Bridge - Stuart (14’) - 0,30 M-F, 0,20,40 weekends

Depart 7:00 am

15.0 (7.6 miles) St. Lucie Lock (down 14.5 ft) - On Demand

1:00 Arrive 8:00 am +:20 Lock

Depart 8:20 am

28.2 (13.2 miles) Indiantown RR Bridge (7’) On Demand (normally open)

39.2 (11.0 miles) Port Mayaca Lock (down 1.25 ft) On demand

1:30 Arrive 9:50 am +20 Lock

Depart 10:10 am

78.0 (38.8 miles) Moore Haven Lock (up 1.5 ft) On Demand

1:45 Arrive 11:45 am + :20 Lock

Depart 12:05pm

94.0 (16.0 miles) Ortona Lock (up 8.0 ft) On Demand

1:00 Arrive 1:05 pm + :20 Lock

Depart 1:25 pm

108.2 (14.2 miles) Fort Denaud Swing Bridge (9’) On Demand

0:45 Arrive 2:15 pm +:10 Bridge

Depart 2:25 pm

121.4 (12.8 miles) WP Franklin Lock (up 2.5 ft) On Demand

1:35 Arrive 4:00 pm + :20 Lock

Depart 4:20 pm

136 (15 miles) Legacy Harbor Marina - Ft. Myers to WP Franklin Lock 

1:30 Arrive 6:00 pm

"First Light" departure from Stuart, FL

Handling the lines!

Leaving Port Mayaca Lock into Lake Okeechobee 

Crossing Lake Okeechobee