Well, I’ve known for years about the free docks at the campground just west of the St. Luice Lock, but somehow I’ve missed the piers below described by Captain Thomason.

Dear Claiborne,
I have looked for the Franklin Lock Campground on the cruiser’s net under Okeechobee Route and can’t find it. It is also not in the edition (admittedly ten years old) we have of Eastern Florida. I just wondered why? The docks here are longer than the St. Lucie Lock Campground, though not suitable for a boat length over 40 ft. There is a laundry as well as showers, water and electric hookups for $24 a night ($12 for senior pass holders). Four slips can be reserved three days or more in advance by calling 877-444-6777 or on line at www.recreation.gov . Four slips are first come first serve. The setting is natural with birds, alligators and manatees. The Park Campground office number is 239-694-8770. We usually stay several nights here when we’re transiting the Okeechobee Waterway.
Jean Thomason on DOVEKIE

I e-mailed Captain Jean and asked for more details on this facility’s location. She was kind enough to respond with the note below:

The Lat/Lon is 26 43′ 387 N; 081 41′ 454 W. The 4 fixed wooded docks are on the northern side on the river on the eastern side of the lock on a charted sidewater. Depths at the water end of the docks are over 7 feet, while the shore end is shallow so all boats go in bow first.. There is good protection from winds from any direction. The campground is administered by Army Corps of Engineers, so Federal passes are honored. It mostly caters to RV’s but there are 8 boat slips. Slips # 1,2 7,8 can be pre-reserved. Slips #3,4,5,6 are first come, first serve. The official limit on length of stay is two weeks. There are no stores etc nearby, but with all the campers, one can probably get a ride to a grocery or have someone pick up an item or two. There is biking on the roads outside the park, including a county park with walking trails.
Hope this helps!
Jean

Well, this is a really cool posting that I borrowed from the “GL” (Great Loop) forum. I’ve taken a look at some of the You Tube video links below, and there’s LOTS more to them than just passing through the various locks along the way. ANYONE interested in cruising the Okeechboee will want to take the time to peruse all these videos! There’s some GREAT info here!!!

Thought at least a few people might want to see what the locks are like to lock through beforehand as we filmed in each:

Okeechobee Waterway Locks:

St. Lucie Lock:

Okeechobee Lock (a lock through – maintenance on the lock):

Moore Haven & Ortona Locks

Franklin Lock:

Matt Mattson
“Mischief” (Prairie 29)

Afternoon from chilly St Pete,
Just wanted to say nice job on the Lake O. U-Tube videos Matt, you and yours did a nice job on the filming. After 16,000 miles over the past 4 years I think Life’s2Short is finally going to go that route this March or April.
Keep up the great videos!
Todd & Brenda Lanning
Life’s2Short
1985 40′ Oceania Trawler

Made this trip many times, and have never tired of it! love it. like old Floirda, in a time capsule.
Capt. Sterling

Does anyone know if there are a ton of no wake zones on the Okeechobee Waterway? Is it realistic to travel from Stuart to Ft. Meyers in a day in a 22ft Robalo (leaving at sunrise) and weather permitting. Thanks for any advice!
Penny

Enjoyed the video’s.
Would like to see a video of the actual locking expeience, i.e. entering, tieing up, line handling, fending off, releasing the lines, etc. as I am planning on single-handing a 24 ft sailboat along that route
Paul in Tampa

Below, the crew of WatermelonNJP provides a very useful link to a portion of Roland Martin’s Marina web site ,that mirrors the latest water depths on the Okeechobee Waterway from the ACOE web site. This link saves having to burrow through the Corp’s site to unearth the depth info you need!

You can get a regular update on the levels of the Okeechobee at this site: http://www.rolandmartinmarina.com/water_levels.php
Watermelonnjp

And, if you do stop at Roland Martin’s Marina, be SURE to have a meal at the Clewiston Inn!

For those who want to break the Ft Myers to Stuart run in 2 legs we found that Rolands Marina in Clewiston was a great stop. The restruant is OK and the docks are reasonable, I been at much worse. They have a NEW store and restruant area so over all it is a great stop. The Lock that you normally have to go thru is open so it is an easy in & out.
Larry

Now, here’s a topic which I don’t think has ever come up on the Net before. As you will see, Captain is wondering whether it’s possible to take a cruising size craft north from Lake Okeechobee to Lake Kissimmee.

Does anyone know if a 4 foot draft trawler can go from Lake Okeechobee to the northen extremes of Lake Kissimmee? Once there, is there anchorages? or is there a closer spot to anchor to
visit Epcot?
Henry
M/Y Mary M

While is possible to get from Lake Okeechobee north all the way to downtown Kissimmee, FL at the north end of Lake Tohopekaliga, the route is
maintained primarily for relatively small local boats such as bass fishermen use. Lock outages are frequent and may be long in duration. Also, weed removal in main channels may or may not allow liveaboard sized craft to pass. And, as another poster noted, bridge clearances of only around 11 feet are a problem. Also, refueling options will be very limited. The only real marina along the way is just south of Rt. 60 at River Ranch Resort. The city of Kissimmee has a marina adjacent to its downtown. Transient vessels are a rarity there, but space would likely be available.
More information on this route is available at http://www.jimporter.org/lakes/kissimmee/
A much better alternative for larger boats wanting to get the attractions around Orlando is to use the St. Johns River from Jacksonville, FL south to
Sanford. This route is well maintained, offers great anchorages, is clearly marked, very scenic, and offers a full service marina in Sanford at the
north end of Lake Monroe. Either public transportation or rental cars are available there.
Dennis

A quick google search, “Kissimmee River Navigation”
Six navigation locks are located between the city of Kissimmee and Lake Okeechobee.
Each lock measures 30 by 90 feet and has an average depth of six feet. From downtown Kissimmee to Lake Okeechobee, six bridges are located along the waterway, all having vertical clearances of 11.5 feet or more.
https://my.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/common/pdf/kisswaterway.pdf
Another site states that north-south navigation is closed through 2011, due to construction.
http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/pg_grp_sfwmd_landresources/portlet_rec_vital_news/kissimmee%20river%20restoration%20construction%20to%20interrupt%20navigation.pdf
I could not find navigation project depth, but the 11.5 foot bridge would limit the size of the boat.
Chet

I don’t think its possible to take a 4′ draft trawler from Lake O to Lake Kissimmee anymore, if it ever was. The Army Corp of Engineers has been undoing the canalization of the Kissimmee River for years now. Then there are the highway bridges over the river.
Mark Richter, Winnie the Pooh, Ortona, FL on the Okeechobee Waterway

The messages below have been copied from the AGLCA mail list, and in response to an earlier question about cruise times and distances on the Okeechobee Waterway.

We crossed from west to east on Nov 11. If you only mean the lake, you should make it in 3-4 hours at this speed. Consider the rim route if the lake is rough (our friends did this on Nov 9 and said it had
plenty of water then). Call the Port Mayaca lock before you go since they have been working on it lately. The lake is nothing special to look at but boths sides, for 20 miles or so, are spectacular and
really feels like the everglades.
Roger & Mary Carter
“Jolly Roger”

The lake is ca. 25 miles across, so figure your statute miles per hour (not knots on fresh water) and you will have your estimated time to cross. The lake is shallow, so it never kicks up that bad (a wave
can not be any higher than the water depth).
As far as Lake Okeechobee looking like the Everglades, it is because it really is. Before it was diked up around the sides to turn it into a water reservoir for crop irrigation and the canal cut across
the state (effectively turning South Florida into an island); the lake was only a foot or so deep and considered part of the Okeechobee everglades. That was in the late 1950’s.
John

At 8.0 statute miles per hour:
2 1/2 hours from Port Mayaca to Clewiston. (Not a very useful number) (Did it Sunday, 11/29/2009) (7.5 ft minimum, cross lake route) (Rim route is 10 statute miles longer and much more tedious.)
(Locks are currently operating on request.) (Port Mayaca is open atboth ends.) (Clewiston basin depth is marginal for cruising boats.)
8 hours from St. Lucie Lock to Moore Haven City Dock.
At St. Lucie Lock, you can stay for $12 including electric with a Golden Age Passport. Leave at 07h00, and spend the next night at Moore Haven for $1.00/ft with electric. Or vice versa, 8 hours either
way. Add an hour if you stay in the mooring field at Stuart on the east end.
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary

The “docks” in the Park referred to below by Captains Ben and Barbara, are a bit on the low side, and are not really appropriate for boats 40 feet or larger. Otherwise, this is an excellent, very reasonably priced place to spend an evening on the Okeechobee Waterway.

I am sure that most of you may already know this, especially those of you who cruise Florida waters. The Army Corps of Engineers has a wonderful “campground” for boats. It is located on the St. Lucie canal immediately after going through the St. Lucie Lock. It has spaces for both campers and boats. They have both electric and water as well as showers. The charge for both boats and RV’s is $24.00 per night. However, if you have a Golden Age Passport it is only $12.00 per night. a real bargain! Unfortunately, it is not near any shopping facilities. We have just splashed our boat at American Custom Yachts (that’s another story! ) came through the lock and decided to stay here while we still had our van and could go around to WalMart (where else) and stock the boat. We will leave the van at the Indiantown Marina and cruise on across Lake Okeechobee to Ft. Myers and the Gulf. At this time we plan to bring the boat back to Indiantown when we return to Kentucky in May. There is also another Corps of Engineers facility after you cross the lake it is at the Franklin Lock. They tell us it is even nicer than the one here.
Weather here has been cold and windy. Hopefully, we will get some warm Florida weather soon.
Ben and Barbara Falmlen
Two Cats Too

Both the St. Lucie Lock and Franklin Lock Campgrounds are a favorite stop for us (we are a 30 ft trawler so fit into the slips nicely). We have run up the St. Lucie just to stay at the St. Lucie Campground for 5 days. There isn’t a lot near here but we enjoy watching the fish jump in the river, the alligator, occasional manatee, riding our bikes to the Dairy Queen, walking the trail, watching the boats lock through and talking with other boaters and campers who are here. The Franklin lock campground has a laundry but we have just been told that there is another campground near the Lucie Lock which has a laundry. At $12.00 a night (senior pass rate) it’s a bargain. Four of the slips (#1 and 2 and 7 and can be reserved 3 days in advance through the government reservation system. The other four are first come first serve. Be aware that slips 7 and 8 have no piling to tie a stern to (all boats go bow in because of the shallow depths near shore) and would be suitable only for a short boat.
Jean Thomason (DOVEKIE)

I'm so pleased that information on the Cruisers' Net was helpful in Captain Jennifer's Okeechobee crossing. Her weather caution (see below) is a good idea for everyone.

Captain Chet's observations and reported depths below are very different from what others are reporting here on the Cruisers' Net. Maybe he just found all the deep spots. I would still caution everyone to proceed very carefully, PARTICULARLY on the Rim Route!

Subject: Okeechobee Waterway
Cruising News: On Mon. Apr. 20 I left Port Charlotte, FL leading 5 boats to the lake and back.  We spent the night of Apr. 21 at Roland Martin's Marina in Clewiston.  On Apr. 22 we took Route 2, "The Rim Route" to Pahokee and spent the night at Loggerhead Marina.  The lowest depth I saw on my depth gage was 7 feet and that was about 1 mile east of Slim\'s Fish Camp / Torry Island Bridge.  The bigest boat in our group was a 34\' Sea Ray and they had no problems.  On Apr. 23, we left Loggerhead and proceeded directly westward to Route 1 marker green 7, thence to Clewiston.  Never saw less than 7' crossing the lake. 
Strongly recommend the "Rim Route" as the scenery is great and the water is deep.
Chet Parham

The Port Mayacca RR bridge crosses the Okeechobee Waterway a short hop east of the Port Mayacca Lock. It's is a lift type bridge, and when fully raised, only provides 49 feet of vertical clearance. Many a sailor has cursed at this span, but others have gotten through by doing the "Okeechobee Limbo," a process of introducing artificial heel in a sailcraft, mostly by lashing water jugs to one side of the vessel, and then filling them until enough heel is produced.
Below, you will see that Captain Austin wants us all to know that this RR bridge is still in use, and is not "decrepit."

Subject: Port Mayacca RR Bridge
Cruising News: I get rather tired of hearing of the\\\"Old,decrepit RR bridge at Port Mayacca\\\". It is indeed fairly old,but it is part of a first class freight railroad,one that has just upgraded to heavy welded rail.The bridge is not decrepit,rather it is in regular use by the South Central Florida Express.Current use now may be mostly at night,but may increase if a proposed inland port is constructed near Clewiston.The bridge is on their line between Clewiston and Port St Lucie.
Addison Austin

Boy, I'm glad someone finally explained this. I never could figure out the formula between Lake Okeechboee depths, according ot the Army Corps of Engineers, and minimum depth on the Okeechobee Wateray, until now that is!

As regards the Lake Okeechobee depths, when you see a Corps of Engineer posting like this:

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District
Lake Okeechobee and Navigation Depth Report
Data Ending 2400 hours 08 MAR 2009
*Today's Lake Okeechobee Stage = 12.56
++Today's Route 1 Navigational Depth ÷ 6.50'
Today's Route 2 Navigational Depth ÷ 3.90'

The way you should interpret this is that the value given for stage (in this case 12.56 feet) is the height of the surface of the Lake against a datum, which is approximately sea level. This is an "NGVD" which is a  "National Geodetic Vertical Datum". (For more info just Google NGVD if  you wish).
So, this means that the lowest grounding point in the Route 1 is at 6.06 feet above sea level (or to be more exact the NGVD), and the lowest grounding point in Route 2 is at 8.66 feet above sea level. Thus, the depth of Route 1 and Route 2 is simply stated as the height of the lake level minus one or the other of these two grounding levels.
Ken Bloomfield

The old, decrepit Port Mayacca Railway Bridge has long been a thorn in the side of sailors who want to make use of the Okeechobee Waterway. With its official 49 foot or so (see below) vertical clearance, it is clearly a limiting factor. Of course, nearby Indiantown Marina has achieved a bit of a cottage industry by, with prior arrangement, meeting sailcraft short of the bridge, lashing on plastic water jugs and creating enough artificial heel to get a sailboat with a mast just over 49 feet, under the bridge. Of course, as you will read below. some undertake this task for themselves.

Claiborne,
This is an update to your very appropriate warning concerning the railroad bridge to the east of the lock on the east side of Lake Okeechobe. To remind you, I have a C&C 34 with a listed mast height of 48' 6" and the railroad bridge, a lift bridge, has a charted clearance of 49'.  The website for the Army Corp of Engineers, Jacksonville showed the clearance at 49.7 for the period in question, but it fluctuates with the level of the lake.
The lock was open when I crossed.  About 10 days ago I approached the bridge, after hanging 4-6 gallon water containers from my boom which I extended over the port side of the boat.  I also piled all sails, anchors, chain and other misc. heavy items on the port rail.  As you suggested I inched forward at the slowest speed posible and passed under the bridge with only my radio antenae touching the steel beam.  A fellow boater who had proceeded ahead of me was watching from the anchorage by the lock and kept me advised as to space between my mast and the bridge. His encouragement was a great help. The weight on my boom and port rail resulted in about a 10% lean which turned out to be sufficient.  A friend who was a former math teacher had calculated that a 15% lean would give me about 9" of space so my 10% lean was less than I wanted, but all is well as ends well.
The anchorage by the lock is adequate for about 3 boats and I had a fairly quiet night in about 8' of water, but the trawler on the west side of the anchorage dragged anchor when the cold front passed in the night with 40 knot winds.  They were able to set the anchor and ride out the wind safely. the next day brought a choppy crossing and 2 days later I reached ft myers.  i wanted to thank you for you advice, so thanks for the help.  it is appreciated.
Bruce Jarchow

"Southwinds" magazine, whose motto is "News and Views For Southern Sailors" is published by Stever Morrell. It's a GREAT publication for southern sailors, and it's available free of charge at many marinas throughout coastal regions of the Southeastern USA.
Below, Captain Dale reports an article about the Okeechobee Waterway in the current issue.

Subject: Lake O article
Cruising News: Southern Boating has an article about Lake "O" (page 46) stating the route is open and ready for cruisers.
Dale

I suspect there are two reasons that Capt. Sterling found Pahokee Marina semi-deserted (see below), but both are related to this facility's postion along the so-called "Rim Route" of the Okeechobee Waterway. First, following the 2005 hurricane season, the Rim Route was choked with debris, and for a long time the 'Torry Island Bridge was not operating. Secondly, the Rim Route has always been shallower than the "Lake Route." With the low water depths suffered until quite recently, depths along the Rim Route were barely deep enough for a canoe. With water levels once again restored in Lake Okeechobee, let's all hope Pahokee Marina is able to resume normal operations soon.

I am sitting in the New Pahaokee Marina.Brand new docks with 50 and 30 amp hook ups, water, pumpouts everywhere, fire hose connections, floating docks built for a 10 ft storm surge, 12 ft of water,new hurricane buildings, all first class. Dockage is $1.25 a foot.
Now the bad news, only 5 other boats here, no cruisers, the new buildings are empty,no services on the property. Too bad this is off the beaten path across the lake, Its a very nice facility.
Also there is no marked chanel to come in from off the lake , but we worked our way in.
Capt Sterline