From the description below, we assume that Hunky Dory was taking the direct Lake Route and not the Rim Route. Our thanks to Dan and Peggy for sharing their experience. See /165580 for advice given to Dan and Peggy by fellow Loopers.
For those that asked about Lake Okeechobee crossing….. In the Clewiston Channel heading East…. We hit rocks about 1 mile out from the lock. Apparently, the locals know which side of the channel to favor when you head out. We were definitely between the markers and were trying to stay right in the middle. According to Bill with Lake Tow, who got us safely back to the lock, you have to favor the green marker. Fortunately, the Roland Martin Marina is right inside the lock. The lock is open 24 hours a day right now. It’s a small marina with services, fuel, a restaurant and to top it off, The Tiki Bar. The restaurant and bar have very good southern comfort food, so all was not lost on this part of our adventure.
We’re not going to chance another try at the Lake. We are heading around through the Keys when we get all of the repairs completed. We were just the first to arrive at River Forest Yachting Center with damage from the Lake. Just as few hours later, a boat that was totally disabled arrived from hitting the bottom.
Very helpful information on the Keys. We were trying to plan out our stops from Fort Myers to Miami and realized that we will have to take the Hawk Channel because of the shallow water on the inside. The lack of anchorages and many miles from Marathon to Key Biscayne had us wondering what to do. Now we know that Channel 5 can be a stop over if we need it.
We are a 50′ Ocean Alexander with a 4.5′ draft, if this info will help anyone else.
Thanks to everyone from Dan and Peggy Stricklin, aboard Hunky Dory.
Dan and Peggy – Thanks for the report. It would be helpful if you could identify exactly where you struck the rocks by reference to the numbers and color of the nearest markers or buoys. If you have a chart plotter and it was recording your tracks, you should be able to see an interruption or a blip in the track at the place where it happened, which would also give the lat/lon. I didn’t see the date of your incident, or what the water level was reported to be on that day.
Jim Healy’s comments elsewhere on this site about Clewiston channel are quite accurate: there are no obstructions if you stay within the channel. That can be difficult sometimes, since some of the markers in the Clewiston channel are single marker poles, and we have seen some vessels not stay close enough to the single ones, in effect “splitting the distance” – swinging too wide -on the way to the next marker on the other side of the channel. Jim also correctly comments on the need to watch for the boat crabbing sideways in the channel, due to current or wind. If you aren’t looking aft every minute or so, to see how you are lined up, it’s easy to go off track.
I hope that you can provide the exact location for all of us who use the Okeechobee.
We crossed through the Clewiston cut on June 18th of this year. The Corp of Engineers reported the level of the lake to be 5.93′. Our draft is 4’7″, and the shallowest actual depth we recorded was 6’6″ in the Clewiston cut.
Sorry for your troubles. Enjoy the rest of your cruise, wherever it takes you.
Our thanks to Kim Russo for sharing this good news via AGLCA‘s Forum and also to Mike Bodin of MTOA. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that in the future this law will stand up to the pressure on legislators from wealthy landowners to restrict anchoring.
Great news! I was just notified by our lobbyist that HB 7043 was approved by the Governor. It is law. As of now, no local municipality or county in the state of Florida may ban, restrict, or otherwise regulate an anchorage in Florida coastal waters. Loopers’ interest in this issue and financial contributions helped prevent the enactment of any setbacks that could have resulted in the elimination of any existing anchorages state wide.
Congratulations to all Loopers, members of MTOA, SSCA, and others who supported this effort, stuck with it, and made your voices heard! You have made a difference to the boating community. Special thanks goes out to Jerry Paul of Capitol Access for his diligent efforts on our behalf. His guidance and hard work made all the difference.
Kim Russo Director America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association krusso@greatloop.org
And this from Mike Bodin, MTOA Public Affairs:
Thank you AGLCA, SSCA, MTOA and DeFever, for your continued support. Florida’s anchoring Bill now is law. Florida’s new Mooring & Anchoring bill has become law. The Governor just approved HB 7043. It is law. As of now, the new law explicitly states no local municipality or county in the state of Florida may ban, restrict, or otherwise regulate an anchorage in Florida coastal waters. This plainly worded section of the new law eliminates each community from setting its own regulations. If this section was not plainly worded it would have resulted in many lost anchorages over time with boaters challenging cities for the right to anchor. Instead, we got the pre-emotion provision … preventing any local government from banning an anchorage. It was important for us to ensure there were no unreasonable setbacks in this bill. But, as I have said in the past, the single most valuable piece of this bill is the preemption provision. This seals off local governments. The only way that a new anchorage can be banned is by an Act of the entire Legislature and Governor. We can almost always kill such a bill. Moreover, we can likely kill any future effort to overturn the preemption or add new band and ranges in state statute. With the state level preemption and no local control, we are now in a position of strength. It is a home-field advantage for our side. Without preemption, however, the entire issue is a home game for all the anti-cruisers in EACH of their local communities… an infinite number battles that we would not be able to fight piecemeal. Moreover, SSCA, AGLCA, MTOA and DeFever prevented the enactment of any setbacks that could have resulted in the elimination of any existing anchorages state wide. Finally, you did a lot to rehabilitate some of the negative imagery about anchoring cruisers that had made its way to the Capitol. Congratulations to each of you, this team, and all the members of MTOA, SSCA, AGLCA, DeFever who supported your effort, stuck with you, and made your voices heard… to protect the freedoms of cruisers. The above is from our Tallahassee “Boaters Rights” Lobbyists Jerry Paul of Capitol Access who skillfully guided this legislation through six committee hearings with unanimous approval. Of major importance was the fact this was the accumulation of Florida’s 9-year, multi-million dollar, anchoring study resulting in a 256 page report. It was thought Florida’s new law may be a precedent for other states along the waterway. This was a primary cause to eliminate as much as possible harmful to boater’s language which would be in the new law. Counties, cities, waterside home owners and condominium groups were for local control to establish nonanchoring zones. Local control was totally defeated. Today the new law requires very high standards for counties to satisfy to even approach the state to establish new non-anchoring zones. Another major accomplishment, within the original FWC report, waterside residents were insistent for non-anchoring setbacks of 150’ up to 300’ along the waterway. This would have eliminated many now popular anchorages. The new law eliminated these setbacks for boaters. During this same time, we were instrumental with Florida’s new Derelict Vessel law, the previous bill was defeated because we felt it was too harsh for the boat owner, fines to high and did not give adequate time for owner removal. The new Derelict Vessel Law corrects these items. Mike Bodin MTOA Public Advocate
And this from BoatUS
NEWS From BoatUS
Boat Owners Association of The United States 880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria VA 22304 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: D. Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com
Florida Bill Strengthens Derelict Vessel Fight,
Promotes Environmentally Sound Public Access
BoatUS thanks governor and legislature
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., June 27, 2017 – The results of an eight-year pilot program are in, and Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature have acted. Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) congratulates the governor and legislators on Friday’s passage of HB 7043 that promotes environmentally sound public access and helps address the issue of improperly stored, abandoned or derelict vessels. “These are sound regulations supported by responsible boaters,” said BoatUS Manager of Government Affairs David Kennedy.
When the pilot program was enacted in 2009, a patchwork of local anchoring regulations sometimes made stopping difficult. Some boaters reported fearing a visit from law enforcement advising that they had “overstayed” their visit and needed to move on.
Conducted by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and five local governments including the City of St. Augustine, City of Stuart/Martin County, City of St. Petersburg, City of Sarasota and Monroe County/Marathon/Key West, the pilot tested a variety of methods of regulated anchoring, while still protecting the anchoring rights of the active cruising public. It also sought to reduce the growing population of derelict vessels in the state.
BoatUS expressly thanks Gov. Scott, Reps. Matt Caldwell (Lee County) Holly Raschein (Monroe County), Sen. Lauren Book (Broward County) and the FWC for their work on the bill.
Some of bill’s measures include:
providing commonsense anchoring regulations in and around mooring fields and waterway infrastructure. broadening the definition of a “derelict vessel”; for boats in use, adding new penalties for those whose vessel registration is expired beyond six months; and making it illegal to affix a vessel to an unpermitted, unauthorized or otherwise “unlawful object,” affixed to the bottom of the waters of the state. This could include an unpermitted mooring or an old engine block. giving local governments the option to require proof of pumpout after vessels have been anchored for 10 days or longer in federally managed no-discharge-zones (portions of the Florida Keys and waters off Destin).
That sounds like great new for boaters, just to clarify when you say no bans, restrictions etc. on coastal waters does this include the ICW or not? Thanks, Bill Cole.
Our thanks to regular contributor and experienced cruiser, Greg Allard, for this log and photos of his recent west to east crossing of Lake Okeechobee and the Okeechobee Waterway.
Okeechobee Update – June 19, 2017
The water levels in Lake Okeechobee and the Waterway have been very low this spring, prompting an earlier request by the Corp of Engineers to avoid using the waterway if possible. Recent rains have restored the water level to some extent, and boats are using the Okeechobee waterway. All of the locks are fully operational, with no reduced operating schedule. Here is a report based on our crossing of the lake on Sunday, June 18, 2017; we crossed from east to west.
The latest Corp of Engineers report (on 6/17) showed the lake level for Route 1 was 5.93 feet. Route 1 is the deeper, more preferable route across. It runs from Clewiston (in the SW corner of the lake) to the Port Mayaca lock on the eastern shore.
This aid to navigation shows that the lake level is quite a bit lower than its “highest”, based on the markings on the steel beam. An osprey sits on the marker.
Our boat has a 4’7” draft. With our carefully calibrated depth finders (3 of them), adjusted for their mounting positions in the hull, during our entire crossing the actual depth of the water from the western side of the Port Mayaca lock to Clewiston was never less than 6.6 feet. (Remember, the report for Route 1 indicated 5.93’) The shallowest section was, as expected, in the zig-zag channel which runs between Clewiston, and ends at green marker #7 – (which is at the north-eastern end of the zig-zag channel, out in the deeper portion of the lake.)
Two days earlier, another boat, with a 4’8” draft, and a careful observer aboard, noted that the shallowest water along the same route was 6.25 feet; the Corp of Engineers report for that day was 5.78 for Route 1.
You can used these reports, in combination with the latest Corp of Engineers report of lake depth, to help you evaluate whether you have sufficient water to cross. Remember, these reported depths are along the exact route which those boats took; if your position differs even a little, your depths readings may differ.
There has been some discussion on this site about an obstruction in the marked entry/exit channel between the western end of the Port Mayaca lock and the lake. I questioned the lock master at Port Mayaca, and he advised that we should “keep close to the the green markers.” We stayed within 50-75 feet of the greens, and the shallowest water we observed was 7 feet.
It is critical to stay within the marked channel, especially in the Clewiston channel, which is unforgiving. It is not mud, it is not sand, it is rock. It’s the same for the channel from the lake into the Port Mayaca lock… all rock.
We have used the Okeechobee for many years, and this year the low lake levels revealed what is along side the channel. Those rocks are also on the bottom.
Missing Marker
Since we were traveling generally west-bound in the waterway, this was our view of “G7” which is the first marker for west-bound boats at the start of the Clewiston zig-zag channel. This marker is at the NE end of that cut, and normally there would be a green day board facing north-east. That marker is missing from the structure. This can make the west-bound approach deceptive, since there are other structures and aids to navigation in the area. The other green day board is in place (upper right corner of structure) and visible if you are coming towards this structure, generally eastbound from Clewiston.
Finally, with the lake in such a shallow condition, it is more important than ever that you cross the lake when it is calm. Usually that means early in the morning, when you can depart from either Indiantown marina (if you are westbound) or, if you are eastbound, plan to depart from either Clewiston (Roland Martin marina) or from the docks at Moore Haven. It is surprising how rough it gets in Lake Okeechobee, even in relatively light winds. Here’s the problem: if the winds produce 2-3′ waves in the lake, that gives you 2-3’ less water under your keel. In shallow conditions you could easily bottom-out. If winds are coming from north through east, the problem develops in the SW corner of the lake….right in the Clewiston cut. If the winds are from the north through southwest or even the south, the shallow channel from the lake into Port Mayaca lock can become a problem.
Legacy Harbour Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, is located at Statute Mile 135 on the Caloosahatchee River/Okeechobee Waterway, in the heart of downtown Fort Myers, Florida. Multiple dining and shopping opportunities are found within easy walking distance of this absolutely first-rate marina!
THE SAFE HAVEN AT THE CENTER OF IT ALL
Situated just east of Marker 49 on the Okeechobee Waterway is Legacy Harbour Marina. Its central location along the Caloosahatchee River makes it the ideal spot for stopovers or extended stays. Just a few blocks from the historic Edison & Ford Winter Estates and just a short walk from the diverse nightlife of downtown Fort Myers, Legacy Harbour Marina is both a safe haven and a safe bet for those looking to make the most of their visit.
For starters, our marina is protected by one of the largest floating breakwaters on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Its 131 floating slips are easily accessible by your vessel regardless of tide conditions. While the tidal range is very small in this part of the world, wind-driven tides can be a factor, with winter bringing wind-driven (NE) low tides and summer wind-driven (SW) high tides. This makes our floating docks very desirable for easy boarding and docking. To see a layout of our docks click here.
This 131-slip marina features state-of-the-art floating docks that accommodate boats up to 120 feet. Surrounded by one of the largest ‘floating breakwaters’ on the Gulf of Mexico, its open layout and large fairways make its slips easily accessible to almost any size craft.
If you feel right at home on the water, you’ll feel right at home with us. From its many amenities to its convenient location, Legacy Harbour Marina is the ideal place to dock your boat. Whether your plans call to stay for just a few days, months or on an annual basis, you’ll find our facility—and our rates—to be as accommodating as any of Florida’s finest marinas.
Once here, you’ll enjoy a full-featured facility with all the conveniences of home. Relax in our heated pool or work out in our fitness center. Enjoy spectacular views from The Boaters’ Lounge; perfect for everything from after-cruise cocktails to private parties. Our beautifully-manicured grounds provide great riverfront strolling and excellent access to all of historic downtown Fort Myers. Other conveniences include cable TV, laundry, air-conditioned showers, metered-at-the-slip electric, wireless internet connections and in-slip pump-out station.
In addition to its well-equipped dock area, Legacy Harbour Marina offers skippers and their guests the Boaters’ Lounge where the entire crew can relax and unwind after a day on the water to some of the most spectacular sunsets in the world. Or, enjoy The Chickee Hut and relax by the refreshing pool. Hungry? Joe’s Crab Shack is located on the adjacent property just a short stroll down our beautiful walkway and the downtown River District is just a few blocks to the east. Need to provision your boat? A grocery store is within walking distance as well as several restaurants, a liquor store, beauty and nail salons and retail shops. For your landlubber guests, the Legacy Harbour Hotel & Suites offers waterfront suites and hotel rooms. Just click on the link above for more information.
The Cape Coral Cruise Club is a group of dedicated cruisers who always provide unique reports from the marinas they visit. Legacy Harbour Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, is located on the Caloosahatchee River/Okeechobee Waterway, in the heart of downtown Fort Myers, Florida. Multiple dining and shopping opportunities are found within easy walking distance of this absolutely first-rate marina!
Cruise Club returns to Legacy Harbour
by Michael Stewart
It was bluebird weather for the Cape Coral Cruise Club members taking part in the 2017 Legacy Harbour Cruise. All nine boats made it in, one boat being late while waiting for refurbished props to be reinstalled. First time Club cruisers, Bobby and Joyce Miller arrived is style with their prospective member pennant proudly displayed. Welcome to the Club!
First night post docktail food was provided by the cruisers – just too much and too sumptuous to list. If anyone goes hungry on one of our cruises, they only have themselves to blame.
Wednesday morning started with a breakfast of toasted breakfast bread and butter, fresh fruit, quiche mini-muffins, orange juice and tomato juice. Attendees brought their own coffee. Following a short break after
Legacy Harbour’s Chickee Hut
eating, everyone reassembled at the Legacy Harbour chickee hut to begin a scavenger hunt. There were three outstanding prizes to be awarded, consequently, competition among the CCCC members can get quite intense…! Fierce competition ensued as the boaters returned to their respective vessels in search of the listed items. Would you allow two mismatched oven mitts as “work gloves”? How about a jar of “teak oil” that looked suspiciously like vegetable oil? And did the same miniature sewing kit get passed around with the teensy baby pin in it? Anyway, a lot of fun was had and Moonlighter, Hardee II, and Happy Ours triumphed as the successful winners. The prizes were wrapped so that no-one could tell what was inside (contestants were not allowed to touch the packages). First place got to pick, then second, then third. Then everyone hauled their collections back to their boat and split to various downtown Ft. Myers restaurants for lunch.
A non-cruise related Club function occupied many of the cruisers for Wednesday dinner, however, the remaining cruisers held their own docktails and happy hour before heading on the town for dinner.
Thursday morning breakfast, included a breakfast quiche (imagine a casserole of eggs, diced potatoes, spinach, diced ham and spices), fresh fruit, breakfast bread and juices. It was a game day for many attendees, lunch on your own, followed by dinner at Pinchers Crab Shack. The boaters were joined by some 15 club members who arrived at Legacy by land yacht that night to join in with us.
Prior to departure on Friday for their home ports, many boaters used the pump out facilities in preparation for the next month cruise to Pink Shell Resort. It is a LOT of fun cruising and being with fun people!
The Cape Coral Cruise Club is open to new members who own a boat with overnight accommodations and reside in the Cape Coral / Ft. Myers area. For membership information please contact Phil Kryger at 239-541-0236. Read additional Club information on its website, www.c-c-c-c.org Like us on Facebook.
St. Lucie Lock, the easternmost Okeechobee lock, lies west of Stuart, FL near Okeechobee Waterway Statute Mile 15.
St. Lucie Lock
U.S. Army Corps will suspend water flows to the St. Lucie Estuary beginning Friday WPTV Webteam 11:50 AM, Nov 3, 2016
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Thursday it will suspend water flowing from Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie Estuary and reduce flows to Caloosahatchee Estuary.
The Corps cited falling water levels in the lake as the reason.
It said no water from the lake will be released through the St. Lucie Lock near Stuart. This is the first time since late January that discharges have been suspended from the St. Lucie Lock after a wetter than usual dry season last winter.
However, the Corps says runoff from rain that accumulates in the St. Lucie basin will be allowed to pass through the spillway.
“Drier weather has taken hold and the lake continues to recede,” Candida Bronson, Acting Operations Division Chief for the Jacksonville District, said in a news release. “Barring an unexpected heavy-rain event, we expect the recession to continue. We can safely suspend releases to the St. Lucie and will continue reducing flows to the Caloosahatchee from 2,800 cfs to 650 cfs over the coming week.”
The water level at the lake stands at 15.40 feet which the Corps says is down .21 feet over the past week.
The changes announced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin Friday.
The river is Caloosahatchee and the Salty Southeast Cruisers’ Net Sponsors are Legacy Harbour Marina and Fort Myers Yacht Basin. Legacy Harbor Marina entrance is located on the Okeechobee Waterway East of Marker #49 on the Caloosahatchee River. Fort Myers Yacht Basin lies along banks of the Caloosahatchee River, between the 3rd and 4th bridges from west to east.
River District Farmer’s Market opens at new location this Thursday
FORT MYERS, Fla. (Oct. 31, 2016) – The River District Farmer’s Market will open this Thursday in a new location in nearby Centennial Park. This move, from the market’s previous location under the Caloosahatchee Bridge at 2000 West First Street, will free up the more than 40 parking spots that were taken up by vendors. “We are really excited about this change in venue because it now only frees up parking under the bridge for our customers, but also allows for seating under the pavilion and gives us a fabulous back drop of the River,” said Betsy Ventura, who, along with Jean Baer, owns Local Roots, LLC and will run the market each week. The market will take place each Thursday and will be open all year except for Thanksgiving Day but will open on Wednesday, Nov. 23 for a make-up market. Vendors begin setting up at 7 a.m. with everyone in place by 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. According to Ventura and Baer, there will be plenty of lunch options including area favorite food trucks as well as fresh flowers, local fruits and vegetables, Greek olive oils, dog treats, and much more. Complimentary Jimmy Java’s coffee will be given to the first 100 shoppers starting at 9 am. Baer’s son, Tyler, a graduate of the University of Florida and Ventura’s daughter, Sims, will be joining the duo this season to assist in managing the markets. In addition to Downtown, Ventura and Baer also operate the Sanibel, Bonita Springs, Coconut Point, Fenway South, Lakes Park, FSW and Boca Grande (beginning Jan. 6) Farmers Markets. They added that the goal of each of their markets is to strengthen the surrounding community by showcasing vendors that are selling produce and artisan products that are grown or produced locally. Products are packaged by owners in an environmentally friendly way and the locations of markets are clean and safe and reflect a community atmosphere. Anyone interested in becoming a vendor or providing live entertainment may visit the web site at www.BuyLocalLee.com. Contact: Melinda Isley, APR, m.creativepr, 239-274-7736, cell: 239-565-1630, melinda@mcreativepr.com Thank you, Melissa Moore Web/Graphics Technician Anniversary Logo-03 1631 Hendry Street Fort Myers, Florida 33901 T: 239.337.1071 – F: 239-337.1076 mmoore@cella.cc – www.cella.cc
Indiantown Marina lies on the St. Lucie Canal west of the HWY 710 Bridge. Well done Indiantown Marina!
Kudos to Indiantown Marina for extraordinary accommodation of boats evacuating Hurricane Matthew from the east, with wet water slips and haul outs. The staff worked non-stop for 3-4 days to help all in need. Locks were backed up hours with boats and all were able to get to Indiantown safe haven.
Sunset Bay Marina lies directly on the patch of the Okeechobee Waterway, only a few miles off the AICW via the St. Lucie River. Our thanks to Peyton Yon for this report.
Convenient and easy location to get in and out of. Well maintained, good Wifi, water and electric above average, very clean restrooms and showers, crew lounge and bicycles are provided for. Dockage rates are high for short term and transit accommodations please note they charge an additional nightly fee for electric. Free pump out service for your holding tanks offer once per week dockside or at the main fuel docks on demand. Water pressure is very high please use caution. Our dockage was for a 60ft MY on B Dock. Peyton Yon
This release of water has to be attributed to rains from Hermine. Increased water releases from Lake Okeechobee earlier this year resulted in massive fish kills downstream of the release.
Corps of Engineers increasing Lake Okeechobee discharges by Scott Sutton The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Thursday plans to increase the amount of water flowing from Lake Okeechobee over the next week….
CLICK HERE for the full report from WPTV, West Palm Beach
One of the four areas tested, Leighton Park, is in the South Fork of the St. Lucie River at Mile 9.5 of the Okeechobee Waterway just south of the Palm City Bridge. Central Marine is on the north side of the the Okeechobee/St.Lucie River, east of the New Roosevelt Bridge and Loggerhead Club and Marina. This report comes from WPTV.com of West Palm Beach, FL.
Report shows extreme toxicity in four bodies of water in Martin County WPTV Webteam 12:00 PM, Jul 15, 2016
Water samples taken in Martin County show extreme toxicity in four bodies of water. The analysis, done by chemists at the SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry in New York, found that water samples from Leighton Park, Sandsprit Park, Deck and Central contained levels of microcystins that were “extremely high, well above the levels allowed for recreational contact.”
Microcystins are toxins produced by cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae. Those results are not surprising to Mary Radabaugh who manages Central Marine. That’s one of the locations where tests showed extreme toxicity.
Our sincere thanks to Captain Greg Allard for this excellent report and photos of the Okeechobee Waterway. Greg is an experienced cruiser and his observations and advice are definitely to be trusted and heeded.
Okeechobee Update – June 24, 1016
We just finished crossing the Okeechobee waterway from east to west. Some observations:
1) Obstruction report at MM34: On January 12, 2016 the Cruisers Net contained a report of a vessel which hit an object and sustained damage in the vicinity of MM 34 on the St. Lucie Canal.
On June 22, 2016, while we were underway we observed the scene below, at approximately MM34:
This bird was perched on the limb of a tree, on the south side of the waterway. The water was very murky, so we could not see any other parts of the tree or limb to be able to tell how far it extended into the waterway. The bird is approximately 30’+ from shore.
I hit the MOB button, and recorded the location as we passed: 27 degrees 00.8582’N; 080 degrees, 32.8102′ W.
In re-reading the report about the damaged vessel from January 12th, it appears that the vessel was “along the side of the canal which is the starboard side coming East from Port Mayaca,”“which would have put it in approximately this location. Of course we can’t be certain that this was the earlier reported obstruction.
This type of hazard is not unusual along this portion of the St. Lucie Canal. Just a mile further west, we took this photo:
On both sides of the canal, there are stands of trees, including some tall casuarinas on the right side. If one of them fell into the canal, it could easily become a hazard. The lesson here is to “stay in the middle”. That won’t protect you from free-floating logs or pilings, but it will minimize the risk of contacting fallen trees.
2) Lake Okeechobee water levels: The water levels in the lake have been high, due to heavy rains. Most cruisers use “Route 1” to cross (as opposed to Route 2, the southern rim route). This link takes you to the Corp of Engineers site, showing you the current depths for each route:
According to the Corps, the shallowest part of Route 1 is in the SW corner of the lake, from Clewiston out to where the channel stops its zig-zags. Follow the markers carefully, and don’t drift off. When we crossed on June 22, the level was over 8.8’.
It’s important to try to cross the lake as early as possible in the morning, before any strong winds develop, especially if the winds come from the north/northeast, or east. Where the water is only 8’ deep, if winds cause waves in the lake 2-4’ in height near the SW corner of the lake, a boat with a 5’ draft may start to bottom out in those conditions. The bottom there is rock, not sand.
3) Algae conditions:
Due to the heavy rains, there are severe algae blooms in the St Lucie canal, lower St. Lucie River, and the lake. We saw none on the Caloosahatchee River side. The algae is kelly green in color. Here’s what it looks like:
According to local news reports, samples have been sent to
Florida’s health lab for testing, so as of the time of this report it is unknown whether it will be considered toxic or not. We observed no cooling issues with our engines as we passed through these patches. It is thin and “whispy” and did not accumulate at all in the engine strainer baskets.
Favorite places to stay overnight:
1) To position yourself for an early morning Okeechobee crossing, going west to east:
a) Moore Haven docks (just before the lock). $1.00 a foot; electric available.
b) Roland Martin’s Marina, in Clewiston. Probably the best layover place; right on the edge of the lake. The outdoor bar is terrific: it reminds us of the bar scene in the first Star Wars movie.
When we stayed there in March on the way east, the small lock at Clewiston was actually in operation (the first time we have ever seen that.) Our 65’ LOA boat barely fit into the lock. On our most recent return trip, the lock was fully open, not in operation, and allowed full pass-through to the marina. The Clewiston lock is not operated by the Corps of Engineers – it is private, and the people who run it are well intentioned, friendly amateurs. Just because they tell you to do something, it doesn’t mean they know what they are talking about. They put about 20 bass boats into the chamber with us, and they were hanging all over us, banging into us, and cutting us off as we entered the chamber; it was bedlam.
Roland Martin’s is still the best place to stay on a west to east trip. The dockmaster Sam is excellent. Call for a reservation.
2) To position yourself for an east to west crossing of the lake in the morning:
a) Indiantown Marina: A true old fashioned time-warp. They have limited slip space, but at $1.00 a foot, it is a bargain. It’s about 9.9 Statute Miles from the Port Mayaca lock, where you would begin to cross the lake.
b) If Indiantown can’t take you, the River Forest marina, just 1/2 mile west of the St. Lucie lock, is a good alternative, at $1.35 a foot. It will take you longer to get to the eastern edge of the lake in the morning, but there aren’t any other choices.
4) Ortona Lock Restrictions:
The Ortona lock is undergoing repairs, and there are restricted openings which have been reported on the Cruisers Net.
Note that the restricted openings do not apply on weekends, when the lock will open on demand from 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
On our recent trip across the waterway from east to west, we stayed at the River Forest location in Moore Haven, just 1/4 mile east of the Ortona lock. It’s perfectly positioned to allow us to arrive at the Ortona lock in time for the 7:00-7:30 limited opening. We did hear the lockmaster, on the VHF, allowing a boat to lock through at a time other than the restricted windows, so it does not hurt to ask. It depends on whether construction is actually going on.
Corp of Engineers Contact:
The day before we begin any Okeechobee crossing, we call the local Corp of Engineers office directly (they are in Clewiston), to be sure there aren’t any lock shutdowns or bridge problems. They are always very helpful.
Many of our cruising friends would never consider using the Okeechobee. We enjoy the trip. It’s much shorter than going down through the Keys and then heading north, up through the endless and tiresome Florida Bay, which can be loaded with crab traps. It is also easier to run the waterway in bad weather. It presents a fascinating slice of old time Florida. Scenes like this sunrise make it worthwhile:
You only have to spend a short time talking with Randy Mims to know that he has the soul of a true sailor. Randy not only built his 27ft gaff-rigged cutter, Ideath, but each year he single-hands the cutter from North Carolina to the Northern Gulf Coast and back again. “Ideath” is pronounced Idea-th and loosely translates as “house of ideas”. Randy stops along the way to visit maritime museums and, indulging his passion for music, he volunteers to sing in church choirs along the way. He also takes time to share his travels with his friends and has agreed to allow SSECN to post his emails. For more photos and more on Randy, go to http://towndock.net/shippingnews/ideath?pg=1 from TownDock.net in Oriental. See previous installment: /156986.
Dear Friends, I am sending this update from LaBelle, Florida. It is located on the Caloosahatchee river in the Okeechobee waterway. I have crossed Lake Okeechobee numerous times both under sail and power depending on the wind. The first time, the wind quit completely and I anchored for the night. The next morning it was so absolutely calm that I spent half a day marveling at how quiet it was. When you are in the middle of a vast body of water and it is so still there is nothing to reflect sound , you can yell as loud as you can and as soon as it leaves your mouth it is like it is just absorbed by the universe. There are two possible routes to the a other side. There is the directly across way which I have always taken and what is called the rim route. Because of disastrous floods in the 1920’s, a channel was dug around the lake and the rock and dirt was used to build the “Herbert Hoover Dike”. This channel has always been too shallow to allow Ideath to try. This year I was pleased to learn that the lake is over two feet above the normal full pool. I have always wanted to experience this route even though it is eleven mile further. Many marsh islands and habitats dot the length of this channel. Near Belle Glade there is a park on Torry Island which is reached by an antique “hand operated” swing bridge. After calling the bridge tender and requesting an opening, a young man walked to the center of the bridge and inserted what looked like about an eight foot long metal tube into the deck of the bridge at about a 45 degree angle and began pushing it around in a circle. Obviously pretty hard to get moving, once he got it going it seemed pretty easy to get it all the way open. One added bonus was that during the entire operation no cars were waiting behind the swing arm barricades. I spent a wonderful day watching clouds of birds and aquatic flowering plants of all descriptions glide past. One of the best things about voyaging on Ideath is that no matter how long I have been doing it, there are always the opportunities to go somewhere or do something that I have always wanted to do but was prevented by some circumstance. Always be ready to take advantage of of an opportunity to do something or be someone when the universe makes it possible. I am starting to get close enough to the end of the voyage that I find myself longing to be there and wishing that it would never end. I hope your adventure is just as fantastic. Love and Peace to you all, Randy
February 27: As reported in the article below from WPTV of West Palm Beach, Gov. Scott has declared a State of Emergency regarding Lake Okeechobee discharge:
Except for the possibility of floating debris, the high levels are good news (well, maybe not good for all boaters: see Philips Lange’s comments below!) for boaters transiting the Okeechobee Waterway, but bad news for fishermen in the St. Lucie River.
Lake Okeechobee discharges could last for months Monday level was 16.14 feet Jon Shainman CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY
I am a boater and I don’t find high water levels good news. I barely cleared the !^#@%^&& bridge at Port Mayaca and wonder if i will have to go south to get to the Florida east coast in the spring.
The Cape Coral Cruise Club is a group of dedicated cruisers who always provide unique reports from the marinas they visit. Legacy Harbour Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, is located on the Caloosahatchee River/Okeechobee Waterway, in the heart of downtown Fort Myers, Florida. Multiple dining and shopping opportunities are found within easy walking distance of this absolutely first-rate marina!
Cape Coral Cruise Club Cruises to Legacy Harbour Marina By John Queen, Commodore, Cape Coral Cruise Club
Legacy Harbour Welcome Sign
Each month, the Cape Coral Cruise Club makes a scheduled cruise to a different marina in SW Florida and stays for several days enjoying the amenities and hospitality of the marina. We do this nine times a year along with an extended cruise each spring. We take a break during the summer months of July and August, as many members return north. This January vessel compasses pointed towards Legacy Harbour Marina in downtown Fort Myers.
Moonlighter arrives at Legacy Harbour.
Club boats headed out on Tuesday, January 26th on what was actually a nice dry day, and boats headed home on Friday, January 29th, also a nice dry day. Everything in between – fergetaboutit! It was rain, rain, and more rain. Did I mention it was wet? The Club plans its monthly cruises months ahead of time and cannot of course control Mother Nature, but did she really have to rain on our parade all that week?
Seven Cape Coral Cruise Club member boats made the journey plus 2 club members live-aboard and reside at Legacy Harbour year round (they didn’t have to go far). On Tuesday night, club members gathered at the Tiki Hut for drinks and a potluck dinner. That’s when the rain began. It didn’t stop until Friday morning.
Wednesday morning, after serving up a breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage and Bennett’s doughnuts, a tour was planned at the Edison-Ford Estates Museum and Laboratory. Seven club members made the trip only to find that Edison-Ford had closed the estate tours and grounds due to inclement weather. We toured the museum and laboratory, but it was disappointing that that the main estate was not accessible.
Wednesday night, several members brought out their best chili recipes for a chili cook-off contest. The Tiki Hut at Legacy was lined with 7 crock pots, each vying for attention. After scouting the marina to find a person who would serve as our ‘official’ chili judge, as luck would have it, Eric, the Legacy Dock Master volunteered. At the time, we didn’t realize what a true chili aficionado Eric was.
At the stroke of 6:00 PM, Eric showed up with a clipboard and judging sheet divided into 5 or 6 categories of aroma, texture, and consistency…, from which to judge. Before judging, Eric also gave an impromptu verbal lesson on the history of chili. Eric was the perfect judge! After carefully writing notes and quickly sampling each offering, Eric rose from the steam laden crocks and declared victory: Pati Queen was declared the winner followed by 2nd place to Stephanie Carrico, and 3rd place going to Bonnie Martin.
On Thursday morning, we laid out a nice breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, dry cereals and juices for everyone. Of course it rained the night before, and the rain continued throughout the day.
Over 40 members enjoy dinner at Pinchers Crab Shack in Ft. Myers.
Thursday evening about 45 club members converged on Pincher’s Restaurant a few blocks west of Legacy Harbour. Since several members came to Pincher’s by car, they helped shuttle boaters stay out of the rain. It’s always nice to have non boating club members join the boaters for the group dinner. Pincher’s was quite hospitable by housing all club members in a private dining area.
On Friday morning the rain finally stopped and the boaters headed out to the Caloosahatchee returning to their home slips scattered around Cape Coral. The Club certainly thanks the staff of Legacy Harbour Marina for their hospitality, as well as Pincher’s Restaurant for accommodating us on this event. We thank Mother Nature for giving us a dry trip back home on Friday.
The Cape Coral Cruise Club is open to new members who own a boat with overnight accommodations and reside in the Cape Coral / Ft. Myers area. For membership information please contact Phil Kryger at 239-541-0236. The Club website is being updated so the short video of recent Club activities and additional Club information may not be accessible. Club website, www.c-c-c-c.org
These two reports on City of Fort Myers Yacht Basin, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, come from our friends at AGLCA Forum. Fort Myers Yacht Basin lies along the southeasterly banks of the Caloosahatchee River, between the 3rd and 4th bridges from west to east.
We spent a lovely month at Fort Myers municipal marina last year about this time. They were helpful, and kind. Legacy is closer to the Publix grocery. But if you need some exercise, the Publix is a 22 minute brisk walk from the city marina. We walked up to restaurants downtown and enjoyed the many festivals that abound on the area. There were car shows, parades and the like. An added advantage was the saxophone player who serenaded us and the rest of the marina from under the highway bridge. Hope you are there when he is. Because it is close to a city street , there are early morning runners if you are docked by the street. We have also found that docking close to the city walk invites ants to join you…depending on your thoughts, you may want to spray your dock lines with a Raid like thing. But we loved it. Stayed a month. Kathy Anderson Sea Fever
Just stayed a month there, great experience. Very friendly and helpful staff, reasonable rates, and metered elec only totaled 25 bucks for the whole month. Was not on the street side so can’t comment on that. Did hear the sax player a few times, very pleasant sounds. Close to most things you might need and a free shuttle to get you around the area. Highly recommended facility. David and Barbara Doyl
Fort Myers Yacht Basin is so popular that its had a waiting list since I arrived in December. Its location is fantastic as you are 2 blocks away from a lovely downtown walking district with many cool sidewalk cafes and restaurants, a vibrant arts and music culture. It is beautifully designed and landscaped and having a pump out port right outside the boat is a new experience for us – so convenient! Best thing is the staff, so friendly and helpful. Please go somewhere else so there is room for me next time!
I had always bypassed Fort Myers in the past because it was not located at a point where I would end my cruising day, I seemed to be going by at mid-day on my way to another place to drop anchor for the night. Fortunately, bad weather ahead caused me to stop and get a spot on the transient pier in mid afternoon and we spent the night in Fort Myers while waiting for the cold front to pass by. First Street is a short walk from the marina, and “The Lodge” was a very pleasant surprise for our meal that evening. In fact, I was so impressed that after I finished moving our sailboat to its homeport, I got my wife to drive back to Fort Myers with me so that she could also enjoy the Brisket and Bar-b-que at “The Lodge”. I won’t be bypassing Fort Myers anymore. thelodgefl.com
Our thanks to SSECN Team Member, Curtis Hoff, for these navigation notes along the Okeechobee Waterway.
I just crossed the Okeechobee from Stuart to Ft. Myers the past two days and these are the items I noted during my trip.
Indiantown Railway Bridge was down as I approached with no signs of a train. Had to call on channel 9 to have it opened. Therefore don’t assume it will be ‘normally’ open unless a train is expected.
*** IMPORTANT ONE *** Regarding this recent SSECN post. The obstruction is clearly visible at MM 33.5 less than halfway between the centerline and the south edge. Looks to be 6-8″ dia wood sticking vertically up only an inch or two above the water. Stay on center or slightly north.
Also, found two similar hazards at MM34.3 and 35.2. Both are a bit further off center maybe 20% channel width from the north (Note: north, not south) edge but could be hit in a passing condition or if someone drifted off the centerline. They are a bit smaller, maybe 6″ dia but also just slightly above the water – a bird was perched on one of them when I passed.
Construction just east of Moore Haven (26°49.594’N, 081°03.890’W). Nothing to worry about right now – channel is currently very wide. Some web resources are reporting it is very narrow (20 ft) – currently at least 50 ft wide. No other construction trouble spots, but I crossed the lake and didn’t take the rim route. Ortona Lock – at least one other web resource is incorrectly stating there is a limited schedule from mid-December to mid-June That is currently incorrect – on demand according to the lock tender and he wasn’t sure if/when it would become restricted. He even checked the notices on line since he was unaware – but he did think that it could occur at some point – I believe it may be due to construction. Since the schedule could change it would be best to either check the notices online or call the lock since it could be restricted to a few openings a day at some point. But at this point don’t assume it is restricted since it wasn’t today, 1/29. Curtis
Ortona Lock is on a some what limited schedule, Depending on the day. I went across on Feb. 1, East to West, and it was by far my slowest crossing ever. They were at this time dumping huge amount of water from the lake, both east and west. I am talking about 300 million gal.s a day, both ways with aprox. 2 mph head current heading toward the lake and the 2 mph away from the lake . Ortona is waiting on some construction to start in the near future and that will slow the locking down. On Feb. 1, they actually open the Lock, both sides to ” Dump Extra Water”, and boaters had to wait about 2 hrs for this to be completed before crossing through. The lock master is only following orders and he does not know when or a what time this will occur so it is best to call ahead before going. We had called the night before and nothing was scheduled, so things can change quick. On the good side, on our way back across we make the best time ever, Its just a matter of catching the locks at the right times. Capt Dan
Our thanks to veteran cruiser David Bell for this good report from the Okeechobee Waterway. The popular Franklin Lock Boat-in Docks, which were closed for repairs in August of 2014, are open for business.
Left Stuart for Fort Myers with the lake level at 14.78′. Never saw less than 10′ of water the entire trip. We took the lake route instead of the rim route. All of the lock tenders were right on the ball. Never had a delay. But one quick note. The locks shut down at 1640. If you are not in the lock by then you will have to wait for a sunrise before you can pass. The Franklin lock docks on the NE side were empty. At $24.00 per night it is a great place to lay over and very protected. David Bell
Spent Saturday night-Halloween- at Franklin Lock docks. Lovely as always. They seem to have only replaced the pilings- no other changes to configuration. Nothing fancy but facilities were spotless. Sign still says $24 but it is $30 which becomes $15 with an inter-agency senior pass. At any of those price points it is a bargain (electric is included). 4 of the slips can be reserved online (www. recreation.gov) and 4 are first come first serve. Our group of 3 boats were the only ones there Saturday. Kim
nine boats made it in, one boat being late while waiting for refurbished props to be reinstalled. First time Club cruisers, Bobby and Joyce Miller arrived is style with their prospective member pennant proudly displayed. Welcome to the Club!
Comments from Cruisers (2)
What green mark? Do you have a lat lon? We were through a few months back with no issues drawing 4.5 feet.
[Editor’s note: from advice given in http://cruisersnet.net/165580 by Jim Healy, the green marks were possibly G9, G9A or G5.]
Dan and Peggy – Thanks for the report. It would be helpful if you could identify exactly where you struck the rocks by reference to the numbers and color of the nearest markers or buoys. If you have a chart plotter and it was recording your tracks, you should be able to see an interruption or a blip in the track at the place where it happened, which would also give the lat/lon. I didn’t see the date of your incident, or what the water level was reported to be on that day.
Jim Healy’s comments elsewhere on this site about Clewiston channel are quite accurate: there are no obstructions if you stay within the channel. That can be difficult sometimes, since some of the markers in the Clewiston channel are single marker poles, and we have seen some vessels not stay close enough to the single ones, in effect “splitting the distance” – swinging too wide -on the way to the next marker on the other side of the channel. Jim also correctly comments on the need to watch for the boat crabbing sideways in the channel, due to current or wind. If you aren’t looking aft every minute or so, to see how you are lined up, it’s easy to go off track.
I hope that you can provide the exact location for all of us who use the Okeechobee.
We crossed through the Clewiston cut on June 18th of this year. The Corp of Engineers reported the level of the lake to be 5.93′. Our draft is 4’7″, and the shallowest actual depth we recorded was 6’6″ in the Clewiston cut.
Sorry for your troubles. Enjoy the rest of your cruise, wherever it takes you.
Greg Allard
M/V Meander