Moore Haven – Click for Chartview

Moore Haven City Dock, the first stop west of Lake Okeechobee, is located at Okeechobee Waterway Statute Mile 78, on the Moore Haven waterfront. This report comes to us from our good friends, Peg and Jim Healy.

The muni docks at Moore Haven are in good shape, have power and water, and are $1.00/ft. There is a good enough Mexican restaurant about 1/2 mile from the docks, but generally, Moore Haven has limited options. It’s a very convenient stop which we use and recommend.
Peg and Jim Healy

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Approach Channel – Click for Chartview

The portion of the Okeechobee Waterway “Lake Route,” described below by the Healys is found between Statute Miles 60 to 65 and is charted as Approach Channel.

The one additional thing to highlight about the Lake crossing that I have not seen mentioned is that the area charted from Rocky Reef to Clewiston is a narrow channel exposed to whatever prevailing crosswinds are to be found on the lake. It is a man-made, dredged channel. The natural bottom is sandstone; hard, not soft, and so, the channel edges are also hard. The markers at the Lake end of the channel are further apart than the markers at the shore end. They can be hard to see depending on daylighting conditions. BE SURE YOU STAY IN THAT CHANNEL. DO NOT ALLOW THE BOAT TO GET PUSHED OUT OF THAT CHANNEL BY CROSSWINDS. Backsight to make sure you really are *in* that channel. Sandstone is soft rock, but it’s plenty hard enough to hurt bronze propellors and SS rudders and shafts.
Peg and Jim Healy

Excellent advice! We were in Roland Martins marina in Clewiston a couple years ago, and there was a brand new 54 foot trawler being delivered to a boat show on the face dock. The delivery captain just barely missed a turn in that channel, and took out both props, shafts, and rudders. I don’t even want to think about that yard bill!
Jonathan Gorham

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Clewiston

How about this totally unexpected sight while cruising the Okeechobee Waterway in October of 2012 near Alva, Florida!!!!
We are once again greatly indebted to Skippers Susan Landry and Chuck Baier, owners of Beach House Publications, publishers of “The Great Book of Anchorages,” (http://www.tgboa.com) for providing this unique image! THANKS CHUCK AND SUSAN!

Must’ve been on a Wednesday.
Paul

Is that a wind generator on that `trawler camel’?????
Mike Anderson

It’s so nice that there is a swimming pool for the camel.
One never knows what may be found in sunny Florida.
Robert Wilson

The recently improved and expanded LaBelle City dock overlooks the south side of the Okeechobee Waterway, just west of the LaBelle bridge. Skipper Burnham gives high, well deserved marks to LaBelle for its new docks and hospitality. Our thanks to David for this thorough report!

IDLER arrived yesterday at the free city dock at LaBelle and registered for an overnight stay. Then our crew walked the seven tenths of a mile to the Log Cabin on Hwy 80 for the meatiest half rack of Baby Back Ribs we’d ever eaten. Along with free soup and ice cream dessert we had to give our meal 4 and a half out of 5 stars. I’m giving the service all 5 stars even on a.busy Friday evening. Not to be missed for a great taste of Americana.
A year ago I didn’t stop at LaBelle because the free city dock was full with three boats stern-to. Today the NEW dock has stern-to berths for six vessels between fifteen foot fendered concrete pilings. One large sixty foot yacht is anchored and tied to the dock immediately to the east of the six berths with room for one more her size to the east of her. This is a rare treat for cruisers in Florida to be welcomed with generous hospitality and LaBelle is the NEW standard to be met by communities looking to pull in the boaters that would pass them by to get to LaBelle.
LaBelle could be the poster child for waterfront communities, but I’m only speaking for the cruising community.
It will be at the top of our must stop list now whenever we cruise the OWW.
The only drawback is a lack of fuel docks but small amounts of gas are available at the CITGO station on the north side of the OWW is you are willing to hike over the drawbridge and back. Of course gas and diesel are available dock side at the small marina to the east of LaBelle, IF they are open that day and you don’t run aground at the entrance.
Otherwise, the six 16 foot wide stern-to berths and the four adjacent open slips on the west side of the drawbridge with water and 30amp service OR the two smaller slips on the west side of the drawbridge with no water and electricity but nearer to the public park and bathrooms are just the beginning of a great visit. The registration log at the west side dock allows a 3 day in, 8 day out registration system that is a model for any waterfront community that can serve the transient cruisers.
I have included some photos of the dock in LaBelle Florida. The first is of the two slips on the east side of the drawbridge in the park with no electric or water but near the public restrooms with no shower taken from the drawbridge.
The others are of the ten west side berths that do have water and electric.
David Burnham

Click Here for an Earlier Post on LaBelle

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of LaBelle on the Okeechobee Waterway

Port Mayaca Lock - Taken by Linda Bernabucci

As you can see from Captain Tony’s report, the locks in the Okeechobee are, and will always be, a source of entertainment and awe by Okeechobee navigators. Having one’s vessel “lifted” so many feet in such a narrow space provides an experience to be fondly (hopefully) remembered.

Background: We have been in the process of bringing our boat from the Florida East Coast (Palm Beach) to the West Coast. We have had little boating experience in Florida, although we have extensive boating experience on the West Coast of the US. The information about the Okeechobee Waterway indicated very shallow water on Route 2. We are fair weather boaters and decided the Rim Route was best for us. We read every thing about the lake, yet it still was a challenge to get around it.
The big day arrived after a couple of months driving from Naples to the east coast to stage the boat for the Okeechobee Waterway adventure.
We left Indiantown marina Saturday, October 19, 9:45am bound for Clewiston, aboard our 33′ Chris Craft Coho. Arrived at Port Mayaca after a wonderful cruise down the balance of the St Lucie canal. Entered the Lock with no problems. Lake had a light chop and there was plenty of depth for navigating from the lock to beacons “4” and “4B.” The channel is well marked and easy to follow. The trip was pleasant to Torry Island where we encountered hyacinths and water lettuce in the channel at mile marker 60 or so prior to the Torry Island/Belle Glade swing bridge. The channel narrows to about 15 feet wide with a depth of 18 feet. Go slow and there should be no problem; it extends all the way to the bridge. We contacted the Torry Island/Belle Glade bridge operator by calling Slims fish camp, 561 996-3844, who opened the bridge for us in very short time.
From there we were able to make our way to Clewiston uneventfully.
We entered the Clewiston Lock on the Green Light with a few fishing boats and before we knew it, there was Roland and Martin’s Marina where we had reservations for transient dockage. After a great hamburger and fries we retired for the evening.
Sunday morning we were able to watch the parade of boats headed for the east coast of Florida ranging from approx 48′ to 60 feet go by us. Wow, what a tight fit in the lock.
We headed out the Clewiston lock after fueling up. We passed a large cofferdam where the levy is being shored up. Arriving at the Moore Haven lock we met a couple who were headed for LaBelle in a sailboat and they offered to enter the lock first. Upon being lowered to the Caloosahatchee River via the lock, we (my wife Linda, Cat Marchello and myself Tony) slapped hands and paw that we had conquered the Great Okeechobee Route 2 waterway and were on our way to Fort Myers.
We share this story for those who may be considering Route 2. It’s a great boating experience.
Linda, Tony, and Marchello The Cat

Click Here To View the Okeedchobee Cruisers’ Net Bridge Directory Listing For St. Lucie Lock

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of the St. Lucie Lock

Click Here To View the Okeedchobee Cruisers’ Net Bridge Directory Listing For Port Mayaca Lock

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Port Mayaca Lock

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Clewiston Lock

Click Here To View the Okeedchobee Cruisers’ Net Bridge Directory Listing For Moore Haven Lock

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Moore Haven

Moore Haven Lock - Click for Chartview

Moore Haven Lock is located at Okeechobee Waterway Statute Mile 78, hard by the Moore Haven waterfront. This notice is from the Jacksonville District of the USACE.

Posted 10/19/2013
Release no. 13-088
Contact
John Campbell
904-232-1004
john.h.campbell@usace.army.mil

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District has announced changes in operations at the Moore Haven Lock that will take effect next week.
The changes affect lock operations on Wednesdays and Thursday in Moore Haven. The locks will open at 8 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. Lockages will only take place every two hours, at 8 a.m.,10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. with the final lockage at 5 p.m. The locks will continue to operate from 7 a.m. ‘“ 7 p.m. the other five days of the week. The changes will take effective on Oct. 23.
`This adjustment is being made to accommodate a change in the staffing pattern at Moore Haven Lock,’ said Tim Murphy, Assistant Chief of Jacksonville District’s Operations Division. `Our intent is to implement this change in a manner that causes the least inconvenience to those who navigate through the Moore Haven Lock.’
Moore Haven Lock was constructed in 1935 for navigation and flood control purposes. It is the third lock from the west on the 152-mile Okeechobee Waterway, which allows safe passage of vessels from the Gulf of Mexico at Fort Myers to the Atlantic Ocean near Stuart. It is located in Moore Haven on the western side of Lake Okeechobee.
A Notice to Navigation has been issued on this subject. For more information on navigation notices concerning Ortona Lock or the rest of the Okeechobee Waterway, please visit the following website:

http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Navigation/NoticestoNavigation.aspx

Click Here To View the Okeechobee Cruisers’ Net Bridge Directory Listing For Moore Haven Lock

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Moore Haven Lock

St. Lucie Lock/Okeechobee Waterway

The text below is reprinted with permission from “East Coasts Alerts,” authored by our good friends Mel and Tom Neale. This publication is a service of Boat/US. You can read the full text of the Neal’s latest “Alert” at http://www.boatus.com/cruising/tomneale/alert.asp. You can also apply for a FREE e-mail subscription at http://www.boatus.com/cruising/TomNeale/signup.asp. We highly recommend this companion publication. After all, NO-ONE knows more about cruising that Tom and Mel Neale!!!
Back to the Okeechobee Waterway, this is the first time in my somewhat defective memory that I can remember the Okeechobee locks having reduced lockage hours due to HIGH water. It’s usually during times of drought that the USACOE finds it necessary to curb the locks.
Well, as we reported earlier, the prodigious summer Florida rainfall has actually caused some concern about the dikes around Lake Okeechobee (see /?p=121826) and the release of polluted water into the OKWW, east and west of Lake Okeechobee (see /?p=121537). I guess the restricted lock hours described below are just another casualty of all this excess water!

Okeechobee Waterway Revised Locking Hours Due to High Lake Okeechobee Water Levels:
1. Lake Okeechobee is experiencing unusually high water levels requiring adjustments to lockage times on the Okeechobee Waterway to maintain maximum water releases from Lake Okeechobee to the Caloosahatchee River (C-43) and the St. Lucie Canal.
2. Lockage schedules for Moore Haven Lock and Ortona Lock are temporarily revised as of this date to maintain maximum water releases from Lake Okeechobee. Lockage schedules are revised as follows:

Moore Haven Lock (26.833683°-81.088144°). First lockage is at 7AM local time both east and west bound continuing to lock through traffic only on the odd hour throughout the day until securing at 7PM local time.

Ortona Lock (26.789265°-81.304948°): First lockage is at 8am local time both east and west bound continuing to lock thru traffic only on the even hour throughout the day until securing at 6PM local time.

Port Mayaca Lock (26.984290-80.621067°): No restrictions. Lock gates remain open for passage 24/7.

W.P. Franklin Lock (26.723504°-81.693068°): No restrictions. Lockage is on request between 7AM and 7PM local time.

St. Lucie Lock (27.111128°-80.284610°): No restrictions. Lockage is on request between 7AM and 7PM local time.
3. Locks will resume normal hours of operations from 7AM to 7PM daily for the five locks on the Okeechobee Waterway once water levels on Lake Okeechobee are at a reduced level. For additional information regarding this issue and others may be obtained by accessing the Jacksonville District website: http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Navigation/NoticestoNavigation.aspx US Army Corps of Engineers point of contact is Mr. Jack J. Pasch, Supervisor Facility Management Specialist at (863)983-8101 x229 or email: jack.j.pasch@usace.army.mil (From a Notice to Navigation Interests, USACE Jacksonville, 12 August 2013)