Healy Report: Okeechobee Waterway and Caloosahatchee River, East to West
Experienced cruisers, Jim and Peg Healy, continue to generously share their observations and advice as they make their way south for the winter. Thank you Jim and Peg! See http://cruisersnet.net/168195 for their Okeechobee report east of Clewiston.
Sanctuary and crew transited from Clewiston, FL to St. James City, FL, today, 11/9/2017. Fog early, then bright sunshine, light and variable winds and calm seas.
The Clewiston Lock is a wonder to behold. Very small; less than 100 ft. Primary customer set are bass fishermen. Run by a private contractor, not the USACE. Hours of operation are posted as 05h30 to 22h00. Local knowledge indicates 06h00 is more reliable.
At about MM 72, there is a hazard marker in Active Captain that describes a submerged obstruction. That obstruction must be there, because there are TWO Red, floating markers there, R”6″ and R”8.” They are positioned together laterally across the channel; a very strange pattern, but they are there. Appear new. They force traffic way to the south side of the channel, and water depths are 4 ft less than in the visual center of that channel.
The control depth on the south rim is 8.5 ft, two miles east of Moore Haven.
Water levels in the Ortona Pool are very high. The USACE is dumping water, and there are strong westerly running currents. Stand off the locks while waiting for them to open, as the current will carry the boat toward the lock and dam. Care is appropriate at the locks, where boats get swept sideways. Especially so at the railroad pass at Moore Haven, which is very narrow and has obviously been dinged several times already. There was a significant whirlpool inside the Ortona Lock chamber which created some excitement for another boat there. Currents were very swift emerging downstream of Ortona Lock, too.
There are no depth issues on the South Rim, Caloosahatchee Canal or Caloosahatchee River at this time.
Jim
Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary, currently at Rock Creek, Pasadena, MD
http://gilwellbear.wordpress.com
Monk 36 Hull #132
MMSI #367042570
AGLCA #3767
MTOA #3436
Click Here To View the Okeechobee Cruisers’ Net Bridge Directory Listing For Ortona Lock
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Ortona Lock
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