Okeechobee Waterway East to West Report
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
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Construction Site
Comments from Cruisers (1)
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