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
Our thanks to the Skippers Powers for this report. The intersection of the ICW and Lockwoods Folly has been a Problem Stretch for years and requires almost annual dredging. Recent reports like this one confirm shoaling here, /?p=150841. SSECN stills recommends Mid to high tide for passage through Lockwoods Folly.
Just passed Lockwood’s Folly close to high tide. Lots of radio traffic from boats ahead of us. Buoy 47 is OUT OF POSITION. All boats except one motor yacht ignored 47 and used reds 46,46a, and 46b- keeping 30-40 ft away. We saw 7.1 between 46a & 46b, others reported 8-10 ft Mike & Cathy Second Flight
The recent raised water levels brought on by flooding along the east coast has prompted Skipper Shick to ask a question that all of us have faced when approaching a bridge, be it a fixed or closed vertical clearance: Where is the highest spot? And, as you know, the height boards are notoriously inaccurate, especially wooden ones on older bridges. Let us hear what goes through your mind as you look up at that immovable object ahead.
I have never seen a definitive answer to the question of where exactly the height is to be read on the clearance gauges, e.g., where does the water lap at (say) exactly 63′. It appears that the exact-foot locations are at the center of the digits, so if the water cuts the bottom of the `63’ digits (assuming every foot is noted), then you’d have 63’6’³. The few gauges that have index marks put the index marks at the center of the digits. Can you confirm or correct?
Also, we should remind people that different bridges use different measurement points. Some signboards say `to center of span,’ some say `minimum clearance,’ some say `low iron.’ You have to look at each one. Larry Shick
Skipper Burnham is responding to a lengthy posting/replies that Claiborne did way back in 2008, /?p=1237. It is nice to know that the Outback Crab Shack is still in business and that the bucket of beer is still cold. Plow on Skipper!
The Shands Bridge at GCS limits access to the Outback Crab Shack’s 1500 foot floating dock to southbound sailboats with mast heights lower than 45 feet, although at very low tides I have been able to clear the span with the 45′ 9’³ mast on the Camper Nicholson 33′. However, I have to `power thru’ the muddy shoal at the entrance to Six Mile Creek on the eastern shore with my 6′ 6’³ draft fin keel so there are a few 6’³ wide `channels’ at the entrance of Six Mile Creek leading to the floating dock at the Outback Crab Shack. I have read a review that pans the seafood and service at this converted bait shop/biker bar, but they probably didn’t arrive by motorcycle or boat, and forgot to order the bucket of beer before ordering their food. I’m not a big fan of crawdads or chicken wings or overpriced seafood but I’ve never left the Shack hungry or sober and the service is better than the average biker bar. David Burnham
Our thanks to Capt. Huntley for these words of praise for TowBoatUS which come from the experiences of an obviously satisfied customer. BoatUS remains the premiere advocate for boaters on all waters and SSECN is proud to have BoatUS as a SPONSOR!
I am now 77 years of age and in April of this year I brought my Grand Banks 32 from Deep River Connecticut to the York River in Virginia. I am very grateful I had your [BoatUS] towing insurance, because two hours out of New York City in five foot seas our engine quit. We dropped the hook and called Tow Boat US . It was a two hour tow to Manasquan inlet, New Jersey and the boat captain did a super job keeping the boats `in step’ in difficult conditions all the way. I have fond memories working for you towing out of Tarpon Springs . Best regards, Ed Huntley
Our thanks to Skipper Burnham for this helpful information and advice. Go to /?p=130877 for the referenced posting. With a fixed vertical clearance of 65ft, San Pablo/Atlantic Boulevard Bridge crosses the Waterway at Statute Mile 744.5.
If you go to the http://www.deepzoom.com website you can easily see that the Atlantic Avenue Bridge has the strongest daily currents on the entire US East Coast. Use caution and timing and enjoy the push, but wait out the adverse current if you cannot maintain over 7 kts. David Burnham
Excellent note… caution needed. Completely agree with Skipper Burnham. Passed by here many times… slack or close to slack current is the preferred strategy for me.
These latest warnings must be heeded if you have children or pets playing at the beach. See “Red tide public health risks” below.
For immediate release: October 30, 2015 Contact: Kelly Richmond, FWC 727-502-4784
Red tide confirmed in Florida: What you need to know
Red tide is a naturally occurring, higher-than-normal concentration of microscopic algae. In Florida, the species that causes most red tides is Karenia brevis. This organism produces toxins that can affect the central nervous system of aquatic organisms such as fish and marine mammals. Red tide toxins also pose a human health risk. The toxins can aerosolize and be carried to beaches with onshore winds, leading to respiratory irritation in people. Toxins can accumulate in shellfish and result in illnesses if contaminated shellfish are consumed. Shellfish harvesting areas are closed when blooms are present.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) researchers are currently monitoring two blooms along Florida’s Gulf coast, one located in northwest Florida and the other in southwest Florida.
`We confirmed the presence of both blooms in September, and they have persisted since that time,’ said Alina Corcoran, FWC research scientist. `The bloom in the Panhandle is currently affecting Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay and Gulf counties. In southwest Florida, patchy blooms have been confirmed along Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee counties. Extensive fish kills and respiratory irritation have been associated with the bloom in the Panhandle but in southwest Florida the effects have been less.’
Red tide public health tips:
People in a red tide area can experience varying degrees of eye, nose and throat irritation. When a person leaves an area with a red tide, symptoms usually go away. People with severe or chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma or chronic lung disease are cautioned to avoid areas with active red tides. In some red tides, dead fish wash ashore; during these conditions it is advised that beachgoers avoid swimming in water where dead fish are present. Pet owners are advised that red tide poses a risk to animals brought to the beach. If a pet swims in a red tide patch at the beach, rinse off its fur and paws as soon as possible with fresh water. Also, do not let pets eat fish or drink water from the red tide. Recreational harvesting of bivalve mollusks such as hard clams, oysters and mussels from approved shellfish harvesting areas is banned during red tide closures. To determine whether harvesting of shellfish is permitted in an area, visit the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Aquaculture website. FWC researchers work closely with partners, including Mote Marine Laboratory, the University of South Florida, Department of Health, Department of Agriculture and NOAA, to track blooms, share information and develop products that help to inform both citizens and scientists about bloom conditions.
`Citizen scientists play a vital role in tracking blooms. Volunteers can provide the majority of water samples for bloom tracking in regions like the Panhandle,’ said Corcoran.
For updated red tide status reports, to track blooms or learn more about red tide, visit MyFWC.com/RedTide. To report fish kills to the FWC, contact the Fish Kill Hotline at 800-636-0511 or submit a report online.
Red tide sparks tourism concerns Eric Glasser, WTSP 5:40 p.m. EST December 9, 2015
St. Petersburg Beach, FL — Pictures of dead fish washing ashore in the Bay area are not the images that tourism officials want popping up on social media. But red tide, say marine scientists, is now here. And how long it will last, they admit, is a mystery. Visitors like Kathy Keleher who came to St. Petersburg from Canada to experience its cuisine and culture have seen the images of bloated fish now floating in Boca Ciega Bay. “And then it’s gross, and it stinks,” said Keleher, “I don’t expect that at all. I expect beautiful white sandy beaches and clear water and palm trees. Not that,” she said. It’s not what those who rely on tourism want people texting their friends and relatives back home. “No, I mean it’s horrible for business obviously,” said Wade Parrish, head chef at O’Maddy’s Bar and Grille in Gulfport. “You know, the smell would be a deterrent for people to come out here and sit outside and enjoy the wonderful view that we’ve got here,” said Parrish. Bob Weisberg with the University of South Florida’s Marine Sciences lab in St. Petersburg, says red tide, or Karenia Brevis as they call it, can kill fish and even cause respiratory distress for people and marine mammals in high enough concentration. “There is very little we can do about the red tide,” said Weisberg, describing it as simply too large. “This particular plant can get a foothold, and when it does it then dominates,” said Weisberg, “which is what’s happening right now,” he said. The red tide algae, says Weisberg, makes its way inland from deep in the Gulf of Mexico riding along strong underwater currents. Scientists, he says, could better predict how long it might stick around if they were able to take more offshore observations. Unfortunately, he says, the estimated $300,000 cost to consistently send a boat out into the Gulf of Mexico to take those readings is regularly cut out of the state budget. Commonly, red tide will begin to dissipate this time of the year, said Weisberg. But he also warned that there have been some seasons when the algae bloom has survived well into the summer. For a closer look at the underwater current charts Weisberg and his colleagues at USF use to try to predict the direction red tide may be moving, click here.
This AICW Problem Stretch has always been one of the shallowest sections of the Waterway in Eastern Florida. Earlier descriptions of the three newest markers would indicate that shoaling is beginning to reappear. BE SURE to observe any new aids to navigation and, as always on perennial AICW Problem Stretches, be READY for new shoaling and even newer markers as you pass through. Our thanks to Skipper McLeran for sharing his observations.
Two of us transited Matanzas Inlet southbound at mid tide 3.5 feet this morning (10/30) at 0930. Despite giving the temp greens and reds their appropriate distance we saw only 7.5 feet total depth in a few spots. Boaters still need to be careful and play the tide if necessary for the boat’s draft. Bob McLeran
I went through southbound at a -0.5 ft low tide on in the afternoon of 10/28 and found 4′ 9″ 50-100 ft south of 81C. I was in mid channel – potentially more water closer to red side. Also skinny water elsewhere but this was the worst I found.
October 29, 2015 Slow down for manatees migrating to warmer waters
With winter’s chill approaching, Florida manatees are on the move. Manatees cannot tolerate cold water and may begin to seek warmer water when temperatures start to drop below 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Some travel hundreds of miles to reach a warmer destination. Because of the annual migration, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is reminding boat and personal watercraft operators that it is important to slow down to avoid manatees, particularly in shallow areas.
Manatees can be difficult to see as they often swim and rest just below the water’s surface. Boaters wearing polarized sunglasses are more likely to spot manatees underwater.
November is Manatee Awareness Month. There is no better time to plan a visit to observe Florida’s beloved manatees. Find these places by going to MyFWC.com/Manatee and clicking the link under the `Where can I See Manatees?’ box.
`Watching these large plant-eating mammals swim slowly through Florida waters, often accompanied by their calves, is a special experience for residents and visitors to the state,’ said Carol Knox, the FWC’s Imperiled Species Management section leader. `Boaters following posted speed zones for manatees migrating to warmer waters help conserve this iconic Florida species for future generations.’
Boaters should be aware that many seasonal manatee protection zones go into effect on Nov. 15 throughout the state. For information about manatee protection zones by county, including the seasonal changes, go to MyFWC.com/Manatee, and click on `Data and Maps.’ At the bottom of that same page, there also is information on FWC Manatee COLD-weather changes to speed zones. FWC law enforcement officers will be on the water enforcing these seasonal rules to protect manatees in busy boating areas.
People can report sightings of injured, sick or dead manatees to the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922, #FWC and *FWC on a cell phone, or with a text to Tip@MyFWC.com.
The purchase of a Florida manatee license plate at BuyaPlate.com or a manatee decal from tax collectors’ offices in Florida is another way to help manatees. The license plate and decal support the FWC manatee program, including research, rescue, rehabilitation, conservation, management and education efforts.
Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits. Monty and Sara Lewis are well known in this area for their personal research and reporting. Their launch of “Bahamas Chatter” and real time cruising information via their web site, www.explorercharts.com is extremely valuable.
Comments from Cruisers (1)
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