"Hey Stop, There's a Grocery Store!"

Preparing to Leave Fort Myers

We left Fort Myers on December 29, 2015 for the east coast of Florida. Our destination, Lake Worth.  We had two options, we could sail down the west coast to Key West and then north up the east coast, or we could cut across the state sailing through the Okeechobee Waterway.  The difference between these two options is 356 miles versus 154 miles.  Thus, we chose the shorter of the two routes.

Okeechobee Waterway

The Okeechobee Waterway is similar to the Intracoastal Waterway.  It is a man-made waterway stretching across Florida from Fort Myers on the west coast to Stuart on the east coast of Florida. The waterway runs through Lake Okeechobee and consists of the Caloosahatchee River to the west of the lake and the St. Lucie Canal to the east of the lake.  The two rivers have always drained the lake and supported small boat passage, but after the diking of the lake in 1910 and the disastrous flooding in the late 1920s, this natural waterway system was overhauled by the Corps of Engineers and opened in 1937 as a first-rate commercial waterway. To do this the Corps built five locks to lift boats from sea level to lake level, which averages 12 feet, then back to sea level again. The locks are relatively new, well-managed, and quite easy to get through. Under “normal” conditions, they operate essentially on demand during daylight hours seven days a week, though a wait to allow several boats to go through together is not unusual. We had a short wait at all but one of the five locks. Each lock we passed through had lines suspended from the top rail, which we held on to as the Lock Master closed one gate and open the gate at the opposite end of the lock.

Our route along the lake's south rim
Note: The red arrow depicts "Little Lara"

Upon leaving Fort Myers we arrived at the Franklin Lock and passed through without difficulty – “a piece of cake.”  At, the next lock, the Ortona Lock, “Little Lara” was raised eight feet to lake level.  The currents passing through the lock were so strong we found it difficult to hold onto the lines while keeping “Little Lara” off the lock walls.  We did make it through without any scrapes, bangs or bruises.  The next two locks (Moore Haven and  Port Mayaca) proved to be easy in and out passages. When we arrived at the St Lucie Lock, the Lock Master informed us we would be dropping 14 feet to sea level.  We had visions of the current in the Ortona Lock, only worse.  The Lock Master was kind to us opening the gates slowly so we felt almost no current. Most of the time, as we passed through the locks we were the only boat locking through. It was almost overwhelming to find ourselves being slowly raised or lowered inside these huge caverns.

Exiting the Ortona Lock

Ariel View of Ortona Lock

Other than the locks, there was only one other obstacle along our route.  Before leaving Lake Okeechobee we had to pass under a railroad lift bridge at Port Mayaca with a maximum clearance of 49 feet at lake level — if the lake is higher, the clearance is less and vice versa.  “Little Lara's” mast height is 40 feet, so we were not too worried but honestly it looked as if we would hit the bridge.

Port Mayaca Railroad Lift Bridge

We spent New Years Eve on the south rim of Lake Okeechobee anchored in South Bay.  We were all alone.  It was just us, the moon, the stars, and the wildlife.  We celebrated with barbecue pork roast, baked potatoes, salad, cherry pie, and sparkling white grape juice.  We wish you could have been there with us.  It was awesome.

We will leave for the Bahamas as soon as there is a favorable weather window.  Peggy has already begun stocking up on provisions.  Every time we pass a grocery store we stop to see what they have.  All of “Little Lara's” lockers and cabinets are now full of canned fruit, vegetables and meats and yet we buy more.  I keep reminding Peggy that the Bahamians also eat!  We shall see.  Until next time, Happy New Year and Fair Winds.

More Food?