Things I learned along the way.

On a previous trip North, along the Intercoastal Waterway, I made a list of items I learned along the way. You can look back in the blog, to May of 2006 at 31 Things I Learned This Trip | How Stuff Works, if you want to learn more.  So here starts the list for the 2013 trip.

1. Alligators and manatees sound remarkably alike when they hit the water.

2. Shining for alligators is allowed. They will rest along the shore at night. If you are anchored along the shore you may be able to see their eyes. We did not know this until the next morning. Darn. Maybe Inslept better not knowing. The lock master stated there is a 13' long alligator living at the St. Lucie lock area. Him or her and about 200 vultures waiting for leftovers.

2. The bilge pump sounds like a cell phone on vibrate as it checks to make sure it does not need to be pumping water from bow decks; all night long. Can you hear me now. LOL

3. The Mullett jump out of the water because they are being chased by a tarpon or a 30" snook.

4. Skulling or rowing along the waterway can be hazadarous for the person rowing due to oversize wakes; make that any wake.

Ft Myers to Stuart on Okeechobee Waterway

Coming up! Lake Okeechobee The Big O

The Big O and I am not referring to Opra but to Lake Okeechobee. According to the Florida Cruising Guide the Okeechobee Waterway is not as great as other man-made paths between seas like the exotic Panama Canal or St. Lawrence Seaway for commercial  vessels. It is, however, a major trip and shortcut for recreational vessels.

The trip starts at Ft Myers and follows the Caloosahatchee River 152 inland miles through cow pastures and the 25 mile trip across the lake itself, ending at Stuart, Florida. The alternative is the 350 nautical miles trip around the southern  tip of Florida through the Florida Keys.

This is Captain Don's first trip on this waterway. When he and my Mother, Linda, traveled aboard their 47' sail  oboist, Majestic Dream their boat needed at least 6' of water and that would be risky with a draft of 5' 10". On Ring of Fire we only draw 32" so let's say 3'.

We are excited about our journey on this "new to us" waterway. As I write this we are passing the Burnt Store Marina, which I find to have a rather thought provoking name. To more about the Okeechobee Waterway and the lake known as the Big O with  see pictures follow the  Wikipedia link below.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Okeechobee

Day 5 Charlotte Harbor

After a day 3 and 4 making ready to leave Charlotte Harbor Boat Storage, we traveled along the canal to the South Gulf Cove Lock at Cattle Dock Point.

Today we got a free ride since the lock was receiving some routine maintenance. Normally this is a self service lock. We had the help of 3 handlers on shore so we did not have to get off the boat to operate the lock ourselves.

Traveling on a 34' trawler made our time  departure much simpler. No waiting for high tide or traveling through the locks in the dark at 1 in the morning. 

We have reached the bigger water at the beginning of the 26 mile long Charlotte Harbor on our way to the Gulf Coast of Florida. Captain Don is still sporting his trademark Stetson just on his new boat, Ring of Fire instead of the sailboat he traveled with 6 to 8 months of the year.