SUMMER BREEZE: March 31-April 4, Crossing the state from Stuart to Fort Myers.

Summer Breeze docked next to Sea Dweller in Fort Myers

Bryan and Mary live on Sea Dweller at their dock and land just off the Caloosahatchie River which is off the Okeechobee Lake. We arrived here on Thursday April 1, about an hour before the NE winds hit.

Easter Brunch on the river.

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Wednesday March 31

Leaving Stuart.

After a great visit with Becky and Charles in Stuart, we left at 6:10 AM at the break of dawn with the help of some moonlight.

St Lucie Lock with a rainbow.

We entered the St Lucie Canal towards the Okeechobee Lake reaching the St Lucie lock (lock #1 out of 5) at 8 AM. We just missed entering the lock by minutes so we waited hovering an hour to catch the next passage which took 30 minutes to do while raising 13’. There was quite a rush of water coming in! The lock master was a nice guy offering us tips.

Here the boats exit the lock after we wait for an hour before entering

We got to the 2nd lock which enters the lake, Port Mayaca Lock at 12:40 which is 30.5 miles from Becky and Charles home. The Lock Master opened up for us as we approached and we were able to go right through entering the lake.

We had left Stuart a day earlier than planned because of the cold front approaching bringing fierce N-NE winds. We were hoping that it would not hit while we were traveling and hoping that we would have better timing with the other locks.

We had a nice crossing with a moderately calm lake getting to our anchorage in the lake at about 2 in the afternoon. There was no way to make the next lock which exits the lake in time. We do only travel at 7-8 mph.

The approaching storm was bringing rogue storms ahead of the front and they were already in the area. This one at 5:30 PM missed us.

Dinner on the lake was home made pizza!

Sunset on the Okeechobee Lake

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Thursday April 1

We did have a rain shower during the night though not that we knew about until waking and having to mop up the water! We slept great out there!

The alarm was set for 5:30 AM but we awoke to a heavy overcast with no moon light to start travel early and then we had a light rain shower at 6:30. The rain was gone and sun was rising just before 7. So off we go with a delay!

It was a beautiful calm morning after the little rain shower.

Exiting the lake and entering the rim canal on the west side. There is 2 1/2' more water in the lake than last April when we transited. We know there are rock ledges along the side of the channel there! Seen them!

We have 3 more locks to do today and about 70 miles to make it to Bryan and Mary's in Fort Myers but the real push is to make it through the last lock before 4:30, otherwise, we will have to find an anchorage along the river close by. The last lock is only about 4 miles from Bryan's.

At Moore Haven lock (#3) exiting the lake rim canal to the Caloosahatchie River, we were also able to right through after him opening the gates for us.

Ortona Lock (#4)

We had a full lock here with 3 of us waiting to enter and 2 more waiting on the other side for passage. Unfortunately for them, the lock closed down for maintenance after locking us through.