Stuart

We had a very pleasant trip  across the center of Fla., via the Lake Okeechobee waterway. We took a bunch of pictures which for the moment are locked in the camera due to having left the cable back in Kilmarnock when we were there the other week. ugh. We will switch to our other camera for future updates.
As we traveled through Lake Okeechobee waterway ( http://www.sailmiami.com/Okeechobee/ ) we traveled through five different locks. The lake is higher than the sea level so as you go to the lake the locks raise the boat and as you go away from the lake it lowers you. We went through a total of 5 locks, three on the western side and two on the eastern side. For the most part the scenery was wonderful, rural farm and orchards. We stopped twice: once just east of Ft. Myers at a family run small marina oozing with charm called Rialto Harbour http://rialtoharbor.com/. A very tranquil and delightful stop. Our next night we spent at the city docks of Moore Haven just west of the Moore Haven lock. This is a community based around the sugar cane industry. They consider themselves the sweetest town in America.
We still think Hershey PA has that distinction!

The portion of the waterway between the Moore Haven Lock and Clewiston is the least scenic but the most significant from a bird watching perspective. We saw a flock of wood storks, red wing blackbirds, a pair of eagles, great blue herons, grackles, egrets, lesser blue herons, vulchers, osprey, both white and brown pelicans and two alligators. It was quite the show. The lake, which is the 2nd largest inland waterway in the US, took 2.5hrs to cross and while it can get choppy with wind it was an uneventful crossing. Water depths in the past few yrs have been such that this crossing was not possible two years ago but with recent rains the lake levels are back to normal. In fact they are releasing water from the lake to lower the levels in anticipation of hurricane season.

We departed the lake through the Port Mayaca lock which was only a few inches of a drop and then went on to the St Lucie Lock which dropped us 14 ft.

As we went through the various locks we found all of the locks, unlike Great Bridge Lock in Chesapeake Va., had supplied lines to secure the boat. Jeannie would handle the stern and I would handle the bow. Generally raising or adding water into the lock chamber created more turbulence than lowering. Either was quite interesting and added to our skills in boat handling.
We arrived in Stuart at the Harborage Yacht Club and Marina and joined up for a few days with Ray and Susan Cope aboard their OR65 Copeing.

We will stay here until tomorrow when we expect to depart and travel up the ICW. Today we are having the boat washed and expect to have Outer Reef service department here for some last few warranty items before heading north.

Will post picture of the locks when I can get a new camera cord.