CROSSING THE OKEECHOBEE WATERWAY - NOV 7-12, 2013

INSTEAD OF HEADING EAST FOR THE BAHAMAS THIS WINTER, WE DECIDED TO SPEND THE NEXT SIX MONTHS HANGING OUT IN SOUTH FLORIDA, THE EVERGLADES, THE 10,000 ISLANDS, AND THE KEYS TO VISIT SOME OF OUR OLD GUNKHOLING GROUNDS FROM THE 1990s. WE LAUNCHED SUMMER BREEZE ON OCTOBER 24; AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS OF PREP, WE HEADED OUT INTO THE ST LUCIE RIVER CANAL ON THE OKEECHOBEE WATERWAY ON NOVEMBER 7 POINTED WESTWARD TOWARD LAKE OKEECHOBEE.


UUUH, WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE MOVE THAT REPTILE FROM THE LIFT AREA?


YUK . . . THE WHOLE BOAT WAS GREEN WITH MOLD THIS FALL FOLLOWING A VERY RAINY SUMMER.

ALL RIGHT! A NEW WORLD RECORD DISH PYRAMID !!!!!


IN THE OKEECHOBEE AND HEADING WEST ON NOV 7.



HERE COMES THE MAYACA TRAIN BRIDGE. AT 50 FOOT HEIGHT, THIS IS THE CONTROLLING FACTOR FOR THE ENTIRE OKEECHOBEE WATERWAY. SUMMER BREEZE TOPS OUT RIGHT AT 50 FEET TALL, SO IT'S HERE THAT WE HAVE TO AWAIT THE ARRIVAL OF "BILLIE, THE BOAT TIPPER". THE FIRST TIME WE DID THIS YEARS AGO, BILLIE ONLY CHARGED $75; IT'S NOW $200. THIS IS ACTUALLY KINDA FUN TO DO.

BELOW IS AN APPROACHING SAILBOAT THAT CAN CLEAR IT. THIS WOULD BE A REALLY EXPENSIVE MISTAKE, IF YOU DON'T MAKE IT.

THAT OUGHT TO DO IT; LET'S HEAD FOR THE BRIDGE !!!!!

BILLIE LOADS HIS BARRELS BACK UP AND HEADS HOME ABOVE.

THIS WAS KINDA COOL. JUST AS WE FINISH, THESE TWO "4-WHEEL PERSONAL LAND & WATER CRAFTS" FLY BY US, FOLLOWED BY A HELICOPTER OVERHEAD.

HERE COMES THE MAYAKA LOCK UP INTO LAKE OKEECHOBEE.

ABOVE, SPENDING A NIGHT ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE "RIM ROUTE" . . . GIVING BLOOD.

REQUESTING AN OPENING AT THE TORREY ISLAND "MANUAL-CRANK" SWING BRIDGE.

BELOW, BURNING SUGAR CANE FIELDS JUST THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DAM.

TO THE RIGHT, PEEKING INTO CLEWISTON LOCK, BUT WE'RE NOT STOPPING THERE FOR A GOOD FISH SANDWICH THIS TRIP.

ABOVE, WAITING ON MOORE HAVEN LOCK.

AFTER EXITING MOORE HAVEN LOCK, ABOVE, THERE IS IMMEDIATELY A SWING TRAIN BRIDGE, BELOW. I THOUGHT THE BRIDGE LOOKED BROKEN, ABANDONED, AND PERMANENTLY OPEN; NAN THOUGHT IT LOOKED STILL IN OPERATION. IT TURNS OUT WE WERE KINDA BOTH RIGHT. TEN MINUTES AFTER WE SLIPPED THROUGH IT, THE CLOSING HORNS START GOING OFF; IT CLOSES, BUT BREAKS DOWN WITH ABOUT A TEN-FOOT GAP IN THE CONNECTION. A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER A TRAIN SHOWS UP AND HAS TO STOP. THE BRIDGE HAD INDEED BROKEN DOWN AND STUCK THAT WAY UNTIL THE NEXT DAY, STOPPING ALL TRAFFIC ON THE WATERWAY. WE HAD JUST BARELY MADE IT THROUGH ON OUR WESTWARD TRAVELS.

AFTER A NIGHT AT THE HORRIBLY DISTRESSED LITTLE TOWN OF MOORE HAVEN . . .THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO RECOVER FROM A HURRICANE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO . . . THERE WASN'T EVEN A RESTAURANT OPEN ON A SATURDAY NIGHT TO EAT IN . . . *SAD* WE HEADED FOR THE ORTONA LOCK.

THESE PICS ARE FROM OUR ANCHORAGE SPOT OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE CALOOSAHATCHEE CANAL/RIVER FOR THE NIGHT.

SINCE WE PASSED THROUGH THE MOORE HAVEN LOCK, WE'VE BEEN HEADING DOWNHILL ON THE CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO AT FORT MYERS. THERE ARE LOTS OF NICE HOMES ALONG THE RIVER; THIS GUY BELOW HAS COUNTRY LIVING FIGURED OUT, WITH HIS OWN RIVER LANDING STRIP.

BELOW, FRANKLIN LOCK, THE FINAL LOCK ON THE OKEECHOBEE WATERWAY. WE'RE OFFICIALLY INTO THE CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER ITSELF WITH ONE MORE NIGHT AT ANCHOR BEFORE WE REACH FORT MYERS.

THIS IS THE LEGACY HARBOUR MARINA IN DOWNTOWN FORT MYERS. WE DECIDED TO HOLE-UP HERE FOR A FEW WEEKS, WHILE TRYING TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH OUR PINE ISLAND PROPERTY . . . TO BUILD OR NOT TO BUILD ?
BELOW ARE JUST MISC PICS HERE IN LEGACY . . . SUNSETS, OUR FIRST WINTER NORTHER SLAMMING OUR DOCKS, A BIG ANVIL THUNDERSTORM BACK TO THE EAST OVER LAKE OKEECHOBEE, & MORE SUNSETS. IT HAS BEEN A NICE STAY BUT IT'S A NEW YEAR AND TIME TO MOVE ON.

COM'ON, WHO DOESN'T LIKE SUNSETS & JUGS ?