Lake Okeechobee

When we left Indiantown, our primary goal was to make it across Lake Okeechobee.  One boat who passed us that morning said he'd seen water as low as 5 feet 2 inches.  Our keel is 5 feet 3 inches below the surface so not good news.  Then we passed another boater a short while later who said he'd seen nothing less than 6 feet.  The official depth for the day was 5 feet 6 inches so we pressed on.  Happily we made it across but we did bump over low spots twice and kept a constant eye on the depth gauge.  When all was said and done, we were glad we hadn't delayed another day.  We covered over 60 miles that day and had a few more sticky (embarrassing) encounters with locks.  The wind was howling and we were tired, never a good combination but we managed to get nothing more than scrapes on our stainless rubrail and bruising to our egos. We did see a lot more alligators but they refused to pose and I didn't feel like making them.

The Port Mayaca bridge is only lowered when a train comes along.  It is
the only lift bridge we've ever seen.  usually railroad bridges swing.

We had room this trip but still nerve wracking when you only have inches to spare
from hitting some expensive parts at the top of the mast.

The last bridge and lock on the eastern side of the lake.  

This is 38.8 miles from the Atlantic.

The water is so low in the lake that it is the same level as the canal so no need
for opening and closing this particular lock.

Going by one of the areas where a side canal splits off the main channel.

This large concrete structure is in the middle of the lake.

The day we crossed had a steady 18 knots of wind with gusts to 25.
The sea was rough that day my friends

One of the marks we passed.

Those are birds standing in the shallows.

The area is home to thousands of acres of sugar cane.  Some of the seeds
must escape on the wind.  We see lots of it all along the shores and shallows.

Marsh grasses swaying in the wind.

A welcome sight, the last leg of the route across.

An even better sight, the Clewiston lock and the juncture of the
canal leading to the Caloosahatchee.

This lock is only closed when the lake level is high enough to threaten the city.

These rocks are under water when the lake is full.

Exposed tree roots due to low water.