Out of Okeechobee...
22 April 2017 | Port Mayaca
Upper 70s, mostly cloudy
For us, Earth Day began at 6 am when we got up and took advantage of the basic but functional showers behind City Hall. By 7:00 am we were waiting for the lock to open, and 30 minutes later we were on the rim of the lake. The difference in water height was only 6 inches! Along the rim we saw dozens and dozens of alligators, mostly rather small, and a variety of birds - herons, egrets, vultures, crows, songbirds, and more. What a nice way to start the day!
As we entered the lake the wind kicked up and the lake was like a washing machine, tossing us around a fair bit, but it was doable. Although the lake height is very low, we didn't see any depths less than 6.8 feet. (We need 4.5 feet to pass without grounding.)
When we finally reached the Port Mayaca Lock, it was wide open due to lack of water, so we cruised right through and tied up to dolphins - see photo - not the animal, but a group of pilings bundled together with cleats on them. This wasn't the easiest feat since we were sitting so low, but fortunately one of them already had a cleated rope that we could use. Nap time and a quiet afternoon was interrupted by a pretty steady rain for about 30 minutes. Easter ham, potato salad, and cantaloupe made a good dinner. Tipping appointment tomorrow morning, and then off to Stuart to meet some friends!
40 miles, 5.5 hours