Our second day on the Okeechobee Waterway (OWW) was also very pleasurable with sunny skies and a nice breeze the whole way (although right on the nose again, what's up with that?!?) We made good time again and when we got to Hurricane?? s Gate, the western end of the route cutting directly across the lake, we decided to go for it instead of going around the lake's perimeter (10 miles longer), and made it completely across this incredible body of water a day earlier than we planned to!

The scenery once again was spectacular. Along the western side canal we saw several 'gators as well as herons, cranes, ospreys, and even some bald eagles!! We were buzzed by an airboat that was providing nature tours of the grasslands along the lakes western bank. Sadly the presence of large amounts of fertilizer from the sugar cane fields has promoted the growth of algae that covers much of the water in a putrid green slime, but otherwise our trip across this enormous body of water was most enjoyable. We anchored our second night just inside the St. Lucie canal and look forward to seeing the Atlantic Ocean tomorrow.