West Coast Passage

I'm settled into Port LaBelle for some much needed maintenance after a difficult passage across Lake Okeechobee. Except for getting my butt kicked in a sqall then being stuck at anchor all night with a 25 Knot gail blowing a tempest in the lake, I did have a very nice passage all the way from Cape Canaveral. Bucked a hard southwind to Valkaria and then it swung north and I got to motor sail all the way to Stuart. Nice little chuga lug up the Saint Lucie then 4 hours of motor sailing across the lake until I hit the squall and had to anchor.

After feeding the fish for breakfast I got the anchor up in 25 knot tempest and managed to past the dragans mouth and into Clewiston without much fuss. Did bump the bottom a couple times at both Port Myaka and coming into Clewiston but despite dire warning from the locktender, the Corp of Eng. website had it right, 4' of water in the channel minimum. After spending the night at the Ortona lock I set sail off the hook and sailed all the way into port LaBelle and dropped anchor in the little bay without even starting the engine once, all day. It was fun.

Paid for a months slip fee this morning and got settled in to my new birth and will get started in ernest tomorrow on my many project I want to complete before heading to Tallahassee.