Passage - Ft. Myers Yacht Basin to La Belle City Dock, La Belle, FL
9:57 AM Underway
3:39 PM Docked Face dock port side to
5.7 engine hours 31 miles

After taking on fuel and pumping out the holding tank we started on our way upstream on the Caloosahatchee River section of the Okeechobee Waterway (OCWW). We are now in fresh water until we exit the OCWW at the St. Lucie River back on the east coast. It is 103 miles from La Belle and we are trying to figure out where to stay tomorrow night. There are two routes across the Okeechobee. One is 25 miles pretty much directly across and the other is 35 miles and goes around the southern rim of the lake. We have decided to take the rim so we can see the sights, towns and more wildlife. But first we have to get there. Going up the Caloosahatchee River, we saw nice homes and cattle farms on both sides of the river. And then all of a sudden we saw lots of orange trees loaded with oranges. We had not seen orange groves anywhere in Florida until today.
A faster boat called us on the radio for a slow pass. We slowed and when the boat passed we noticed it was from Burgess, VA. I asked him what was the marina in Burgess where they keep their boat? Horn Harbor Marina was the answer. I laughed and said we keep our boat in Horn Harbor Marina in Mathews. We both got a chuckle from that coincidence.

Then came the Franklin Lock. We don’t have much experience in locks only having locked through at Great Bridge, VA. Great Bridge does not raise you more than a foot or so. But the Franklin Lock raises you 3’. That is still not a great distance. Much more swirling water has to come in and exit the lock. The locks across the Okeechobee provide lines for you to hold on to while the boat rises. Susan and I had right much trouble, strength wise, trying hold these lines as the boat was being moved around by the entering, swirling water. After exiting the lock we proceeded upstream finally reaching the La Belle City Dock. La Belle City provides the dock free including electricity. That is really nice. Of course they are hoping you will come into town and spend money. We did! We walked to The Log Cabin restaurant and had an excellent spare rib dinner. Best smoked meat since leaving home!!
We are always meeting characters and there was a boat at the La Belle City that the captain got off to help us get docked. We thanked him and asked him where he had come from. Deltaville Marina was the answer. We kept Liquid Therapy there for 5 years. He had gotten this 29’ sailboat for free, as it had been abandoned in the work yard of Deltaville Marina and they just wanted it gone. So, he got his boat for free and is just having a nice time in Florida for the winter. He is headed to Baltimore, but like we are, he is not in a rush to get back too early.

Today’s picture is one of the orange groves along the Caloosahatchee River.