MIDORI ADVENTURES

The lock is wide open this morning and despite last night's worries, we are able to untie and get away at 7:00 a.m. When we enter Lake Okeechobee and make the southern turn onto our route, we have 1' chop on our beam. With the headsail out, we are able to travel at 6.2 knots. There are no channel markers to see, so we must rely on the magenta line of our chart plotter. We will be traveling 25 miles across the southeast corner of the lake to the Clewiston Lock, then will make a 90 degree turn west into a channel that runs along the shore and then heads north to Moore Haven.

Although we seem to be heading into clear skies, I have been watching some clouds and lightening to the east - I hope it continues to move that way!

The lake is a shallow basin (average of 12 ') of brownish water - not particularly interesting - although we do see white pelicans here and there. It is the rim route that is more interesting - lots of flora and fauna and birds. Last year we saw many alligators, but they are absent this year.

We arrive at the Moore Haven Lock at approximately 1:00 p.m. and all goes well. We are lowered only a few feet, then we make our way through the open railway bridge and under the highway 27 bridge and we arrive at a long face dock by 1:30 p.m. This is the city dock of Moore Haven where we will tie up for the night. The cost is $1.00 per foot which includes electricity and water and a great shower - at the city park behind the City Hall. A neon sign at the nearby library blinks the current temperature of 95 degrees! With shore power, we are able to use our A/C - what a treat!

Even though there are thunder clouds overhead, we head out on our walk to the IGA to get much needed bottled water and then stop at the Burger King for supper where we watch the rain pour down for about 20 minutes, then it stops and we head over to the gas station for ice and get back on the boat fairly dry for the rest of the evening.

I think it rained most of the night, but we had the best sleep!

Stay tuned,

Co-Captain Lynn