East Coast, Here I am!

Today is a big, big day for me! I finished the locks, I arrived on the Atlantic Coast of Florida, and I used my first mooring ball of the trip.

I finished the last of the locks for this journey coming through the Okeechobee waterway. There were five locks.  Now, one might think I am a pro at these locks, considering all that I have been through... Dismal Swamp, Erie Canal, Oswego Canal, Trent-Severn, Chicago and the Riverways from Illinios down to Mobile, Alabama.  I thought these locks should be simple!  The Okeechobee locks are a little different than the other locks I have seen.  They have hanging lines, like some of the locks in the Erie, which I had so much difficulty with.  There are only five locks, and each has a simple concept of just opening the gates to let the water levels stabilize between the rising or falling of the waterline.  If going up, the water is let in from the front gate, and if going down, it is released through the front gate.  Positioning my boat seemed simple enough... just stay away from the front gate, which acts like a drain in the bathtub.  The fourth lock, threw me for a loop.  I was only going down 1 1/2 feet, but the current was going to the back of the lock instead of the front, and I had to work hard at keeping my boat near the wall, by using my thrusters.  It was the longest foot and a half! I don't know why it was so difficult, except that the lock has ropes hanging from 20 - 25 feet above the water.  It is a tall lock.  The fifth and last lock, with a drop of 14 feet, was much smoother.  In these locks, they insist you take a bow and stern line.  I can't be at both the bow and stern of my boat.  In the last lock, they had me tie the bitter end of the line to my center bow cleat, and hold the stern cleat.  I had to leave my comfort zone of being at the helm for this, but it worked out well.  In general, it is a bad idea to tie any line to your boat, while you are dropping in a lock.  However, it worked!  The lockmasters were helpful. Even though I thought I had locking down, I learned new techniques for locking.  I think I could even handle the Erie canals better now.

The central part of Florida is very swampy.  One night, I anchored at Lake Hicpochee, just before getting to Lake Okeechobee.  I had a late start and a slow day, so didn't get as far as I had hoped.  However, as the sun was setting, I found a peaceful spot.  It was peaceful, until the guys with the swamp boat came out and ripped around at high speeds.  I tried to get a picture of the boat, but I think half the thrill for them was being out in the dark.  It was one of those boats that floats above the water, with a large fanlike apparatus at the stern, with the guys sitting up high.  I found a picture of a similar boat, only the boat flying by me, had two high seats, and was not taking a leisurely trip.  The lake, was really a swamp.  The opening was only five to six feet deep from the waterway.

Airboat picture taken from the internet.

Central Florida is an interesting place.  I am not sure I would want to live in such a swampy area, with as many alligators as they appear to have.  Last night, I stayed at Indiantown Marina.   One of the other transient boats, was an old, old trawler, which may have seen the best of it's years back in the seventies.  The couple who own her, may have had their best years in the fifties or sixties... hard to tell!  Anyhow, a few days ago, they found a rat aboard their trawler, so threw it overboard.  It was immediately snatched up by a hungry alligator.  Since then, they have continued to throw leftover food overboard.  Each night, they get a few small alligators hanging out around their boat.  The wife said, "I know I am not supposed to feed them, but I love animals!"  I love animals too, but they have these alligators trained well!

This morning, I was heading downstream, when I saw a water slide.  I was horrified to think about children, sliding into these alligator infested waters, where the alligators will wait around for anything to drop into the water to be eaten!  (OK... I was also starting to imagine that this could be a new Criminal Minds episode, and which gives me nightmares.)  Next to the house with the water slide, were Hummel-esque, yard art, statues of children, sitting on the wall.  It was just too creepy.  Here are the pics:

Little alligator, waiting for something to be dropped into water for dinner, at marina.

Waterslide... CRAZY... what are these people thinking?

Creepy yard art... this was next door to the water slide.

The other big thing for today, was arriving in Stuart, FL, on the East Coast!  I am now heading north on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.  It was great to get to the Atlantic, smell the salty air, and notice the change of color of the water.

The Atlantic Ocean, from the ICW at the Stuart, FL inlet.

I had places picked out to stay in Stuart, Port Salerno, and Fort Pierce, but was too excited about moving north to stop.  I finally took a mooring ball in Vero Beach.  Other than practicing my mooring ball skills in Southport, I have not used a mooring ball this entire trip. It was easier than anchoring.  From what I have read, this mooring field is usually full, and they encourage rafting as well.  So, one person might be on the mooring ball with up to two other boats rafted to the moored boat.  I must have hit this town at the right time, because most of the mooring balls are available. I anticipate a very peaceful night!

My mooring ball in Vero Beach

Sailboat ahead of me, on mooring ball... and sharing with a heron.

Merrill Barber Bridge to Vero Beach at Sunset from mooring field

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