Tuesday 3/6/12.        The wind picked up around 8:00A and really moved us around in the slip.  The fenders groaned as we were pushed back and forth against the dock.  Walking around inside the boat kept you on your toes, as every once in a while there would be quite a jolt. 

Despite the winds the yard crew was busy hauling boats out of the water.  There are a lot of snowbirds getting ready to head north.  The  dock  close to us was full of sailboats yesterday and it is empty today.

On Feb.29 we heard that Davy Jones, member of the 1960s pop group “The Monkeys” died in Martin County, FL.  Today as I was researching a bit about the area I found out Davy lived here in Indiantown.  Apparently he had a heart attack at his home in Indiantown, and died at the Martin County Hospital in Stuart.  He was best known for his singing of the hit songs "Daydream Believer," "Last Train to Clarksville" and "I'm a Believer".

The weatherman said we had four hours of sustained wind of 30 MPH.  We spent the day riding bikes and playing Rummikub.

Monday 3/5/12.         With the cold front moving through yesterday, this morning was a bit crisp with the temp around 50°.  The sky was clear and the breeze was light.  It seemed like the perfect day to get underway. But the high winds will be back tomorrow so it’s best to stay put.

We needed to go to the post office so we got the bikes out and took a ride to the edge of Indiantown.  The marina is less than a mile from town.   Back in the early 1960s Indiantown Marina was opened with a parade leading from downtown.  For years it was the center of activity for family outings and community events.  That may explain why S.W. Famel Ave. is a two lane boulevard, from town to what is now the parking lot.

 

On the way back from the post office we road right by this turkey walking by the side of the street.  It calmly walked up into the front yard of a home.

The night sky will be lit up with a 90% full Moon and not a cloud to be seen.

Sunday 3/4/12.  The morning started with heavy dark clouds signaling the arrival of the cold front. Soon the wind picked up and the rain came.  It was like being in a drive-thru car wash. It was comforting to know we were tied up in our slip. Yesterday the temps were in the upper 80°s and today won’t make it to 65°.

Meet Billy Owens. 

Billy is the owner of “Ole Dixie” the boat in the next slip.  She was built in 1984 in South Carolina.  The original owner was having a shrimp boat built and decided to have a live-aboard boat built on the same haul design.  The cabin is longer than a shrimper since there was no rigging for working the nets and drags.  To compensate for the lighter weight there is concrete poured into sections of the hull for ballast.  Billy bought her in Alabama and has taken her all over south Florida and the Keys fishing.

Billy has an unusual business. Along with owning a machine shop in Indiantown, he tips sailboats. (Don’t confuse this with cow tipping.) There is a railroad lift bridge across the St Lucie Canal near the Port Mayaca Lock.  It only has a clearance of 49 feet with the lift up.  Many cruising sailboats measure 50 to 60 feet to the top of the mast.  By attaching barrels on the side of a sailboat, then fillng them with water, it tips the boat to one side lowering the height of the mast above the water, allowing it to go through the bridge.  This allows the sailboat to go across the Okeechobee Waterway saving a 350 mile trip around south Florida.

By 2:00P the sky was clearing and the wind continued to blow.  There was a definite chill in the air.  Tomorrow the winds, during the day, are forecast only 10-15 but gusting to 25 in the evening.  Then wind gusts as high as 30 through Thursday evening.  I think we’ll stay put for now.

Since we couldn’t receive Fox TV and watch the race we played games.  As evening arrived it was cool enough to cook on the stove.  Linda decided it was a good evening for a big pot of spaghetti; I concur…Yum.

Saturday 3/3/12.       Checking the weather yesterday, we noticed that there are 15-20 MPH winds with gusts to 25 and even 30 forecasted for the next week.  I called Indiantown Marina just before they closed and reserved their last slip. 

We were underway by 7:30A and headed east on the St. Lucie Canal.  The canal has the feeling you are in the middle of nowhere but there is a highway on the south side hidden by the bluff created by the spoils from digging the canal.  We arrived at Indiantown before 9:00.  As Linda was on the radio getting directions to the slip, I had to deviate around a gator who decided to swim across the canal right at the marina entrance.

Soon we were tied up snug in our slip next to an old fishing boat named “Ole Dixie”. Ole Dixie is an appropriate name as I imagine she has seen a lot of water flow under her keel.  Every four minutes her bilge pump comes on for about thirty seconds, and drains the water that has leaked through her wooden hull.   I would guess she leaks about a gallon per minute.  We were not in our slip 15 minutes until the breeze picked up.  It would have presented quite a challenge to get into the tight space.  We got here just at the right time.

This is an older marina but it is well kept and a melting pot of sailors and power boaters. There are a lot of Canadians, some Englanders, one couple from North Wales and one from Finland. There are others that I think are Italian.  You almost feel like you need to have a foreign accent to be here.  But everyone is friendly.   Sue, from North Wales, has invited us to an impromptu cook-out tomorrow afternoon.

We spent the day relaxing in the breeze and playing Rummikub at the table. 

Indiantown Marina: N 27° 00.553             W 080° 27.999

Friday 3/2/12

This morning Linda mentioned how you don’t have the quiet and serene evenings  when you’re tied up in a marina like you do when cruising. We were pretty tired and were already in bed by 9:00P last night.   There was a light fog this morning but we were underway by 8:30A.  I noticed Mr. Alligator was patrolling his domain earlier this morning but was nowhere to be seen as we passed by.

I believe Linda likes the Caloosahatchee River the best of any water we cruised on so far. We only passed three cruisers on the River.  For the most part we had it all to ourselves.

We made Moore Haven Lock by 11:30 and were traveling along the southern rim canal of Lake Okeechobee and came upon a construction sign.  That was a first for us.  It appears they are building a coffer dam to do some kind of work along the shoreline. There was quite a bit of activity along the levy.  There are numerous sites where they are building up along the ridge road even though there isn’t any noticeable erosion.

 

 

At 12:30 we left the canal and turned north into the channel going into the open waters of Lake Okeechobee.  The lake was rather calm with waves less than one foot and the ride was a gentle sway. 

Linda was at the helm for most of the crossing and I went out on the front deck and enjoyed the breeze.

The water level of Lake Okeechobee and the St Lucie Canal is the same right now so when we arrived at Port Mayaca Lock only the gates on the lake side was closed. When Linda called the Lockmaster he said the gate will be open by the time we arrive and to continue straight through. 

Just past the lock is a set of dolphins to tie up to for the night.  But this time we had company.  There were two Army Corps of Engineers tugboats and a barge. 

After we got tied up and settled in I realized we had more company.  Just off the starboard bow along the shoreline was another alligator.  He looked to be about the same size as the one yesterday; about five feet.  He stayed in that position for over an hour.  I thought he left but noticed it had turned straight towards us!  But he just laid there.

Tonight won’t be as quiet since we are tied up about 200 yards from a busy bridge.  Still it will be nice when the traffic dies down this evening.

Total cruising boats past, 6.  Three were on the Caloosahatchee and three on Lake Okeechobee.

Total alligators sighted 7.

Port Mayaca dolphins:        N 26° 59.172             W 080° 36.860

 PS:

Just as I was finishing the blog, the alligator swam right in front of the boat headed to the other side of the canal.  I was so excited I almost peed myself!  Hey…I haven’t been around alligators in the wild for 33 years!

Thursday 3/1/12.      Going way back to November, while we were cruising south on Chesapeake Bay, Linda’s Dad has been saying it's time to for us to make a U-turn. Well Dale, it finally happened and today is the day.

After everything on the checklist was completed, except for taking on fuel, we left the slip for the fuel dock.  Dean gave us a hand with the lines and made sure we were shipshape.  In the office, Denise was adding up the damages for our stay.  Leif, the Dock Master, was busy with a customer so we didn’t have a chance to say good bye to him.  Everybody, and I wish I could list all the names, (but I’d probably forget some) at the Yacht Basin was great to deal with.  They have a friendly staff that has a way of making you feel at home.  We were underway from the Fort Myers Yacht Basin at 10:45A. 

 

We locked through the Franklin Lock, near Alva, with a sailboat from England. We didn’t have a chance to ask it they sailed it over or shipped it over.  Either way they’re a long way from home.

When we reached the swing bridge at Ft. Denaud, it was under repair.  It appeared they were working on the electrical panel that opens the span.  The bridge tender asked the workers, how long until they could open the bridge and the answer was 15 to 20 minutes.  Sure enough in just over 20 minutes we cleared the span and continued on our way.  The workers apologized for the delay as we passed through but we told them we’re in no hurry.  Linda thanked them and shouted back, “I hope you can get it closed or you will be stuck in the middle of the river.”  The one worker yelled, “Don’t worry we’ll get ‘er closed.”

Every once in a while we would catch the sweet aroma of a blooming Gardenia bush.  We had one in our front yard years ago.  It’s such a sweet and pleasant scent.

We decided to lock through at Ortona Lock and tie up at the dolphins we used on the way down. 

Shortly after we had everything secured I spotted an alligator in the river about 50 yards from the boat.  It looked to be about five feet long.  I grabbed the video camera and in my excitement I didn’t hit the record button.  But I did get a rough picture when it was nearly 100 yards away.

Just after sundown we heard a Whippoorwill back in the bushes.  It is dead calm, the crickets and other night creatures are singing us  a chorus as a half-moon lights up the sky.

Franklin Lock:           N 26° 43.364             W 081° 41.587

Ft Denaud:     N 26° 44.688             W 081° 30.620
Ortona Lock:  N 26° 37.331             W 081° 18.248

Wednesday 2/29/12.         

Check List:

Laundry                    aDone
Provisions                aBought and Stowed
Bimini                       aSecured
Dinghy Motor           aStowed
Dinghy                      aStowed
Fresh Water             aFilled
Engine Room           aCleaned and Checked
Engine Run-up         aCompleted
Fenders                     aSecured
Decks                        aCleaned and Cleared
Generator                  aFueled and Checked    

One by one the items are being checked off for tomorrow’s departure.

Items deferred until tomorrow:

Head                          Pump Out
Water                         Disconnected
Electric                      Disconnected
Fuel                           Tanks Filled
Anchor Light             Raised

As the monkey said when the turtle bit his tail… “It won’t be long now”!

Casey and Barb brought subs for dinner and we played games throughout the evening.  It was hard to say good bye, but knowing they have a trip north planned in May, and will be visiting with us, made it easier.  Leaving here is kind of a bitter-sweet emotion.  We hate to leave, but will be glad to see family and friends when we get home.