| Date: | Saturday, September 20, 3002 |
| Today's Route: | Ft Myers, FL to Clewiston, FL via the Okeechobee Waterway |
| Today's Mileage: | 75 |
| Total Mileage: | 1898 |
| Hours for the day: 12:00 noon to 8:00 PM | 8 Hours |
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| The WP Franklin Lock & Dam were constructed in 1965 for flood control, water control, prevention of salt-water intrusion and navigation purposes. | We are now on the 43' Hatteras, the owner's old boat. We are taking this to a brokerage in Stuart, FL on the East coast of Florida, taking the Okeechobee Waterway. There are five main locks between Ft Myers and Stuart and one additional lock at Clewiston if you are going to Roland Martin's Marina. |
| The word "Okeechobee" originates from the Seminole Indian word for "Big Water." The lake, itself, is approximately 33 miles from north to south and 30 miles from east to west, and spans over 500,000 acres. At the center of Florida's heartland, Lake Okeechobee is the largest of Florida lakes and the second largest freshwater lake within the United States. Covering 730 square miles with an average depth of ten feet, Lake Okeechobee is a tropical paradise for all outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. The lake is often noted as the "Bass Capital of the World." It provides drinking water for over 6 million people and serves as a source of irrigation for a $1.5 billion-a-year agricultural industry that produces sugar cane, winter vegetables, citrus, and rice. |  |
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| We were surprised to see a camel in these people's back yard! |
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Cattle grazing |
A railroad swing bridge. |
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Ortona Lock & Dam. 7' lift. |
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Kent, handling the lines while locking. |
