Fort Myers, Caloosahatchie River, Lake Okeechobee

After a perfect night at Useppa Island, we had a nice trip down around Pine Island to to Ft. Myers and the beginnings of the Caloosahatchie River System. We must have picked up some grass along the way as the port engine began running hot and a quick check revealed some of it in the raw water strainer. A nice job to do while in Ft. Myers! 

After hearing so many good things about Legacy Harbor Marina from Tom Conrad at the AGLCA Rendezvous, we stopped there for a few days. Enjoyed "Omelettes in a Bag" for breakfast, a recipe I discovered on boatgalley.com.  A dip in the pool at Legacy was especially nice in the 95 degree afternoon heat. Met our friend Gerry for a yummy sushi dinner!

"Omelettes in a Bag"!!!

   
                     

Gerry & Kathrin

                                                                 

                                                                        

Departed Ft Myers on Thursday bound for Roland Martins Fish Camp at Clewiston, Fl. A 10 hour day with delays at the locks made for a very tired crew, the last couple hours watching some very close by thunderstorms. The lock crews are very patient and helpful! Since Lake Okeechobee is higher than either the Gulf side or the Atlantic side, the locks take you from the rivers up to the lake and back down leaving the lake. (a change in water level of about 17 feet). Built in 1937 the Okeechobee Waterway Lock System is an amazing and fun experience! 

"First Mate" ready for a new day's adventure.

                                        

Locks

                          

Iguana at Roland Martin Fish Camp - Clewiston

                                                                                                                                                    

Having arrived at Clewiston hot and tired, we were sooo ready to get off the water. We showered, had some wine and went to sleep... never minded that we skipped dinner. Next morning topped off with fuel and headed out to make the East Coast. Another long day of 8 hours took us to Stuart, FL at the Loggerhead Marina with our new friends, Joe, Donna, Larry and Linda on "Daddy's Money", a 57' Nordhavn.

We just made it in and tied up when the lightning started and the storms rolled in. With our grill protected on the stern, we cooked up two of the best cheeseburgers ever with sweet corn on the cob while it rained harder and harder. No worries - we were just fine. We'll wait out the weather for one more day and then head up the Atlantic ICW northbound for the first time.