Not to be missed if any opportunity to transit it presents, the Okeechobee Waterway is a 150- mile shortcut from St Lucie (just south of the Ft Pierce inlet) on the Atlantic to Ft Myers on the Gulf of Mexico. From the east, 40 miles of mostly canal connect two locks that lift you up to Lake Okeechobee, our largest inland lake, which is nowhere much over 8 ft deep.
Two routes across Lake O pass 40 miles over open water or else 50 miles along the shore. Then, on the west side, 15 more miles of canal take you through three more locks to a 75-mile run down the Calusahatchee River. On both sides of Lake O, water depth is controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers (863-983-8101). Check with the waterway.
The best stopping points on this 2-night passage are almost anywhere on Lake O, wind and waves permitting, or the long bulkhead just west of Moore Haven Lock. Dolphins marked on the chart, mostly near locks, will do in a pinch but they are nasty. Less suitable anchorages have been reported at miles 2, 4.5, 8, 11.5, 13, 77.5, 120, 120.5, 121, 122, 123.5, 124 and 135.
The table lists the hailing names of opening bridges, locks, and marinas, in sequence from east to west, along with the mile mark and telephone number for locks.
St Lucie Lock (15.1) 772-287-2665 Arundel Bridge Highway 710 bridge and RR swing bridge RR lift bridge Highway 441 bridge Port Mayaca Lock (38.8) 561-924-2858 Moore Haven Lock (77.8) 863-946-0414 Moore Haven city docks (78) 863-946-0711 RR swing bridge and Highway 27 bridge Ortona Lock (93.3) 863-675-0616 Highway 29 drawbridge 863-674-4663 Ft Denard swing bridge 863-675-2055 Alva drawbridge at Highway 873 239-728-2704 W.P. Franklin Lock (121.2) 239-694-5451 Pinkum bridge (126) 239-694-2941
Rules
forAlways get permission before approaching a lock, even if both doors locking are open. Sound two long and two short on the horn if the lock master does not reply on channel 13. Wait for a green light or permission to enter, then come up at slowest
for locking speed. The lock master will say which side to tie off on. Notify them if you are singlehanded. Tie or grab first a line at the windward end of the boat, lest the wind spin you sideways inside the lock. Do not cleat off the line when dropping down; instead, take a turn and hold it. When rising up, use the inrush of current to fend you off the side of the lock. No smoking, no open flame, keep hands and legs inside the boat. Wait for the gates to open fully before dropping the lines and then exit the lock at slowest speed. Watch out for manatees. Tipping under a bridge There is a 50-ft fixed railroad bridge near mile 40. Captain Billy out of Indiantown Marina (mile 29.5 at 772- 597-2455) can tip you under at a cost of maybe $200 plus half a day. He does this by lashing plastic 60-gal drums to the stanchions and lifelines along one side, pumping them full of water, and towing the heeled craft under the bridge, where he then pops plugs to drain the barrels. It’s a neat trick.