Movin' on to Moore Haven

The name says it all!

At the Edison & Ford Winter Estate

Travelling 1st class and in the middled of the marina!

We  wound down our stay in Ft. Myers with a bike ride that took us to the Edison-Ford winter estate museum. The grounds were really magnificent and one can only imagine what interesting things went on here when Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were in town. We left Ft. Myers and headed east through the Okeechobee Waterway, Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie Canal and River on our way to Stuart, FL on Florida's east coast. This is a really interesting part of the trip as we proceeded through the Caloosahatchee River, some  man-made ditches and canals, Lake Okeechobee, some more man-made ditches, and finally the St. Lucie Canal and River.

Beautiful Island RR Bridge

Bavarian Cream in her 1st lock

Shy manatee in Ortona Lock

Jane's tools for locking gets rave reviews!

Yes, that is a pontoon boat for a dinghy!

Orange groves everywhere

I think I can, I think I can!

Just out of Ft. Myers we hooked up with two other boats, Odyssee with Chuck & Claria from Beaufort, SC (that's pronounced bow FORT like the weapon in SC vs. bew FORT in NC. This is apparently very important as it represents the English vs. the French pronunciations and coming from Louisiana we were corrected several times before we finally got it right!) and Cassandra Jade with Bob & Carol from Toronto, Canada. We passed up both of these boats before Odyssee radioed us and told us not to be in a hurry because the the locking at the first lock would only occur on the odd hours due to the drought conditions and low water levels. We slowed down, but arrived at the lock, first in line, and had no idea what we  were doing. After all this was our first lock. We radioed the lockmaster who also didn't provide use much useful information. We finally saw the signal light turn green and proceeded into the lock. This was the Franklin Lock and would take us up approximately 2 feet. Jane put out the fenders and took a line at bow and Capt. Larry got a line at the stern. And we held on it seemed for dear life. Locking up creates a lot of turbulence in the lock which occurs when the upside lock gates are partially opened to let the water pour in and raise the level in the lock. And being the first boat in (stupid us!) we probably got the worst of it. But we were successful and Jane was so elated that she started to toss Mardi Gras beads to the lockmaster. We found out there will always be spectators at the locks which adds to the pressure for Capt. Larry, but presents and audience for Jane and her locking tools. And on we went to the next lock, but this time we were last in (fast learners). Our second lock was the Ortona lock which took us up about 8 feet. The lock was interesting because we discovered that a manatee was going to lock through with us. We could see it in the water, but it never came to the surface to pose for a picture. We continued on finally ended the day at the Moore Haven City Dock where we spent the night.

Odyssee and Cassandra Jade at Moore Haven Dock