Tag: St. Lucie Lock

Okeechobee my Lochloosa

The next morning we were underway at 6:42AM and I was snapping photos as we went.

  • Sun’s Up and so are we
  • Boat House
  • Home
  • St. Lucie River
  • Marine Travel Lift with a Tug
  • Old Bridge
  • Tight Squeeze
  • Humble Abode

There are many locks on the trip to Lake O. Below is a clip as we lock-through at the St. Lucie Lock & Dam.

As soon as you pass through the Port Mayaca lock you enter into Lake Okeechobee. I thought about anchoring on the eastern shore of Lake O for the night. I did the math and figured we could cross the lake (22NM) and make it the 33NM to the dolphins just outside the Moore Haven Lock. Moore Haven lock closes at 5PM and all vessels must arrive by 4:30PM to be allowed to enter the lock.

Just through Port Mayaca lock and into Lake O – 22NM crossing and another 11NM of canal before our tie up location in front of Moore Haven lock.

There was a fire in the distance and the winds where carrying ash in the wind and raining it down on the decks of MV Simple Life. We had to be careful not to track the ash inside and stain the carpets.

Osprey are everywhere on Lake O. Seems like every piling has it’s own Osprey.

There is a concrete cylinder in Lake O that I could only guess at what it’s function is or was?

Birds covering this concrete structure

You must be careful to stay in the channel in Lake O as it can get shallow.

Under 8′ Deep

The trees and vegetation in Lake O is photo-worthy.

Gators be a lounging in what’s left of the sun…

Florida Gators

This dude was out riding in his air boat with his black lab by his side.

Black Lab Airboat Ride

There is a special feeling that Lake Okeechobee bestows upon me. It’s hard to explain but we all have places that we go to just feel like the world is right. I’ve been listening to the blues lately. More specifically, JJ Grey and the Mofros. The tune “Lochloosa” sums it up.

Where is that place you go to recharge your soul?
Homesick but it's alright
Lochloosa is on my mind
She's on my mind

I swear it's ten thousand degrees in the shade
Lord have mercy knows - how much I love it

Every mosquito every rattlesnake
Every cane break – everything

Every alligator every black water swamp
Every freshwater spring – everything

All we need is one more damn developer
Tearing her heart out

All we need is one more Mickey Mouse
Another golf course another country club
Another gated community

Lord I need her
Lord I need her
And she's slipping away

If my grandfather could see her now
He'd lay down and die

Cause every minute every second every hour
Every day - Lord she's slipping away

Homesick but it's alright
Lochloosa is on my mind
She's on my mind

The sun was getting low and it was creating a mirror on the lake.

I walked out on the bow while underway to attempt to capture just how dreamlike this crossing can get when the sun is low and the water still.

Fantasy on Lake O

We had finally arrived at Moore Haven lock and it was closed for the night. We were stuck in Lake O for the night so I decided to tie to the dolphins for the night. A dolphin is a piling that is supported by many other pilings. You often find large ships laying up against them or tied to them. Tonight I would have to pull the bow up close to one of them to get a line on it. Then I’d have to let that bowline out as I backdown on the piling to my stern. Once I get a line of the piling behind me I would adjust the two lines so MV Simple Life would sit evenly between the two dolphins for the night.

  • Dolphin off the Bow
  • Dolphin off the stern
  • Shore is close but it’s still 11′ deep

In the morning we awoke to fog on Lake O.

Fog on Lake O

Lake O, I’ll be Baaaaccckkkk!