Okeechobee transit?

[Tim Dalton]

Has anyone transited the Okeechobee waterway with a Hunter 33? Does anyone know if it is possible? I've got a shoal draft 33 that I want to bring from the west coast over to the east throught the waterway but do not know if it is possible.

 

[Jon Bastien]

I was planning on making this trip...

...earlier this year on an H25. Unfortunately, I've discarded most of the information I was collecting after I found out I would not be able to go. The two main concerns for transiting the waterway are the controlling depth of the lake (6 feet in Sept 2001), and mast height (there is a bridge at Port Mayaca with a vertical clearance of 49 feet). The water levels of the lake rise and fall depending on how much rain the region receives during the year. The water levels were below normal until September, when the lake was re-filled by a conveniently passing hurricane... Since the levels have risen back to normal, the SW Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) has suspended the opening restrictions on the locks in the waterway- They should now open on demand. You can get a lot of info from the SWFWMD's web pages and the US Army Corps of Engineers' pages- A search for "Okeechobee Waterway" in Yahoo will yield LOTS of potentially useful pages. I'd also recommend picking up a good cruising guide for the waterway- There are several available.Good luck, and enjoy the trip!--Jon BastienH25 'Adagio'

 

[Roger Mummah]

I Have Some Stuff For Your

Hi Tim, We live in SE Florida, but we planned for the Okeechobee WW crossing a while back. I made up a spreadsheet that covers the trip and I could email it directly to you. I think I made one that goes east to west and one that goes west to east. I can also recommend the books and charts you might want to get. I drove to Indiantown one day to look at the 49' Port Mayaca Bridge. It is an ugly horizontal lifting RR bridge. What is your mast height above the water? When do you plan to make this trip. You, or anyone interested can email me for whatever stuff I can recover. We can also help you with info on what you can expect when you come out on the east side at Stuart, FL. Roger and Susie Mummah, s/v Endless Summer (Hunter 31) remummah@worldnet.att.net

 

[Ed Tamara]

Indiantown Marina

Call Indiantown Marina, they have all of the information about the highest mast that can go under that bridge, what they do is put onboard some 55 gallon drums and they fill them with water so the boat lists to one side, then they pull the mast from the side and as the boat is sideways can go under the bridge, they have all the experience on the world, I think the max is 53 feet (not sure) as for the depth it is over 6 feet all the way accross.Indiantown Marina Indiantown Florida

 

[Ed Schenck]

What is best time?

Are some months better than others? Obviously the summer months are too hot but what about insect seasons or storms? Want to make that trip someday.

 

[steven f.]

yes you can

We've made the trip with no difficulties. The only issue recently has been the water levels, I understand they have rebounded to an acceptable level after this summers rains. The trip is a great one but be warned, the lake can be a deceiving place. In the summer it is calm but the PM storms come up FAST!!!! One of the worst storms we've ever sailed was on that lake. The shallow water and sudden severe T-storms make it a place to use due caution. There is a small alligator hole just west of the RR bridge that we anchored in for the night before heading farther west across the lake. You'll find several tight anchorages along the route, just use your instincts. We made the trip with no nights at any marina. Have fun, this is a part of Florida few take the time to enjoy.