February 7, 2007

Today Shorty and I split from Roland and Mary Ann Martins Marina this morning just as the sun was about to come up. I had kind of a restless night, I guess I am still not quite used to getting up and then turning the key and we are ready to go. I woke early enough that I had time to make me a cheese sandwich cooked in my fry pan for breakfast. I am not usually hungry on days when we move because there are too many things to think about. When we went through the lock at Clewiston there sat Lake Okeechobee in all her beautiful glory just waiting for us to wake her up. As we cruised down the channel toward the open lake it was just a gorgeous morning. The pelicans sitting on the channel shore looked like you could just reach over and pet them. Then we got to the final marker in the channel and there was a lake before me where you couldn’t hardly see the horizon. And in the early morning sun it was that golden color where the sun hit it and a deep blue in front of me and just muddy and ice tea colored behind Shorty. At the last marker there was about a foot and a half of chop running on the lake, just beginning to whitecap here and there. I let Shorty have his head and we sped up until we were on plane but not pounding in the waves which was at 13-14 knots. We had twenty-five miles of open water ahead and it was just a wonderful run with everything just working perfectly. I knew that the Honda wanted to run and this morning we did and was fun to see the spray glisten in the sunlight. Well it did not take long to run 25 miles and here comes the dreaded lock after so much fun. Well, when we rounded the corner, guess what? The lock gates were open both directions. Shorty and I breathed a sigh of relief and just skated right on through at idle. When we passed the lock we were now in the St. Lucie Canal headed for the Atlantic side of Florida. I had made arrangements to spend the night at Indian Town at the Indiantown Marina. Shorty and I arrived at 11 AM after a wonderful ride down 12 miles of canal enjoying all the sights and sounds at 8 knots. I could easily have made Stuart today but I enjoy just poking around to see what is there. There were a couple of boats anchored in the canal on the way and people working on irrigation systems and you could see some fruit orchards occasionally. I wish I had time to look at a bird book when I am going along as I see so many varieties of birds.

I am afraid that Indiantown Marina would rate a two in my book. I am tied up to a dock that is even with Shorty’s rooftop and I have to go forward and climb on the roof to get to the dock. The dock is very shaky and worm eaten. But at the same time it is a very unique place. I am going to get out and do a walkabout this afternoon when it gets a little cooler. I started out in long pants this morning and am back in shorts now. I have fruit flies on my screens who seem to be at the breeding stage. I hope they stay outside for now. There have been a couple more boats come in and two leave and they have a big boatyard with all varieties from derelicts to new boats being worked on. I plan on leaving in the morning for Stuart and the Intracoastal Waterway on the east side of Florida. I will have to go through the St. Lucie Lock tomorrow for that to happen. I figure might as well do it as quick as I can and get it over with. Maybe the lockmaster won’t get on my case to bad if I do it fairly early in the day. There does not seem to be much waterway traffic today going eastbound and so far I could count on one hand those going westbound.

The chartplotters log reached 193 miles today but sure seems like we have come further than that. If it is true then I only have 9800 miles to go.