Okeechobee Waterway
From CruisersWiki
The Okeechobee Waterway
After two devastating hurricanes in 1927 and 1928, the Florida State Legislature created the "Okeechobee Flood Control District". The organization was authorized to cooperate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in actions to prevent similar disasters. The Okeechobee Waterway is the result. Lake Okeechobee is enclosed by a 20-foot (6 m) high dike built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (which replaced an earlier 6-foot mud dike) and incorporated the construction of channels, gates and levees resulting in a man-made waterway stretching from Fort Myers on the west coast, across (or around) Lake Okeechobee, to Stuart on the east coast of Florida. The waterway runs through Lake Okeechobee and consists of the Caloosahatchee River to the west of the lake and the St. Lucie Canal east of the lake.
The Port Mayaca RR Lift Bridge at Mile 38 has a 49-foot vertical clearance when open, which is thus the limiting vertical clearance for the waterway. Additionally, droughts periodically lower the water level of the lake sufficiently enough to limit its navigability. The US Army Corps of Engineers provides a daily update of water levels for both the cross-lake channel as well as the rim channel.
Charts
- NOAA Charts
- No 11428 - Okeechobee Waterway from Mile Marker 0.0 in Stuart, FL to approximately nautical mile 119.5, just west of Ft. Myers.
- No 11427 - From Ft. Myers to the Okeechobee Waterway’s intersection with the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway just north of Punta Rassa.
Weather
Local weather conditions?
Sources for Weather forecasts:
Locks and Bridges Schedule
| |||||
| | | | | |
| Evans Carey | | Fixed Bridge | -- | |
| New Roosevelt Bridge | | Fixed Bridge | -- | |
| Fl East Coast RR Bascule Bridge | Usually open | Closed for RR Traffic | ||
| Old Roosevelt Bascule Bridge | Opens on demand. Closed M-F 0730-0900 & 1600-1730 except openings at 0815 & 1645. Only opens if RR bridge is open. | 09 | ||
| Palm City Bridge | Fixed Bridge | -- | ||
| I-95 Twin Bridges | Fixed Bridge | -- | ||
| Thomas B. Manual Bridge | Fixed Bridge | -- | ||
| St. Lucie Lock | On Demand | Closed from 2130-0600 | 13 | |
| SR-76 Bridge | Fixed Bridge | -- | ||
| Indiantown Bridge | Fixed Bridge | -- | ||
| Indiantown RR Bridge | On Demand | Closed from 2200-0600 except with 3 hrs. notice | 09 | |
| Port Mayaca RR Lift Bridge | Usually Open | 49’ Open (Limiting Vertical Clearance for Waterway) | 09 | |
| Port Mayaca Highway Bridge | Fixed Bridge | -- | ||
| Port Mayaca Lock | On Demand | Closed from 2130-0600 | 13 | |
| Torry Island Swing Bridge | Opens on demand 0700-1800 Mon-Thurs. and 0700-1900 Fri., Sat., Sunday | Closed at all other times (Rim Route) | 09 | |
| Moore Haven Lock | On Demand | Closed from 2130-0600 | 13 | |
| Moore Haven RR Swing Bridge | Usually Open | Closed from 2200-0600 | 09 | |
| Moore Haven Highway Bridge | Fixed Bridge | -- | ||
| Ortona Lock | On Demand | Closed from 2130-0600 | 13 | |
| La Belle Bascule Bridge | Opens on demand | Closed from 2200-0600 except with 3 hrs. notice | 09 | |
| Fort Denaud Swing Bridge | Opens on demand | Closed from 2200-0600 except with 3 hrs. notice | 09 | |
| Alva Bascule Bridge | Opens on demand | Closed from 2200-0600 except with 3 hrs. notice | 09 | |
| W.P. Franklin Lock | On Demand | Closed from 2130-0600 | 13 | |
| Olga Highway Bascule Bridge | Opens on demand | Closed from 2200-0600 except with 3 hrs. notice | 09 | |
| I-75 Twin Bridges | Fixed Bridge | -- | ||
| SCL RR Lift Bridge | Usually Open | Closed for RR Traffic | 09 | |
| Edison Twin Bridges | Fixed Bridge | -- | ||
| Highway 41 Bridge | Fixed Bridge | -- | ||
| Midpoint Memorial Bridge | Fixed Bridge | -- | ||
| Cape Coral Bridge | Fixed Bridge | -- | ||
| Sanibel Causeway Bridge | Fixed Bridge | -- |
Ports/Stops along the Okeechobee Waterway
Marinas & Yacht Clubs en-route
Anchorages en-route
Yacht Repairs and Services
Marine Stores
Repairs/Yards
Fuel, Water, & Electricity
Tourism and Things to do Ashore
Tourism
See each Port/Stop above.
Transportation
Transportation (local and/or international)
See each Port/Stop above.
Friends
Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.
Forums
List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)
Links
Links to relevant websites.
References
Publications, Guides, etc.
Comments
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Last Visited & Details Checked (and updated here)
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Names: JerryS |