1/20/16   Wednesday      Freeport Players Annual Meeting

Transiting Lake Okeechobee today. It was a bit rough - light chop is the description from the lock keeper. Mostly it was rolling/wallowing but not too bad. The wind had subsided and there was a bit of discomfort. Standing in one place was difficult as the waves kept trying to move you over to another place.

We left out Port Mayaca neighborhood around 9:30 AM, through the lock which only changed our elevation by about 3', nothing like the St. Lucie lock which was 12'.

Mayaca Lock neighborhood

Locked in again.

David did most of the steering today. I worked on scraping varnish off the rails. I took over near the west end of the lake and inched our way through a really narrow channel with grass growing about 10' on either side of us. Depth was about 11'. Lots of water!

grass and island shallows about 10' from us, narrow channel

Help from the numbers and the birds

We ran along the dike at Clewiston for about 12miles. Weird to know that there is water on the other side of the embankment. And the water changed depth, 22' to 14', in about 30 seconds time. A little nerve wracking, t say the least. A good opportunity for a fight - snipish-ness - between David and self about whose safety instincts should be followed, mine or his. Is it because he is the man or the more experienced sailor that HIS instincts win out? I know he knows more than I. But/and my reaction is around the challenges of sexism. Sigh and on, well. We soon managed to laugh at some different nonsense.

Some mystery animal swam across the canal around the dike in front of us. A rounded head and it swam sagitally - up and down - through the water and at one point dove.  A snake? Really large, if so, or an otter? Disappeared into the water weeds.

After passing through another lock at Moore Haven we were in agriculture country. Saw some large cattle which reminded us of the Spain emblems we saw on so many hills of the bull silhouette. And then we saw a boat sailing!!! As we approached they hailed us and held up their gas can. They'd run out of fuel. We had some. So we came alongside, checking them out first to make sure (to the best of our ability) that they weren't pirates. A young man (16?) with a thin beard, and a 50-something gent. Short conversation suggested that the place they expected to refuel was now out of business. They were delivering the boat to a non-profit - Wounded Warriors or Women Warriors. I was definitely a boat in need of love, money and lots of repairs. We gave them the fuel and a handheld radio and a few prayers and sent them on their way. They only have abt 6 miles to reach their destination and they'll make it tonight but probably not with too much comfort. They seem safe, though.

We're anchoring at Big Bend, a wide spot in the canal. It is beautiful!  Quiet. Lots of barn swallows skimming the water. A flock of white egrets, about 20, flew by, their wingtips dipping lightly into the water. So beautiful. And a black heron of some sort called and called. I'd never heard them speak.

David and I had cocktails on the fore deck as the sun traded places with the almost full moon. Even Amelia joined us for a few minutes.

Our evening accommodations

And the sunset...    

I might sleep out on the deck tonight, at least start there. It will be cold again but the nearly full moon and the stars.....David and I did the "star light, star bright, first star I see tonight" poem with wishes for the first 6 or 8 stars we saw. We are so blessed. Wishing health and courage for my friend, Kelly.