Getting out of work at 9:30 on a Friday night was a relief. I knew the potential for trauma cases to start pouring in could start anytime. My colleague Dr. Ponnuru, was more than capable of handling the volume and I smiled when he released me to go home. A few more items to pack in my one carry on bag, a quick snack, a half of a sleeping pill (even though exhausted from working since 7 am, I knew I was too excited to sleep) and off to bed.
My eyes snapped open as the morning sun glared in through the bedroom window. Damn it! I paid an extra $150 to fly out of Port Arthur Airport since it was free parking for the month but if I didn't get a move on I would miss the plane altogether and it would cost me to try and drive to Houston to catch the connector to Fort Myers. To anyone standing on the street the Volvo was just a blur that blew past. I made it on time.
Beth had been working on the boat for two weeks. She cleaned inside and out,washed and ironed all the drapes, washed all the bedding and tried to hang screen doors.On top of that she started provisioning the boat with food and drink. She was busy every day for two weeks, tired and not done...it took another two full days before we felt we were ready for this part of the adventure. Fortunately Jennifer brought Cameron over and he was immediately appointed "Swabby" given a mop and pointed towards the upper deck. Even though he moaned a little about his arm being tired from the swabbing the upper helm and deck, he did a good job. He declined when the boat next to us offered to let him do their boat as well!
Jennifer and Cameron We finished fueling up the boat at 3:30 on Monday and given the winds were 15 to 20 knots decided to stick our nose out into the Gulf and take a look. If it was too rough we would turn around and anchor in a cove just inside Gordon's Pass. If within our tolerance we would go to Fort Myers.
Leaving our Naples home. 
Our last Gulf sunset on DocsHoliday until the fall. A warm south breeze pushed us over rolling waves and Caribbean blue water all the way to the Caloosahatchee river and by dusk we were anchored in a scenic well protected cove and cracking open a frosty cold ale. Not a bad start to this portion of the adventure.
As I was plotting the course at 6:30 the next morning I heard engines fire up and watched as the motor yacht "Sanctuary" pulled slowly by. Remembering that this boat was anchored behind us at Cayo Costa Park and seeing a Canadian Flag on the stern, I jumped up and hailed them on the VHF. Yes, they were from Toronto, had been cruising for 25 years and would be happy to let us tail along behind them through the locks and across Lake Okeechobee. "GET UP BETH!" I yelled down to the aft stateroom. "WE'RE LEAVING!"
It was a beautiful spring day with temps in the 80's and no humidity during the day,and temps in the 60's at night...meaning no air conditioning and a Happy Admiral! As we followed Sanctuary several other motor yachts pulled out from different marinas along the river and fell into line behind us. Apparently we wouldn't be the only ones trying to cross the lake, but of the 5 that entered the first lock with us, only two would cross the lake..Doc's Holiday and Sanctuary. Two pulled off at marinas and the 3rd , a couple from Minnesota doing the loop, we're heard calling on the VHF for Sea Tow...they said they "blew a motor!" I hope it wasn't because they were trying to keep up with us.
Sanctuary in the WP Franklin Lock. We were much more comfortable doing the locks since we met the challenge of the locks in New Orleans but the the second lock we went through was difficult.. As the doors opened to raise us 13 feet we held the lines tight. The boat on the wall across from us however, had difficulty. The girl holding the stern line couldn't overpower the surge of water coming in through the lock doors and the back of the boat began to flounder and swing wide. It was eventually controlled with help from other crew. Whew! We breathed a sigh of relief when we finally exited the lock. I guess the old adage is true "try as you may...shit happens!"
The last lock pushed us out into a canal beside the lake where we anchored for the night. Later Mike and Valli Scheuring owned by the trawler "Sanctuary" dingied over to join us in a bottle of wine and meet the "newbie cruisers" who had been tailing them across the river.
Sunrise at Moore Haven Canal AnchorageWhat a delightful and interesting couple. Mike who bears an uncanny resemblance to my brother in law Danny Kennedy thrilled us with interesting places we should visit such as Eleuthra in the Bahamas and Cumberland Island in Georgia. His wife Valli agreed that the thing they like to do best was anchor out, hike the island trails, and enjoy the solitude of the natural surroundings. This they have been doing full time for over 10 years. Mike was once head of the Marketing Board in Toronto, Ontario working 18 hours a day until he eventually had a heart attack. Deciding enough is enough, now he and Valli are completely enjoying taking their boat up and down the east coast and to the Caribbean. They are a wealth of information not only about touring but about boating and safety in general. They certainly helped us with getting to the east coast of Florida. Thank you Mike and Valli and may you both have many more years of doing what you love most....cruising in Sanctuary.
Mike and Valli on Sanctuary The Okeechobee Waterway is rich in wildlife. My good friends Chuck and Kelsey Mason, avid fishermen would be ecstatic to see the number of fish rolling and jumping along the waterway. In several areas the water was "boiling" with fish. They were even trapped in the locks but I didn't have enough time to get a line wet and try and snag one. Numerous birds including owls, hawks and vultures sat in the trees shrouded by the morning mist, watching Doc's Holiday glide by. Eeerie! and gave me a strange sense of foreboding. Maybe it was a forewarning for what was about to happen.
We entered the lake at an idle. It was well advertise that this area of the lake was shallow. Almost immediately we came across a 35 foot boat hard aground with two locals waiting for someone to come help them get floated. I swear I stayed directly behind Sanctuary...but they didn't hit bottom....and we did! ..and in the channel! I see a reworking of our props in our future.
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