PORT CHARLOTTE TO WEST PALM ANCHORAGES

[MICHAEL K]

Looking for places to anchor on my way across Lake Okeechbee.
Need night around Beautiful Island , entrance into West side of lake and around Indiantown.
Thanks for the suggestions

[scallywag]

Michael K,
The waterway is very narrow. I stayed at the Indiantown Marina. It beat trying to find a safe place with the barges traveling the waterway. There is a State Park on the west side of the Lake. The locks on the lake have are not open 24 hours a day. In fact most of the marinas close around 5 p.m. The St. Augustine City Marina is open 24 hours a day. I was shocked that I did not find that on my trip from St. Pete to St. Aug. Also, if you are traveling by s/v hopefully your stick will not be to high for the bridge on the east side. You might also want to check the depth of the Lake due to low water the past few years.
John

[Les Bechdel]

I was at the Indiantown Marina in November and they said the lake was back up due to the recent rains. One of their staff helps boats get under the low bridge for about $125 (I think). They have barrels and pump water into them to cause your boat to heel. I think the bridge clearance is about 50 feet. I have seen boats anchored around Indiantown along shore with bow and stern anchors to keep out of the main channel. There is a park on the west side of the lock closer to Stuart. It has only a few slips however. Once can also anchor on either side of that lock because the canal is wider there. Cheers!

[nautical62]

I've anchored in the waterway near Indiantown a couple times with bow and stern anchor out and never had any problems. Each time it was just of the night when traffic was low.

Another option to look into is the docks at the St. Lucie Lock Park.

[Wmiii]

We took our IP-37 across the Waterway in 2006. We stayed at the Glades, Roland Martins in Clewiston, and then in Stuart. The Railroad bridge is supposed to be 49'. I think there is a FREE dock in Labelle, but didn't look good when we were there. Also a FREE dock in Moore Haven. (I'm basing this on memory) The Waterway is pretty much straight and narrow. It's possible, I suppose, to pull over to one side and put 2 anchors out fore and aft and be OK.

Wm Mayberry
OPTIMYSTIQUE
IP 37-30