• 45NorthAmericas Great LoopTraveler
    Heading out from Clewiston through a shallow channel, with the lake up ahead1Out onto the lake. We'll see mostly 10-13 ft of water across the lake.A ragtag of shags. Probably all ratbags and scallywags..."Voyager" follows us across the lake1"Let the canefields burn", sang Graeme Connors in his song, written in 20001The snakes and rats'll be running for their lives... into the adjacent canefield.We arrive at the Port Mayaca LockThe Port Mayaca Lock is wide open for us to go straight throughThe short-line South Central Florida Express railroad crosses hereBoats, whose owners are not planning to use them for a while, are wrappedLarge motor yachts are undergoing maintenance and/or repairThe railroad swingbridge at Indiantown is ahead; the US-710 bridge is beyondWas this a tug hospital or a tug graveyard? I wasn't sure...1I got suckered by the most simple of jokes here...US-441 overhead, and just under 39 miles to go and it'll be all over, red rover!1They've secured us, and now the Burr Yacht Sales group pose with us1This chain is great for steak or ribs. But eating desert first is a new concept to we Aussies1Blooming heck! It's a Blooming Onion...

    Day 45: Clewiston to Stuart

    November 17 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Today, we cast off at 0800 and head out across Lake Okeechobee; destination the Burr Yacht Sales Marina at Stuart. I'm getting awfully close to CROSSING MY WAKE!! 🤪. Tonight we will eat heartily at The Outback Steakhouse in Stuart (a brasserie well-known to some of my brethren), as Preston celebrates the completion of another successful annual transmigration from south to north and back again... and for the first time with one charter customer for the entire round trip. He has generously permitted us to celebrate with him, on his nickel. I may order some expensive wine.

    We have a dream trip in dream Florida weather. Leaving Clewiston, the Lock is open and we sail straight out (as we sailed straight in yesterday). After a cruisey 2¾-hr runaway cross Lake Okeechobee [say 'Oak-a-chobee], we find the Port Mayaca Lock wide open, both ends, and we sail straight through that as well.

    What then follows is a pleasant jaunt along the St. Lucie Canal, beneath a few highway bridges and through two railroad swingers that are open for us. Preston knew they would be, anyway, as he's intimately and industrially familiar with the railroad timetables around here. We wave at vessels passing us and we gaze at the riverside lifestyles, once again revealed to us.

    Gradually, the vista changes to become decidedly outer-suburban until we encounter the St Lucie Lock. This is the last of 75 locks we negotiate on the Great Loop and it is the ONLY one where the Lockmaster rigidly enforces a rule to "completely shut your engine(s) down" (we do wonder what 'partially' shutting your engines down might entail). Anyways, we three vessels heading east duly do as required, and we're all lowered about 20 ft into the St. Lucie River.

    In short order, we're passing riverside marine industry and we soon arrive at the Burr Yacht Sales marina where about 7 staff members are waiting to welcome Preston back and to leap aboard to handle the lines. Rosie and I have a beverage while the Burr folks all re-connect with Preston and discuss many things.

    Burr Yacht Sales are the U.S. representatives for Fleming motor yachts and this marina is one of their two east coast dealership bases. The other one--at Edgewater, MD--we visited in May while heading north. Here, in Stuart, FL, it has to be said that the presentation of this Fleming agency rivals the best prestige car dealership you've ever seen. The property and its standard of presentation for the potential buyer is utterly 5-Star.

    Preston gets one of the company prestige Toyota vans, and takes Rosie and I out to the Outback Steakhouse for a celebratory dinner. Preston and I have the full rack of ribs... Rosie has the two lobster tails. We all share in one of the signature 'Blooming Onion' dishes.    Read more