Okeechobee Waterway

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers®*— Jacksonville District
Roland Martins Marina

I made the trip ten years ago. Left Venice inlet around 10AM got to Roland Martins around 6PM. Boat cruises at 23 kts. Made it to Titisville at 5 pm the next day. The locks are no big deal. The Stuart lock is the biggest at 16'.
Call the Core of Engineers to make sure there is enough water to get across the lake. The lake would have a short period wind chop not the large swells with a wind chop on top like the ocean in a worst case. Back then the Martins marina staff left at 6pm but I called ahead and they waited so I could refuel.
Go across the lake not the perimeter route.

You can make it through in a day if you move. Like the post above, look up the website or call the Corps at 863-983-8181. Go across, don't go on the rim route. It is shallower, and is prone to more snags.

Spend the night in Ft. Myers on the way down, then you can be at the first lock opening at 7am. They were on demand, but since the "drought" the Corps might only have one opening per day at each coast. Very pretty through part of it.

If you have very nice or clean fenders, prepare to get them dirty and slimy.

See if you can "be the last boat in to the lock" most of the turbulence is up front, I always request last space and have not been turned down yet..and yes, take the direct route, deeper..you will enjoy...

When you approach the lock contact them by radio. They will tell you what they want and let you know about oncoming traffic, if any. Sometimes they use horn signals so be familiar with them. Have a couple of lines and fenders ready and you'll be fine. Watch how you run your lines with regards to the handrails since the boat is rising and dropping so much. Nothing happens that quick so as long as you're paying attention you'll be fine. It's a little easier if you have 2 people to handle the lines but, one can handle it. I took a 53' Hatteras across and didn't have any problems with depth. I think the bottom is soft but, I would check with the locals.

We made the trip east to west about 8 years ago. We took 2 days cruising about 18 knots but we didn't push it or make any long days from Steward to Port Charlotte. It is an easy one day across the lake.

It was our first time going through locks. The guidance on line was helpful and pretty straight forward. Pay attention to the note about not tying the lines off as noted above it is easier if you have 2 people. A boat in front of us had a deckhand tie off a line to the bow cleat when we were being lowered. The captain made if off the bridge in record time and cut the line before it pulled the cleat out. The turbulence in the locks is nothing to worry about, it seemed barely noticeable.

We crossed the end of October (on Halloween). We took the direct route, the water was a little deeper than going around and it was a lot shorter. The water was calm. A thunder storm developed in front of us, but moved off without affecting us. I could see if you were caught in a heavy storm or if a north wind was blowing there could be a good chop. To avoid the thunder storm activity you might want to consider timing your crossing for early in the day during thunder storm season.

We plan to make the west to east trip late spring or early summer this year. We'll watch the water levels and decide when we have better dates figured out. I would like to hear how your trip goes. Enjoy the journey.

I have done this trip a million times, it's a piece of cake. Fuel in Fort Myers because the only place to get diesel east of there is Indiantown......Roland Martins marina in Clewiston you can fit into as well.......

1. Navigational depth is the depth in the channel or shallowest depth in the channel. It's around 7.5' right now. The area you want to be careful is the Clewiston side of the lake (west side of the lake, you'll see all of the markers spaced close together), basically after you go south along the levy, the area where you start going east into the lake you'll see all of the markers close together, wait until you get east of all of the close markers until you put it up on plane.

2. The only time the lake would get somewhat rough would be in 25+ knot winds, and then it would only be 4' seas. The lake is not that big across, like 20 miles. DO NOT take the rim route in your boat.

3. The only lock that there is any real drop which is around 16' is the last lock to the east, the St. lucie lock, wait till the turbulence subsides on this one, which is still not that bad. The middle locks only drop or raise you inches. The furthest west lock is usually around a foot or two (Caloosahatchie lock). I wouldn't worry about ANY turbulence in these.

4. Call the locks approximately 20 minutes away and give them your direction. You WILL NOT make it all of the way across to Stuart in a 55' in a day. It throws too much wake to set it on plane pretty much anywhere except in the lake itself. And, a 55' Azimut has a horrible hull speed without sending 12" + rollers......7 knots if I remember. Stop at Fort Myers for the night, there's a nice marina (legacy harbor) with a Joe's Crab Shack at the location with good food. It's the marina just west of the City of Ft. Myers marina. Expect to make it to Indiantowne marina, make reservations. There is no restaurant at the marina, no cabs in the town, and it's possible to get a ride from someone at the marina, or there is a good Italian restaurant that may deliver. If you really push it you might make it to American Custom yachts in Stuart, FL but there are no restaurants either but there are cabs and restaurants nearby, but I don't think so with the reduced daylight hours and it's manatee/ slow speed pretty much most all of the Caloosahatchie side right now.

Fort Myers beach and Captive are nice stops if you have time to kill before crossing the lake

The Wagon Wheel restaurant has excellent BBQ and is just west of the SR 29 drawbridge in La Belle.