December 18 and 19, 2023

Finally we cross Lake Okeechobee!

After waiting a week for a weather window – it finally happens. We leave Roland Martin’s Marina and Resort in Clewiston the morning of Monday, December 18. We enjoy a breakfast at the Resort with our new friend, Steve, on Once in a Blue Moon. Steve takes breakfast back to his boat for his wife, Judy.

We bid Captain Sam good-bye and off we go. First stop is the Clewiston lock, just down from the marina.

We make it through the lock easily and into Lake Okeechobee. The water chop is not too bad, so it’s an ok ride aboard Sunshine.

Port Mayaca Lock

Our next lock is Port Mayaca, located on the east side of Lake Okeechobee at the junction with the St. Lucie Canal. This lock proves to be one of the most challenging – and here we are, so close to home! The waters come rushing in as we enter the lock, and Captain Pat has a devil of a time controlling the boat. Finally we make it to the wall, grab our lines and secure to the cleats on the boat to hold for leverage.

As we proceed down the St. Lucie Canal we are amazed to see such big boats (more like ships.)

St. Lucie Lock

Now the Admiral is getting very excited. Why? We are approaching the St. Lucie Lock – our last lock on the Loop! Yahoo!

As luck would have it, there is a wait – about 45 minutes. Boats are going in both directions, so we have to wait our turn in line. We are waiting with one other boat.

On to Stuart

Now that we have the locks behind us, we can focus on our next journey marker – Stuart. We discuss staying at Sunset Bay Marina. We have stayed there a few times, the last time being 2019, and enjoyed the marina and the town of Stuart. We are surprised the rates have changed. A 40-foot minimum is now required for dockage payment and the overnight rate is $5/foot, with the cancellation policy 48 hours. All other marinas are 24 hours. You never know what weather awaits you until you wake up. We decide to forego Sunset Bay to head farther north, and maybe even make it to Boca Raton tomorrow!

By sunset we are up the Indian River to an anchorage called Lemon Island. There are several boats there – a good sign. We anchor with no problem. It’s a nice night with calm weather. Perfect for our last sunset on Sunshine on the Great Loop!

December 19 – The Day We Cross Our Wake!

This is the day Sunshine will cross her wake, if all goes well. Technically, some would say she crossed her wake going through Stuart, Florida. But we are opting to say she will cross when she lands in her home port, behind our home in Boca Raton.

We awaken to another glorious sunrise – our last one on Sunshine, on the Loop. We make our way down the intracoastal with Boca Raton as our destination. Our arrival time is predicted to be around 3 p.m.

It’s so interesting to be back on our old familiar turf – or waves, I should say. We see significant changes. We haven’t boated here for some time, as Sunshine spent last winter in Penetanguishene, Ontario, and previous to our leaving for the Loop in May of 2022 she was out of commission getting in tip top ship shape for her journey.

There are barges outside of Peanut Island where you can tie up your boat. And tiki bar boats offering food and beverages. There are also ships, cranes, and loading docks.

We stop for diesel at Two George’s in Boynton Beach, as they sell ValvTect, only to discover they do not do pumpouts. So now we have to make a second stop. We don’t – the Captain decides he will do the pump out later. The Admiral is happy.

Those Pesky Bridges

We phone our friend Patty Eckert, as she lives on the canal near us. Patty kindly snapped a photo of us when we passed her home, the day we departed on the Loop. We think it would be great to get a similar photo on our return home. Today we text back and forth with Patty as to our expected arrival.

We always have to watch the tides when returning on Sunshine to our home. There is one fixed bridge with a close clearance. We usually take the radar equipment down.

As we approach Dixie Highway, so close to entering the canal to our home, we are surprised. Sunshine can’t clear the Dixie Highway bridge. This has never happened!

Of course, it would happen today!

We can’t believe our luck! But again, it is par for the course. We tie up at Pioneer Park, near the boat ramp. And wait.

We phone Patty and tell her to forget the photo. She offers to come pick me up and take me home! Of course the Admiral is not leaving Sunshine, this close to crossing her wake.

Captain Pat checks the tide charts and calculates we can probably leave in two hours. This puts us home around 5 p.m.

Captain Pat also calls our neighbor, Jim, to ask if he can come to Sunshine and ride with us back to the house. We need another set of eyes to gage the bridge height. Jim has this same issue when boating with his Boston Whaler. Jim comes to the rescue – he helps us all the time. We are fortunate to have such kind and helpful neighbors.

Finally we think it is ok to try this again. So under the bridge we go.

Yeah! We make it. We clear the bridge and wind our way back home to our dock.

Jim is kind enough to catch our arrival home on video!

We have officially completed the Great Loop!

We traveled 6,046 miles over ten months, and consumed 2,717 gallons of diesel fuel! Stay tuned for future blog posts to give you our reflections and statistics on this amazing journey of a lifetime.

And thank you for following our blog, and for all of your prayers and support! We appreciate it more than you know.

Thank you!

Captain Pat and Admiral Cindy on Sunshine – “the little boat who could.”