5.54' is too low for 4.5' draft on Route 1. With the water level down to 11.60' and shoaling in more than one place, and with the level still dropping, I wouldn't dare attempt a crossing with only 1' to spare. Too many issues right now. The Lake Outflows are greatly exceeding the Inflows and no rain forecast.
Crossing Lake Okeechobee
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5.54' is too low for 4.5' draft on Route 1. With the water level down to 11.60' and shoaling in more than one place, and with the level still dropping, I wouldn't dare attempt a crossing with only 1' to spare. Too many issues right now. The Lake Outflows are greatly exceeding the Inflows and no rain forecast.
Bigsfish
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BandB. and all
I foot is pretty decent under the bottom in the Bahamas were you can read the water so I wonder if anyone has used a forward looking depth finder to survey the area ahead and how it works?
I foot is pretty decent under the bottom in the Bahamas were you can read the water so I wonder if anyone has used a forward looking depth finder to survey the area ahead and how it works?
Quite a few boats have run aground already before this last drop. There are some shallower areas. This isn't the Bahamas. We have sonar and used it last night to check out an anchorage, but for it to be effective in Okeechobee you'd need to run through slowly and really pay attention to it. It would make a long, slow trip longer and slower. We have used forward sonar in Okeechobee, but not to cross in these conditions. It's very helpful if just needing to check a place or two but to use for an entire trip across not so much. I know several Captains who have needed to take boats from one coast to the other recently and all but one went around. The one who didn't had a soft grounding near with west side. And the water has dropped further since then. Anything below 12' which is almost 6' draft starts to get very iffy.
I can tell you from reports of groundings that there are areas boats trying to cross have very recently found to be shallower. Were they just a few feet out of the deepest area or was it a new shoal or what? I don't know. I'd recommend anyone check with the tow captains and/or the marinas for latest anecdotal information. I know River Forest had some reports of issues.
I'm saying it's not great to navigate 20 miles or more at speed. It's very helpful in looking ahead but typically you do so for short periods of time and/or to see specific attributes of the bottom. You may be looking at a drop off or a shoal. But focusing on it for hours where you're dealing with just inches of change isn't it's best use. It's also not going to help you consistently tell 4'10" from 5'3". I would just personally never depend on it for crossing the Okeechobee in these conditions. Now, if there was just one short area of the Okeechobee that concerned me, as before this recent drop, then I might have found it very helpful for that area to detect a change, to see the shoaling taking clearance from 6' to 4'.
You also need to run slow to most effectively use sonar as it's range is limited, some brands more than others. But you need to make sure you're slow enough so that any issue can be seen in it's range and you still have time to react. It doesn't help you to see a shoal 15 seconds before you hit it. The brakes on most boats are not that good. Now, in 15 seconds you could pull the throttle all the way back and hit it much more gently.
Because of the way sonar works too, it's effective range is decreased as the depth decreases. Most sonars only display the bottom a distance of 8 to 10 times the depth. So in 5' of water that would mean 40 to 50' ahead so even at 3 knots you're only talking a few seconds ahead.
I made a trip from Punta Gorda on the west coast of Florida to Fort Lauderdale on April 26 and 27. 52 foot boat with 4'6" draft. I went to Marathon in the Keys instead of crossing the lake to eliminate worry about a grounding.
I have used forward looking sonar on a couple of different boat and it is good to find an opening in a reef in the Bahamas to get past the reef, but no much help to tell the difference between four feet ands six feet ahead of you and that makes all the difference.
I have used forward looking sonar on a couple of different boat and it is good to find an opening in a reef in the Bahamas to get past the reef, but no much help to tell the difference between four feet ands six feet ahead of you and that makes all the difference.
And there was more water then than there is now. Every captain I know has taken the route you took for the last two or three weeks and these are professionals who have traveled the Okeechobee dozens of times. One I know took Okeechobee when it was 12' but with the same draft, did not when it was 11.78'. His personal guideline was 1.5' clear. At 12', he had that on a 4.5' draft.
OP
OP
seasalt007
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I am convinced not to do it. Late next week we will leave Arkansas Key via the Moser Channel headed for Marco Island. We have done this 4 or 5 times and it is a pretty long day for a 9 kt cruiser, but it is not as nerve racking as a low Lake O level.
OP
OP
seasalt007
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AKA Marathon. Some say it is really the name of the Keys that Marathon is on...strip centers, etc. Vaca, Boot, Knight...
McGillicuddy
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I am about three weeks from a Lake O crossing. Thanks for this valuable Intel.
Bigsfish
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Thanks for the education. I've lived in south Florida and the Keys since 1946 and never knew that little gem. I always thought Vaca was the main key and Bot Harbor was the southern part with marinas and marine businesses. And Knight Key was the small little key connected by the bridge that is owned by the U.
I learn something every day.
I learn something every day.
One more note on the Okeechobee depths published. The 11.60 shown for today is the average of readings at 7 different locations, which are averages for those locations. So, one of the locations today only had an average of 11.50 and was likely higher and lower at times during the day. So, the 5.54' isn't really the minimum you'll find. It may be slightly less at various locations. If planning ahead I also look at the direction. The last five days have been 11.70, 11.68, 11.64, 11.62, 11.60. Not the pattern you're looking for. Now, tomorrow, it may turn, but doesn't look like it will.
Just thought time for a little update. Water level is now 11.27' which means Route 1 is 5.21' and Route 2 is 3.41' so it has continued to drop. The outflows are still exceeding the inflows and no rain so it would appear it may well drop more.
Okeechobee is dry and meanwhile the Canadian rivers have delayed opening another week after the Erie opens due to high water and the Illinois and Upper Mississippi are experiencing high water and recreational boaters advised not to use.
Meanwhile a section of the TN River is a safety zone for a week due to cargo transfer at an arsenal.
Yes, we heard reports of those. Did they hit as far north as Okeechobee? A friend of ours in Pompano said it "Monsooned" there and it poured and his gutters were overflowing huge amounts of water. Those at our home didn't see it quite as ominous, saying they had some nice spring showers. Mid 80's and sunny in Tennessee.
Bigsfish
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We had heavy rains at the house and the boat on the river had good rains but I understand it was spotty through out the state.
Enjoy your trip, sounds like bikini time weather for WifeyB.
Enjoy your trip, sounds like bikini time weather for WifeyB.
McGillicuddy
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How are the levels now? I am two weeks away from having to make a decision whether I have to go around through the keys or can make it through.
Wifey B: Still on the way down. 11.05 which means 4.99 for Route 1 and 3.19 for route 2.
I know several captains who run boats from one coast to the other and none are taking any of the boats through Okeechobee right now.
Wifey B: Well, it's continued to drop. Technically 4' should be ok today, but I'd never do it. Too close for this girl.
mbevins
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WBWifey B: Well, it's continued to drop. Technically 4' should be ok today, but I'd never do it. Too close for this girl.
It's not a debate, it was simply a matter of information that he successfully crossed.
Wifey B: I wasn't debating, just saying I wouldn't. He did. Successfully. However, I think it's dropped since he did it and we're at the point that every few inches becomes important.
McGillicuddy
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Good chance of rain each day now for the next 10 days. Still might get lucky. I am at 4'5" draft.
Capt.Bill11
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Most 36' "trawlers" draw less then 4'.
