Ben dropped me off to get all of our stuff packed and ready to go to the boat while he ran a few more last minute errands. He wanted to be on the boat by 11, hoping to get to the lock by 1 pm. (We thought the water level in Okeechobee was low enough to only open every 2 hours, but it turns out it was opening on demand, so that didn't even matter!)
Unloaded our stuff, the dogs, and Uncle Paul and Aunt Denise's bags from the truck and Aunt Denise's car. Uncle Paul drove our truck back to their house to keep while we are gone.
We were on the boat at 10:40, underway soon after, and at the St Lucie Lock at 12:50. A westbound boat was in the lock, so we just had to wait for them to finish and exit.
We entered with a smaller boat and had no trouble getting the lines and setting up. While we were being lowered, Bear asked if this would be our last lock on Cartermaran. I said it most likely was, and then that was all I could think about. Got me feeling all the feels. I may or may not have teared up a bit about it, thinking back on all of the locks on our adventures and how much we grew and learned together in short spurts over the last 5 years.
On the Okeechobee Waterway, there are houses the closer we get to Stuart. Both times we've gone through here previously, and again today we saw kids wake boarding or tubing behind boats. Moose asked me today if that was safe. I told him I can't imagine this area is gator-free because it is still fresh water, possibly brackish. I said I definitely would not let my kids in the water here and left it at that.
Got in the ICW and went downstairs to complete some chores. Ben left the air conditioner on for us so we could get things done without feeling like we were going to die in the heat and humidity. #coloradoproblems
Bear and Roo helped me make the other 2 beds. Then, all 3 of the kids put their clothes away and we tidied up the cabin a bit more, little by little until the wakes from other boats made it too hard to get things done.
Everyone always loves looking at the houses on the ICW as we pass by, commenting about everything from the design to the cost to the size, and more. Roo really liked the Banyan trees we kept seeing, and this one was huge!
Went south to Munyon Island, in North Palm Beach, a great staging area to get to Safe Harbor in NPB to fill up on water and diesel, and have Uncle Paul and Aunt Denise hop on board in the morning for our crossing to the Bahamas. Safe Harbor opens at 7:30 am, so we will be there then!
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