How long does it take to cross Florida by boat?

Asked by: Cole Almond

A trawler or sailboat would take around 20 hours at 7 knots, making for a leisurely trip with two nights spent on the waterway in the process. Most boaters will stage at a marina in Stuart on the East Coast or in Fort Myers on the Gulf Coast to begin a crossing.

How much does it cost to cross the Okeechobee Waterway?

There are no transit fees crossing the Okeechobee Waterway. Since it is open to vessel traffic year round, normal lock operating times are restricted to 12 hours a day. The waterway’s controlling channel depth is normally 6.44 feet.

Is there a way to cut across Florida by boat?

Floating Through Old Florida. The Okeechobee Waterway is a pleasant and unusual trip for boaters through the heart of Old Florida. This peaceful waterway goes through miles of untouched Florida Everglades and thousands of acres of Old Florida scrub and ranchland. It is the only navigable cross Florida canal.

How deep is the Okeechobee Waterway?

Okeechobee Waterway Page Menu



The Federal project depth for the Okeechobee Waterway is 8′ from the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway near Stuart, FL via Okeechobee Lake Route 1 to Fort Myers, FL, then 10′ from Ft. Myers to Punta Rassa and then 12′ to the Gulf of Mexico.

How many locks are on the Okeechobee Waterway?

(5)

There are (5) locks on the Okeechobee Waterway that are of interest to those making the passage across Florida. From east to west they are the St Lucie Lock, the Port Mayaca Lock, the Julian Keen, Jr. Lock, the Ortona Lock, and the W.P. Franklin Lock.

Can you see across Lake Okeechobee?

Lake Okeechobee is 730 square miles wide. You cannot see the opposite shore because of its width. It is so wide that 5 counties share it: Glades, Marketing, Hendry, Palm Beach, and Okeechobee counties. Although it is big, most of it are quite shallow.

How deep is the Cross Florida Barge Canal?

The canal would be 107 miles long, with five locks. It would have a width of 150 feet and a depth of 12 feet.

Is there a River that cuts across Florida?

The Okeechobee Waterway or Okeechobee Canal is a relatively shallow artificial waterway in the United States, stretching across Florida from Fort Myers on the west coast to Stuart on Florida’s east coast.

Can you get from Lake Okeechobee to the ocean?

The locks allow vessels to travel up to and down from Lake Okeechobee without draining the lake into the sea. The Okeechobee Waterway has five locks. The locks are public recreation areas: most have picnic facilities and camping areas, which provide citizens who don’t have boats with a way to enjoy the Waterway.

Are there sharks in Lake Okeechobee?

It is not uncommon to see a shark within 10 yards of the shore break anywhere in the state. They are even seen and caught in inshore estuaries, lagoons and rivers. There has even been a bull shark in Lake Okeechobee. For many anglers, a popular version of big game fishing is to catch a shark from a beach.

Are alligators in Lake Okeechobee?

Lake Okeechobee supports over 3,800 different arthropods, including insects and arachnids, along with around 400 species of nematodes. But what’s more interesting is that the lake has at least 30,000 alligators due to its size and availability of suitable habitats.

Can you swim in Lake Okeechobee?

Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions: Do not drink, swim, wade, use personal watercraft, water ski or boat in waters where there is a visible bloom. Wash your skin and clothing with soap and water if you have contact with algae or discolored or smelly water. Keep pets away from the area.

Do all bodies of water in Florida have alligators?

Is swimming safe in Florida lakes? All natural Florida lakes contain alligators and snakes. In addition, the majority of natural Florida lakes have dark or stained water limiting visibility.

Can you eat the fish from Lake Okeechobee?

With toxic blue-green algae bloom, don’t eat Lake Okeechobee fish, Audubon biologist says. People shouldn’t eat fish caught anywhere in Lake Okeechobee after a blue-green algae bloom near the center tested positive for hazardous toxin levels, an Audubon Florida biologist said Monday.

What is the deepest lake in Florida?

This 90-foot-deep naturally occurring sinkhole lake is the deepest lake south of Lake Okeechobee, and one of the deepest in the entire state.



Deep Lake (Florida)

What is the cleanest lake in Florida?

white sand bottom lakes

The clearest fresh water lakes in Florida are spring-fed white sand bottom lakes. These lakes are smaller than the Harris Chain lakes and are mostly private or have limited access. These lakes are not as fertile as the large lakes, but they make up for it with less boating and fishing pressure.

Is Lake Okeechobee a man made lake?

Welcome to the Lake Okeechobee



Lake Okeechobee is the second largest fresh water lake in the US. The lake covers over 730 square miles and is connected to both of Florida’s coasts via the man made Okeechobee Waterway. The Lake is 33 miles wide from north to south, and 30 miles wide from east to west.

What’s the biggest man made lake in Florida?

Lake Okeechobee – Largest manmade lake in Florida



Lake Okeechobee is the largest manmade lake that you can find in Florida as of now. This massive lake is spanning across an area of more than 451,000 acres.

Is Lake Okeechobee a sinkhole?

This 90-foot-deep naturally occurring sinkhole lake is the deepest lake south of Lake Okeechobee, and one of the deepest in the entire state. Interestingly, studies show the top half is freshwater, and the lower is saltwater.

What’s the tallest point in Florida?

Britton Hill

If you don’t know about Britton Hill, Florida, you’re probably not a mountain climber, and you’re definitely not a highpointer. At 345 feet above mean sea level, Britton Hill is Florida’s highest natural point – and the lowest “high point” in the United States. You can summit without a Sherpa.

Is Lake Okeechobee shrinking?

Lake Okeechobee is getting lower during dry season, but how low will it go? Ever so slightly, ever so slowly, Lake Okeechobee’s water level is creeping lower. Hundredth of an inch by hundredth of an inch. Which is a lot, considering the massive lake is 730 square miles in size.

Is there a town under Lake Okeechobee?

There’s An Underwater Ghost Town Hiding Beneath Lake Okeechobee In Florida | Belle glade, Florida, Glade.

What was under Lake Okeechobee?

What the dried-up portion of the lake revealed was an underwater ghost town of graves like nothing anybody had ever seen before. Skeletons by the hundreds were lying in the lake bed, just resting in their underwater graveyard. Nobody knows the history behind the bodies which remain at the bottom of the lake.

Is Lake Okeechobee freshwater or saltwater?

fresh water

Lake Okeechobee is Florida’s largest lake and the second largest body of fresh water in the contiguous United States.

Can you kayak on Lake Okeechobee?

Besides, kayaking on Lake Okeechobee can be quite dangerous given the presence of ‘gators. On the other hand, most kayakers explore the creeks and tributaries of the lake. Being narrower, they are less acceptable to weather, easily navigable, and less ‘gator-filled.