Clewiston to W.P. Franklin Campground, Alva, FL

Our neighbor last night "Miss Magic"
they will be at Stock Island for March
From St Augustine, St Johns River

Much of the early leg of this section is very remote

Beautiful day - fog quickly burned off

 

Sandy was up early again this morning, in the dark.  He was met during his walk with Parker with many bass fishermen who were headed out for the day.  Many other of the big boats started early this morning so we felt that we should depart early as well.  We left at 8:40.  We only had about 50 miles to go to our campground destination but we had two locks to go through and we did not know how long that would take.

Passing Miss Magic
we called for a slow pass

About to leave the "tank"

Small boats leaving ahead of us,
The water mark is the distance we dropped
Much less turbulence when water is 
Leaving the tank

Hi

Calves better watch out for alligators

We caught our first lock perfectly, we arrived and she told us to wait for the red light to turn green as she prepared to open the lock on our side.  Two minutes later someone on the other side called, but we were first so they had to wait.  In this lock we were dropping to a lower level which we have now realized is much faster than being inside and raising the level.  We dropped about 5 feet and exited the lock.  The whole thing took less than 20 minutes.

leaving second lock, big drop

Rosemary talking to swing bridge tender

Our second lock, the Ortona lock, we had a boat pass us by quickly and call the lock for opening.  We were very quickly behind it and waited in the appropriate waiting area while the boat in front of us was just about in front of the gates.  You don't do this!  There is a boat(s) in there that has to exit.  We also had two small boats try to pass us on our approach and the dockmaster actually came out and yelled at them!  We were in the lock with all three boats, we dropped abouot 10 feet in this lock.  

beautiful site, beautiful setting

and a fire ring!

Watch out Parker, we've been told Big Gator
in the lagoon!

The campground is immediately before our next lock, just around the corner in a cove.  We have been told there is definitely an 11-12 foot gator in this little lagoon we are docked in.  We have been told by several people that they have seen it and it is hanging around here.  

Nice teardrop pulled by trike

that looks like fun,
came in hot

Tomorrow we go from campground to Pink Shell Resort and Marina.

nice way to end the day

yet another sunset picture