The Port Mayaca Lock-the entrance to Lake Okeechobee

1)Eddie decked out
2) Misty sea sick (2nd favorite)
3)Leaving the lock, forward port view
4) Leaving the lock -stern view (1st favorite)
5) port view-almost out
6) starb view
7) the calm evening before the storm, with hurricane Wilma damaged boat
8) In Okeechobee's wrath
9)notice the difference between the boat and the horizon-were pitchin and rollin
10)picture of dinghy after we hauled it aboard-with davit in view



We entered the 2nd lock of the "system" totally unaware of what lay ahead. We read the
weather report and based on past experience, we said 10-15 out of the NW and a moderate chop was doable. We entered the lock and greeted the lockmaster. After we tied up he told
Gary "Listen if you decide you want to come back in...... you just give me a call." For anyone
listening, that was a subtle hint.....................not to go!!! The water emptied out and the gates
opened. I'm telling you it was similar to the Romans opening the gates for the Christians to
go out and meet the hungry, circling lions. We are still in the lock now, and the water in the lock
is getting rougher, and rougher, and finally with everyone sufficiently stressed Gary hits the
throttle and Brittany and I try to push off the lock wall at the same time. The VICTORIA
starts to heave and dip as we pushed off , just in the nick of time, before we smash into the concrete wall. The only real control is in the forward momentum. Gary wrestled the steering wheel around to the left and back again, and again , and again. The stern kept getting pushed
around toward this wall, and then the opposite. The surge of water was tremendous, it almost matched our surge of adrenaline. Pictures may say a thousand words, but I doubt these pictures can fully express our feelings in that lock. Getting back to the drama.............I was
too busy and terrified to take pictures of what went on in the lock. My job at that point was to defend the stern against the swell of water trying to push the boat against the concrete wall.
Gary is driving from up top struggling to maintain some kind of control, and Brittany is on the
bow defending it from the wall, all of us hanging on for dear life at the same time. None of us have taken a breathe since the gates opened, or we were'nt aware if we did. Once we got out past the gate conditions did NOT improve. Immediately out of the lock I noticed two channel
markers, a red and a green 5. It was at that point (in hindsight) that we should have turned to follow the ICW. We didn't, still trying to recover from the last experience, it silently went by as
the waves and wind beat our brains out for the next 4 hours. During that time I was thrown across the cabin and took out one side of the folding table. Brittany noticed that an oar on the dinghy got loose and was dragging in the water. Gary told her to leave it for fear she may get taken overboard in the attempt. We let it go for a while. Then while they were both upstairs , and I was afraid to go outside, I got bored. SO I started looking around for something to do. There it is...... "that oar is still hanging loose" I said to myself. I stand up, holding on as I go and make my way to the stern. I grab the boat hook and lean over the stern. No problems mate......the oar is safe. But what was that creak? The davit is breaking loose?? The davit is the white metal thing that holds the dinghy up out of the water. We've recently started hanging the dinghy up with the motor still attached because it is so much easier than huffin it on and off all the time. Anyway, I grab a line and try to secure the davit so we don't loose the dingy & outboard, not to mention its bolted right to the boat, so the damage would be substantial. Right at the moment I have the thing somewhat secured, Gary happens to look back and asks," Do you need a hand?" I didn't want to tell him , but I did. "I think you should come and look at this." I said in as calm a voice as I can muster. He asks,"Why , whats the matter?" "well the davit is coming loose." "So get a wrench and tighten it!" he yells above the wind. "It's not at the bolt that it's loosening, it at the plate." He hands the helm to Brittany and tells her to maintain the course. Poor Brittany is looking at 6 and 7 footers running inches apart ! She takes the wheel without flinching and steers the VICTORIA into one wave and down the next. Burying the bow several times and never saying a word. We are so proud of her, so impressed with who she is. Anyway, so while Brittany is dealing with the driving Gary and I pull the dinghy up onto the boat, remove the outboard, and go back to doing whatever. Gary said I saved the dighy, I say it, was just me not doing what he asked, which he probably can almost always depend on.

My next focus became Eddie. I dressed him in his life jacket and made him stay in the cabin. He has recently been carried upstairs to the flybridge to be with his hero , Gary. However, today it was just to dangerous. So for the rest of the trip Eddie stood in the doorway adjusting to the boats twists, turn, and lurches as best he could. It was funny to watch......all four legs muscles's twitching, and he'd leeeaaann to one side then the other. Then I switched focus to Misty and went down below to check on her. Her picture speakes for itself.
I couldn't blog, or read or do anything........I started to get nauseous. I ate an apple and kept my eyes outside on the horizon and I was fine.

Keep us in your prayers, your in ours
XXOO
Victoria's Perspective