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| Sunrise leaving The Glades |
Intended "last day", destination foiled.
As planned, we awoke early, before dawn, in order to get to the Ortona Lock just after the 7 am scheduled opening.
| Crossing the peninsula Float plan for the final portage. |
We traveled the four miles to the lock "Arrival Point" before 0800 and radioed on our VHF, channel 13, "Ortona Lock, this is the Lady A, headed west, come in." Ortona Lock: "Our next lockage will be at 11:30 AM." Ouch. The day's plans to complete our voyage all the way to Naples have now been foiled.
Despite our detour, the First Mate is dealing well with her deep depression, and is busy making plans to find a nice berth for the evening. Despite having packed all our clean clothes, our dirty laundry, and started cleaning the wheelhouse, she wisely didn't "unmake" the bed so we will sleep in our comfy, cozy bunk one more night!
(Shouldn't have written last night that "tomorrow we'd wrap it up"! The First Mate will now need to make plans to find a marina in Ft. Myers to spend tonight and we'll have an easy morning sail down to Naples tomorrow.)
Went back to the Ortona lock early and had to wait about an hour but true to their word, they started operating at 1130. Only problem was, they opened first from the west, so we had to wait a full opening. Got on our way around 1230.
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| Tending the lines for the drop |
The final lock, W. P. Franklin, was uneventful and dropped us down about 2 feet to sea level. You'd think we could just shoot the rapids, no?
Arrived in Ft. Myers at 1645 and found a great slip, right by Joe's Crab Shack. Might be our dinner spot.
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| Ft. Myers, Legacy Harbour Marina |
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| Ft. Myers sunset |
'Til tomorrow, perhaps the last day of our voyage, who knows?
Congrats on a safe arrival and thanks for allowing us to share your travels. Actually sad to see it end but I know the first mate is ready to party!
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