Monday, May 15, 2006

Franklin Lock, Okeechobee Waterway, Florida

This morning we found that our anchor chain had become tangled with a line
attached to an unmarked crab pot and our anchor was wrapped up in the whole
mess.

According my understanding, a crab pot is a wire cage with a one-way opening
through which crabs pass to get to the bait inside.  A float is tied to the
trap to mark its location. The float looks about the size of a coconut and
is usually white or black and about as easy to see.

The crabbers put their pots just about everywhere, including right up to the
edge of the channel and in anchorage spots.  We understand that they are
just trying to make a living and are careful to avoid these balls because a
line wrapped around our drive shaft or propeller can cripple our boat and
cost us an expensive repair.

In spite of the problem we had getting our anchor up this morning, we are
glad that the unmarked pot that had lost its ball, found our anchor chain
and not our drive shaft.

After that rocky start, we had a smooth first leg on our cruise of the
Okeechobee Waterway portion of the ICW and are now at a dock, nestled among
the water lilies in a little park just past the Franklin Lock near Alvin,
Florida.  Wildlife spotted along the way included schools of sting rays,
skimming along just below the surface with the little sharkfin shaped tips
of their "wings" appearing and disappearing.

We think we broke the code to get the big fast boats to slow down when they
pass.  Today, a formidable armada of four thundered up a narrow portion of
the ICW from behind us.  The onslaught from their combined wakes could push
us out of the channel and aground.

Jim coolly got on the radio and told them that he would slow to idle and
move over to allow all four to make a slow pass. That took away any excuse
they would need for speed to pass us and put the ball in their court.  It
probably didn't hurt that I stood in full view taking pictures from the back
of our boat.

To achieve a slow pass, the boat being passed slows down as much as possible
to give the passing boat the opportunity to go by at a speed that makes the
least amount of wake.  Then, the boat being passed slips in directly behind
the boat doing the passing. Then the passing boat speeds up and goes on its
way.  The only problem is when the passing boat hits the throttle too soon.

The drivers of the fast boats took Jim up on his offer, and the whole
procedure was cordial and civilized.  There is hope after all.