Fearsome Creatures

Peck Lake: 16 Jul 09

Our first "On Demand" Bridge

The Motleys travelled only 27nm on our first day along the ICW.  Could we walk faster?  Quite easily!  Our Cap’n nervously negotiated and just scraped through the Blue Heron, then we went on to wait and circle fretfully at a following 7 opening bridges – some on a schedule (not ours, unfortunately) and others on demand.  We skirted shoals and followed waterway markers, which doubled as roosts for fearless pelicans and cormorants, busily fishing rivers and canals.  We avoided roaring hot water boats, kids galore on jet skis and fishermen with lines cast out in our narrow deep water stretch.  Size didn’t count for anything, so our skipper put out our sails.  Now they all had to give way to us….. (Insert evil laugh here!!)

Swimming in the Gulf Stream at Peck Lake
trying to avoid dive bombing pelicans

At Jupiter Inlet, we came across a Vero Beach based trawler, “Searcher”.  A bit of local knowledge we hoped, so into his wake we stepped.  What a great idea to stay in the deepest part of the channel!  This channel called the ICW is wide enough for two boats to pass comfortably (in most places) although depths can regularly vary between 7 to 12 feet.  Towboat US patrols up and down its length, hungrily waiting for losers who come to a muddy grounding in the very often deceptively shoal waters.

Beach near Peck Lake

The Intracoastal Waterway is a huge connecting system of canals, lakes and locks that can take you from Mexico, around Florida and on to & through Chesapeake Bay.  Many boaters, including Canadians travel south along the section we were on, the Atlantic ICW, to get to and from Bahamas jump-off points or simply to spend a few months “wintering” in balmy Florida Keys waters.  Others, called Loopers, use the ICW in their circumnavigation of the Eastern US, and then move on through other canal systems into the Great Lakes and Mississippi River.  All of course, without needing to negotiate deep, open ocean waters with those nasty wavy things. 

Whatever do these clouds mean?

The ICW is a clearly marked narrow channel that threads its way along closely to coastal waters, past expensive homes on water-front canals, through many wild mangroves swamps and even into the heart of large cities.  It does need constant dredging to keep it open however.  This never-ending project is given over to the US Corps of Engineers who have been occupied with it ever since the 1930’s. 

Angry Osprey gives us a telling off!

We ended our first day at Peck Lake (mile 992) with relief; set a date with “Searcher's” Jim and Tammy to meet again in Vero Beach and promptly anchored.  “Yoo-hoo!” called our neighbours on Anything Goes.  “Is that Sydney, Australia?  We’re Peter and Julie from Brisbane!”  Columbus couldn’t have done better!!

From: Lake Worth  FL Lat/Long: 26 45N  80 03W Date/Time: 16/7/09: 0710

To: Peck Lake, FL Lat/Long: 27 07N  80 08W Date/Time: 16/7/09: 1430

Time Taken: 27nm (7.5hrs)  Distance (this year): 1795nm (361.5hrs)

Distance Total (since 2008): 2644nm  (539.5hrs)   Fastest Speed: 5-7kts**

Weather: Florida sunshine

(** Motoring; 1 opening & 5 fixed bridges; 4 overhead power lines. All without mishap!)