March 1, 2019

After a great few days with the Antones, it was time to head back home. Didn't get as early a start as we had planned, but the time was spent well. Just love these guys.

We took a different route back home, stopping in Ortona Lock and Dam. I had never seen a lock, and never really understood how they worked. This lock allows the passage of vessels from the east coast of Florida, up canals into Lake Okeechobee, then west through the Ortona lock, into the Caloosahatchee Canal, and eventually into the Caloosahatchee River, and back to the Atlantic Ocean near Ft Myers. It was one of the coolest, simplest things I have ever seen.

They bring the watercraft into the lock area, and shut the gate. The craft is secured on the side, and then the other gate is opened, to let the water out and drop the level. This lock drops 8 feet.

 This one is about 40 or so feet long. You can see by the watermark how the water is dropping.

Once the craft has left the lock, if there are any that want to travel up the canal, they would enter, the lower gate would be closed, the upper gate would open to let the water in, and the level would begin to rise.

A great stop on our trip back home. Out of the way, not much fanfare, but a really interesting place for me.