NOTICE TO NAVIGATION INTERESTS
Date: 4/11//2018
US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT
ATTN: CESAJ-OD-SN PO Box 4970
JACKSONVILLE, FL 32232-0019
863-983-8101
NOTICE NUMBER: 007
LOCAL NUMBER: 20180412
WATERWAY: CANAVERAL & OKEECHOBEE WATERWAY LOCKS
EFFECTIVE: 04/16/2018 00:00 thru 04/23/2018 24:00 EST
Read more “Notice to Navigation: 2018-007 Lock Closures for Manatee Protection System”
By Lee Jetton
South Seas Resort and Marina was the March cruise destination of the Cape Coral Cruise Club, with 17 member boats joining in the fun and activities. South Seas is always a popular destination, and Cruise Leaders Phil & Lyn Quick hosted a record 38 members and guests on board their vessels participating in the cruise. Although 21 boats had signed up for the cruise, 4 dropped out due to illness, business, or mechanical issues.
Read more “Cape Coral Cruise Club Boaters Enjoy South Seas Resort & Marina”
Spend a little time in Southwest Florida and you’ll come face to face with all kinds of wildlife, but being out on the water can get you even closer to Florida’s first inhabitants! From coral reefs to canals, wetlands to mangroves, and everything else in between, the Sunshine State has some of the most diverse ecosystems in the country. If you stop and enjoy the silence, you may be able to see these fan favorites while out on our waterways.
We think boating is certainly the best way to spend time on the water, but we also care about the environment just as much as we do a fun day of boating. When boaters make poor decisions or don’t take the proper preventative measures, many unintentional and unexpected consequences can affect our famous Southwest Florida environment.
By Captain Terry Fisher
The first few days of February provided some of the better inshore fishing of the year. I have had most success with my inshore charters catching fish on the late morning to mid-afternoon incoming tides, as northern and easterly winds left lower water levels during the morning hours. This trend will continue from today (February 7) and throughout the weekend. Next week, things should revert to more favorable morning tide conditions. Some of the more recent charter memories and catches are highlighted below:
By Captain Terry Fisher
January fishing had many challenges due to cold fronts, winds, lower tides and a Super Moon to end the month. The cold fronts discouraged anglers and boaters from leaving the warmth of their homes, rental houses, hotels and condos. High winds echoed watercraft advisories. North and easterly wind directions refused to allow water into some of the estuary locations by creating low water levels and the Super Moon triggered mass land exposures throughout Pine Island Sound.
With boat show season in full swing, many people will soon be thinking about adding a new boat to the family. But what about ‘Ol Faithful? You may choose to work with a broker to sell it, trade it in, or forego both and sell it yourself. If you choose the latter, be sure to follow these dos and don’ts.
Notice is given that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is notifying the public, marinas, commercial and recreational vessels traveling the Okeechobee Waterway that Ortona Lock will be closed for maintenance 4 through 16 June 2018. This will be the first lock closure along the Okeechobee Waterway in 6 years; maintenance is necessary to repair aging and damaged infrastructure in addition to improving public and vessel safety. Repairs will require the lock chamber to be dewatered for crews to perform inspections, replace gate seals and repair Manatee Protection system components. During the closure, barges, floating cranes and divers will be working in the lock entrance, requiring vessel operators in the area to use minimal speed and caution for safety.
By Captain Terry Fisher
The first week of January was cold and windy, although the fishing was good for those willing to brave the cold and the winds. Naturally, I scheduled the charters for times and locations that would produce some results. The Cyclone Bomb (extreme cold and winds) that blew across the country had and is still having, a devastating effect on the inshore bites from Seatrouts, Spanish Mackerel and Pompano. However, it did bring in some nice Sheepshead and provided my anglers with some great action on light tackle. Small Snook, Black Drum and Mangrove Snapper were only somewhat active. Offshore fishing has been virtually non-existence basically due to high winds.
By Captain Terry Fisher
Great news for the Christmas and New Year’s Holiday anglers! The water has begun to clear around the mouth of the Caloosahatchee River and San Carlos Bay. I have had good fishing success in those areas as well as throughout Pine Island Sound.