MacGyver and I are now safely ensconced on a concrete pad with stone yard at Ortona Campground, 8 miles East of LaBelle, FL. What a relief to be out of the mud…Don’t get me wrong, the campground was fair, the lady running it was very nice, but it was too close quarters and too grassy/muddy for us! Here is our new digs…Lot # 44, looking over the entrance, but a very nice big, dry spot.
We were here last December for a couple weeks and had a site right on the river, viewing the locks. That was a great spot, but this is just fine too…and we were lucky to get anything in the month of February at this place..
This morning we took a walk across the dam and it is running full with all the locks open to allow Lake Okeechobee to lower since all of the rain…
Standing on top of the locks is a bit scary for me..the power of water is amazing…
“Ortona Lock and Dam, Florida...Stretching out from both directions, the waterway extends to the Gulf of Mexico using the Caloosahatchee River and to the Atlantic Ocean using the St. Lucie Canal. Covering 152 miles, the waterway serves as both a commercial and recreational link with several overnight-docking facilities along the way. The Corps constructed and currently manages five locks along the Waterway. Ortona Lock and Dam were constructed in 1937 for navigation purposes. Cost of construction: Approximately $1.1 million...Lockage: Approximately 9,500 vessels lock through annually; of these about 96% are recreational vessels.” And there is your history lesson for the day.
Left is a look from inside the lock..and right is a view of the lock and dam from the Northeast side of it…
Above is one of the pleasure boats locking through..Endless Summer from Maryland..I want one of these.
We have had some very pretty sunrises here at Ortona…
…and I am one “happy camper” to have a nice dry place to sit and soak some of ol’ sol rays without being in a mud puddle!!
I know, I know…pretty scary..and YES, I do have a tube top on. I realized after Dennis snapped this that it looks otherwise..No, I am not THAT crazy..Although, the fact that at age 67 I even put one of those tube tops on is proof of my insanity..HEY…IT’S MY YARD!!!! Yep, I am one happy camper!!!
You've got more hutzpah than I to wear short shorts and a tube top! Glad you finally got to dry land. ;)
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you on a nice dry site. That last one had me concerned. Growing up, we would take the boat on the Fox River and go through the lock. As a 14 year old, I found it fascinating and entertaining. It always stressed my mom though. Ah, we can always count on you, the RVing fashionista, to share the latest RVing attire!
ReplyDeleteThat is a great spot to settle down:) Would love to be on the trawler!
ReplyDeleteSure your wearing a tube top!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Glad you guys are in a dry place for a change. Looks like a great place
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