Lake Okeechobee Rescue Services

[dollelliott]

I departed the Clewiston hurricane lock about 9:00 a.m. on Jan.31.for Port Mayaca. Winds were from the northeast at 10-20 mph and the lake exhibited a 1-2 ft. chop. The day was sunny and clear. It is a 28 mile run across open water with only a few navigation markers at the midway point. My boat is a 29 ft. open launch with the usual safety equipment including a Personal Locator Beacon. About six miles out of Clewiston we came upon a broken down bass boater who appeared to be getting the worst of it from the wind and choppy water. He visually hailed us and asked for a tow to the nearest port-Clewiston- which we cheerfully provided. A few miles into the tow I tried reaching the Coast Guard on Channel 16 with no luck. I then called TowBoat U.S. by cell phone and after a bit of a hassle--they wanted the guy's name, if he was a TowBoat subscriber, etc.--they agreed to try to find us an independent towing service. In the meantime I also called the Roland Marine Marina in Clewiston by cell phone to see if a boat would come out to tow him in. Incredulously, they replied that "there were no boats available" though we had just departed a marina choked with boats. An independent tow service never did respond. We later learned from a lockmaster that most of the marinas surrounding the lake will not respond to distress calls or will offer a tow service in the event of a breakdown.
I am alerting BoaterEd folks that you will cross this lake at your own peril and that I, at that date and time, was not successful in obtaining help for this boater. Were the wind from the south blowing him away from shore, were he not in a navigation lane, were the winds a bit higher and had we not accidentally come upon him, the outcome may have been tragically different. This is a well used waterway in the middle of a highly active boating community. It looks like our vaunted Coast Guard is too busy chasing potheads.
This note in no way excuses this guy's poor decision making.

 

[L Hall]

When did Lake O become part of the ICW system? There's a cross state canal but that is not part of the ICW. Lake O is also not under CG jurisdiction, to the best of my knowledge. Also, the coast guard does not provide towing services. They are there to save lives, not property.

 

[L Hall]

We need to remember that the government has no obligation to tow our boats. But I believe both Sea Tow and Boat US advertise service for members on Lake 0. However, they too have no obligation to tow non-members. I don't believe either actually keeps a boat on the lake - they would need to trailer a boat over. As NC mentioned, Lake O is not considered a navigable water way and has no CG presence.