crossing Anna Maria Island to Apalachicola

Oyster Hog is the name on this barge, it left Apalachcola in the morning loaded down with empty oyster shells. It brings them out to the oyster grounds in the bay, it has two water cannon which are used to wash the shells overboard. The shells give the oyster larvae something to grow on until they are harvested.

Sunset Wednesday night out in the Gulf on the way to Apalachicola, while it was still calm.

The Edgmont Key at the South of Tampa Bay taken as we left for Apalachicloa.

Apalachicola Veterans Plaza Park just across the road from the marina. it is a very nice spot with several monuments dedicated to our Veterans.

Scipio Creek Marina and Papa Joe's restaurant, nothing fancy but a welcome sight after nearly 24 hours out on the Gulf. We had planned to travel to Clearwater Wednesday and leave to cross the Gulf to Apalachicola from there, but when I checked the forecast it was for good weather tonight only, then about 4 days of high winds. We decided to cross make the crossing on Wednesday night rather than be stuck in Clearwater. So, at 10:30 AM we headed up to Tampa Bay and went out the channel to the Gulf. The weather was fine untill after midnight when it got windy and the waves built up. It was a rough ride untill we got to the channel into Apalachicola Bay. We stayed at Scipio Creek marina which is within walking distance of the town. We rested up and had a nice meal at the marina's restaurant, Papa Joe's.

We plan to leave for Panama City Saturday morning we'll spend a night at anchor along the way.

To see our location in Apalachicola click on the link below

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=29.733,-84.99041&ll=29.733,-84.99041&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

On Anna Maria Island with friends

Here is the baby Great Blue Heron getting some breakfast.

We didn't take the boat out on the water today altought it was a nice day again this evening some of my childhood friends from when I was growing up in Puerto Rico are coming by for dinner. One of them, Margie, came by and picked us up for some grocery shopping and very interesting sightseeing which included a Manatee viewing, and the Desoto State park on the Manatee river. We saw a good documentary film on DeSoto's last voyage and treck with his small army over much of the Southern US. It ended badly for him, no gold was found and most of his small army were killed or died from disease as did he.

In the evening our friends (3 couples) came by we set up a table on the dock in front of the boat, we are the last boat on the dock so weren't blocking any traffic. They brought lots of salad, chips and dip, dessert, and wine, I cooked a paella, a Spanish rice dish with pork, chicken, shrimp, mussels, sausage and other seasonings everything was good and we had a fine time well into the evening. It was wonderful to see them all again.

Tomorrow we plan to leave for Clearwater from where we will leave to cross the corner of the Gulf up to Apalachicola, the next few days are forecast to be windy so we may be there a while.

St Petersburg to Anna Maria Island

The Channel Into Bimini Bay, Anna Maria Island from lower Tampa Bay.

Gumbo in Slip at Galati Marina

A small heron (Green Heron?) waiting to pounce on a fish.

Adult Great Blue Herons on their nest

Mother Great Blue Heron with baby, begging for food, on nest
We departed St. Pete Municipal Marina at 11:00 after filling the Diesel and water tanks, it was another beautiful day on the water, light breeze, cool and clear. We passed under the Skyway bridge and cruised South to Bimini Bay on the Northern end of Anna Maria Island, just south of Tampa Bay.
The Galati Marina is just inside the bay we were tied up in our slip by 1:30 our slip is located next to a small Island which is overgrown with mangroves and Australian pines and serves as a nesting ground for several different species of waterfowl. they are quite tame and let you get quite close for picture taking.

Later we were picked up by our friend Margie we had a look around the area and at the house she and Adrian will be renting a very nice place right on the bayside. After that we went to their house for a glass of wine and Pizza for dinner we had a very nice time.

For a look at our location click on the link below

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=27.52581,-82.72173&ll=27.52581,-82.72173&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Happy Easter

A beautiful Kapok tree outside the Museum of Fine Arts

One of the Kapok flowers.

Some of the branches, all flowers no leaves.

Carriage rides on the waterfront

I wasn't a fan of Fernando Botero's art, after seeing his exhibit, nothing has changed. Happy Easter!

We went to the History and Fine arts museums today the first is a block away from the marina the second two blocks so it was a short walk. Both were very nice and interesting. There was an extensive Fernando Botero display at the Art museum and they had lots of other works as well including a Gaugain and quite a few Monet paintings. There also were quite a bit of pre- Colombian artefacts from Mexico, Central, and South America which were very interesting.

Outside the museum there was a huge and beautiful Kapok tree, quite different from the ones I had see before which had one tall trunk, this one had several trunks spread out it was full of flowers and being photographed by many people, us included.

We had dinner at Columbia Resaturant at the Pier, it was very good.

St. Petersburg

The marina and St. Petersburg skyline

The anchorage of the Vinoy Hotel, in the background, near the municipal marina.

Those silly rubber snakes won't keep me off the boat!
Very Nice weather again today, walked the area near the marina then into town where a nice crafts/farmers market was being held just a couple of blocks away from the marina. Back at the boat I spent a while removing some stubborn stains on the decks. We had dinner in town at a Mediterranean restaurant which was quite good. This is a very pretty city with lots of well kept parks, good restaurants and hotels. The setting right on the bay is nice also.

Easter Sunday tomorrow.

Little Sarasota bay to St. Petersburg Municipal Marina

Our anchorage in Little Sarasota Bay

A couple of rowing teams on the Intracoastal Waterway

Their coach, bellowing instructions.

Tampa Bay bridge, The Sunshine Skyway the previous bridge was hit by a ship in 1980, 32 people were killed when their vehicles fell into the bay.

The Pier complex a tourist attraction with shops and restaurants the St Petersburg Municipal Marina is next to it

It was another nice weather day today when we left the anchorage in Little Sarasota Bay at 8:15. Not long after that we passed by Sarasota then Anna Maria island into Tampa Bay, there was a lot of boat traffic there, both pleasure and commercial vessels. We cruised under the Bridge built to repllce the one hit by a ship in 1980. About 1;30 we arrived at the St Petersburg Municipal Marina where we tied up to the transient dock. We plan to stay here until Monday morning.

Dinner in town.

To see our location in St Petersburg click on the link below

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=27.77241,-82.62968&ll=27.77241,-82.62968&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Leaving Pelican Bay

Boca Grande Lighthouse

Lemon Bay, calm waters

Tide change at Venice Inlet the salty light blue gulf waters slipping under the dark Mangrove swamp brackish water

House overlooking the waterway We left Pelican Bay shortly after 8AM, the weather was very nice, clear, light winds, and not too cool. Several other boats were leaving at the same time there were lots of boats out on the water today. There are still lots of spring breakers around in addition to the usual resident boaters.
We had to have a couple of low bridges open for us on the way but there were no lengthy delays at either.

We arrived at the anchorage on the West side of Little Sarasota Bay at 3:30 and had no problems anchoring just out from a residential area. We had dinner on board

To see our location in Little Sarasota Bay click on the link below:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=27.23657,-82.51992&ll=27.23657,-82.51992&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1