Boating in St. Pete Beach area
 

I'll be in St. Pete Beach for Thanksgiving week with my AT 28. Anybody know the area well? I'd like to expand my horizon beyond the Boca Ciego bay.

I know it pretty well, live here a couple years. What are you looking for?
Food: Rattlefish in TPA bay just south of the Gandy Bridges nice place, good docks and food.
Party scence: Shell Key is just south of Boca Ciega and is about largest gathering spot. They are in process of passing laws to shut the party down though so the status over Thanksgiving is up in the air.
Nice Beach: Caledesse is just south of Dunedin Causeway on the ICW and very nice beach/state park.

There is a ton of people on OSO that live or lived here so lots of local knowledge.

I think rattlefish closed down, and just north of the Dunedin Causeway you have Threerooker nice beach.And just west of that beach you have the Anclote river where the sponge docks are Not a lot of places to dock but one greek rest. has a place to dock and you can eat there.

Thanks,...I went to shell isl. last year and plan to go again. I am also looking for someone to run with out in the gulf for some air time, also try to see some new areas....thanks
Chris

Rattlefish is gone - being replaced with the Tampa Harbor Yacht facility - still a year or so away from being up and running.

Shell Isle - the City just passed an ordinance prohibiting alcohol and dogs on Shell Island or the surrounding waters. Not sure of when this ordinance takes effect; however, it will have a serious damper on the party scene at Shell.

Egmont Key is pretty nice, but at Thanksgiving the water will be a little cold to be swimming around in.. at least for me..

Downtown Tampa offers Ricks on the River (a dive bar with decent weekend bands) and that's about it.

Up Old Tampa Bay past SR 60 Bridge (Courtney Campbell Causeway) there is a Bahama Breeze restaurant on the water, nice run, but need to pay attention to the channel markers as it get shallow up there. Docks at Bahama Breeze are ok - too narrow for my cat so I usually park on the outside of them or perpendicular to the ends (tends to hack off a few people).

There are a couple of places in Downtown St. Pete (Fishtales still there?), but nothing too crazy.

Best bet that time of year is Three Rooker but that will be a decent run from St. Pete Beach.

PM me when you know more about the details of your trip and we can try to meet up.

head outside and run south to Sarasota and go into the boat basin where the Hyatt is. The boathouse restaurant is real nice as is the poolside bar at the Hyatt

Tampa side has Circles in Apollo Beach, Closed Mondays, takes dogs, outside seating and little Harbor in Ruskin has a tiki bar.

Downtown Tampa Cafe Dufrain by boat or the Itialian restaurant next door "That's Amore", maybe an early dinner.

There's Gators in John's pass.:p

Thanks y'all...keep em coming

..............Little Harbor on Tampa Bay/ Ruskin
Stay in the channel and off shore 500 feet when not in the channel, Manateee Zones near shore.:D

Take a run down to Mar Vista on Longboat Key (Sarasota). It's a nice run which you can do either in the bay or out in the gulf, weather depending. You won't regret it.

http://www.marvista-restaurant.com/
27* 26' 17" N
82* 40' 51" W

What are the dates you are going to be down there? We had a change of plans & may be heading to St. Pete for Thanksgiving also. Not sure yet if we are taking a boat & if so which one. We have a house on the bay side, do you know where you will be staying at ?

Yeah, we stay same place each yr, last 4 anyway. It's right near the Don Caesar, straight back toward the toll booth on that main street; I don't know the name of the rd. We rent the "Sea Joy" house with my sisters and their kids from Nov. 17-24th. Would love to see a couple other boaters and do some day trips. Give me a call if you're down there same time.
Chris
919.669.2249 cell

Also, if you don't happen to bring a boat, call me for a ride if you want.

Fish Tales is still there. It's right next door to the Harborage Marina and Passport Marine.

The city of St. Petersburg has also recently installed public docks (with I think a whopping 8 slips) downtown right next to Frescos at the south westernmost part of the Pier.

I'm taking my boat to thanksgiving at the Columbia on the Pier if the weather is nice .

*VERY IMPORTANT: Get charts and stay in the channels. Don't assume that just because theres large areas of open water that they are deep.

DD - where do you dock when you go to the Columbia? I've always found the docking around the Pier to be suspect at best - but then again I have not been there in a while by boat - has it improved?

Actually I've never docked there but have seen boats tied up at the pilings on the west side of it. It doesn't look too bad, not great but...

I wouldn't get anywhere near the docks at the pier, they're a jagged mess of concrete, rusted bolts, and rotting poles, directly exposed to choppy open water.

The new docks at Fresco's are great, very nice place to tie up.

That was my recollection of the the docking there... NOT GOOD! :eek:

thanks for the insight. I'll have to re-evaluate taking the boat there.

Change of plans,...not bringing the AT to St.Pete for the annual "Thanksmas" family get-together. However, if anyone is boating in the area nov. 18-25th and wouldn't mind taking an avid boat enthusiast for a spin I would be more than appreciative!
Hey, It's worth a shot, right?

Like I said before. Come on down to west palm beach and I would be happy to give you a ride in the Apache:ernaehrung004: