On Sat, 19 Mar 2005 00:06:49 GMT, "Tom Treadway"
wrote:
There is a Marriott with a marina in downtown Tampa, between the convention
center and the Forum, close to Channelside and Ybor City. The hotel is on
the Garrison Channel. There are two low bridges on either end of the
channel - one to the east and one to the west of the hotel. The bridge to
the east supposedly has a 10ft clearance, while the bridge to the west,
closest to the hotel, is reported to have a 17 to 21ft clearance, depending
on tides. Since the tides in West Florida are closer to 2ft this time of
year, the real swing seems to be 18 to 20ft. My boat requires 19ft, and I
can maybe squeeze through 18ft with the antenna down, but it would be scary.

I got this information from the very helpful and seemingly informed
dockmaster at the Marriott, but I'd like to get a second opinion. Besides
getting the height of the bridge, I'd like to know the formation of the
bridge. In other words, is it higher in the middle, and therefore only
maybe 14 to 16ft on the outside? Of course crossing under the bridge in
strong winds and trying to keep it dead in the center is going to be tough.
It's bad enough that there is only one low tide in Tampa the day I arrive,
and it's at 7:30am. Having my radar and antennas ripped off my arch will be
a very bad way to start a day.

So are there any local folks out there that can help me out?

===============================================

I assume you are talking about the two bridges to Harbour Island?
According to my charts (which may be out of date), the bridge to the
west is a highway bridge, and a railroad bridge to the east, both with
10 foot clearance.

http://tinyurl.com/4q4od

Here is a note from a western Florida cruising site, speaking in
regard to Bern's restaurant near Ybor City:

The closest approach for mariners are the marinas on or near Davis
Island in the north end of Tampa Bay. At the south end of the island
is a circular harbor called the Seaplane Basin. The Davis Island Yacht
Club is in this basin and they accept boats with reciprocal
arrangements. Right on the Cut "D" channel is the Marjorie Park Yacht
Marina and to your right at the junction of Garrison Channel is the
Wyndham Harbour Island Hotel with two transient slips.

from:

http://www.cruisingguide.com/saltysemay03/wfnews.html