Bubba
I WILL BE SAILING IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS PAST ST.GEORGE ISLAND ACROSS
YOUR BAY AND DOWN TO TAMPA THEN TO THE KEYS.DO YOU KNOW ANY GOOD PUBS ON THE
WAY DOWN THE FORGOTTEN COAST

YOUR BAY AND DOWN TO TAMPA THEN TO THE KEYS.DO YOU KNOW ANY GOOD PUBS ON
THE
WAY DOWN THE FORGOTTEN COAST

Hello,

If you are looking for places for a cruiser to party near Tampa I can offer
some advice.

Northernmost spot would be Shepard's in Clearwater Pass
N27.58.97
W82.46.92

Just before the bridge on the north side. Lots of local people ride their
boats and jetskis there and park off the beach. They have live music
outside, and a fancy disco indoors. It's the hippest place to be seen, too
hip for some of us. Expect lots of silicone and steroid body enhancements.

Next inlet south is John's Pass.

N27.46.97
W82.46.92

A personal favorite of mine, on the southside right after after the draw
bridge. Good docking assistance in the ripping current, and the best local
cover bands at this three story beach bar. It's probably the most likely
place for the lonely sailor to get get laid by a local sea hag. Ask for a
Polish bartender named Nick and tell him Fergy sent ya.

Inside North pass:

N27.41.82
w82.44.12

There's a nice low-key local bar with a decent juke box, and photos on the
wall that show the true history of Pass-a-grill. I forgot the name, but it's
a brown planked building, second business down from a small bridge. On any
night they get as much business by sea as by land. I like to eat here on my
last night before returning home.


Inside Tampa Bay:

St Pete Vinoy basin

N27.46.57
W82.37.75

Anchor here for free and be in the center of downtown. There's shopping, a
new movie theater, and lots of stuff nearby. Some of it is more touristy
than others. I'd suggest a drink at Mastry's Bar on Central ave. The
Mastry family also runs an old school tackle shop, and if the owner is in
You'll find good conversation. Also check if a good band is playing at
Jannus landing or Vinoy park. Styx had a free concert there a couple weeks
ago.

On to Tampa,

N27.54.56
W82.27.12

You'll find that most of the boater-friendly places are closer to the gulf.
But if you have some reason to head all the way up Tampa Bay, the above
waypoint is your beast anchorage. Davis Island is a nice little isolated
community in th heart of Tampa. It even has it's own little downtown strip a
long walk from the basin, with a grocery store, a few bars, and excellent
Mexican food at Estella's resaurant.

South of the Bay:

N27.26.30
W82.40.84

Moore's seafood Restaurant on Longboat Key used to be famous for the dolphin
show that they gave each happy hour. They no longer have Jackie the porpose
caged within their dock, but it's still a nice place to dock and walk around
town, or anchor offshore in a well protected harbor.

Wow that was a longwinded post. Hope it helps though.

Have fun,

John.

Ah........... St. George Island..... Such wondrous memories from my teen surfing years.... The girls of summer..... 1969...

Sorry.... Uh, back to your question....

Absolutely! What kind of ole' Pirate wouldn't...

I VERY HIGHLY recommend the numero uno in all of Apalachee Bay... "Posey's Topless Oyster Bar." Located in the charming and quaint port of St. Marks, Florida, Posey's in located right on the river; Pirates can pull up along side the bar and climb aboard with all those Sweet Hot Florida State Gals we all Love Sooooooooo Much...

Have a seat, cute waitresses will bring you a dozen topless gals [translation for the uninformed - Oysters], your favorite adult beverage and you'll be in heaven.... Try the local Smoked Mullet too... I know them "Yankees" think it's Bait... but if it is, it's the best you'll ever taste! If you don't know why we call them Oyster's gals, let me know when you'll be making port and I will join ya to demonstrate how locals ascertain this vital information.... ;-)

Posey's has been around forever! It's a local flair that one can only fully comprehend after visiting them in person - akin to Sloppy Joe's in Key West. My first visit there was in 1976 in the accompaniment of Wakulla's infamous Chief Deputy, Mr. Fred Oliver. Mr. Fred as he's known locally, swaggered in, removed his gun belt, slapped it down on the bar, snagged a cold brewske freshly opened expressly for him upon his appearance, and promptly plopped down a "Lincoln" on the pool table while uttering, "Who's up for a game?" This was only months after I had completed Florida's Law Enforcement certification program where I was lead to believe we were "Professionals." Wow!... What a wonderful thing this "Professionalism" is.... heheehehee

While in port, St. Marks is an astonishingly amazing place to walk around... a 21st century Key West for those receptive to a simpler era.... Weekends are best time to experience the full package. The history of this little village is absolutely amazing to say the least.

Also, I have to mention Edward Ball's Wakulla Springs State Park only a couple miles down the road... Wakulla is the 8th wonder of the world that never got recorded... and the waters are Gin-Air clear at this time.... Ponce de Leon was noted for saying on his death bed he desired to return to the springs as he indeed believed it to be the true Fountain of Youth after his exhaustive searches... This was only weeks after he was wounded there before returning to Havana where he died from wounds received at the springs.... I've personally observed unexplainable physical corrosion of coins gathered from this spring that I have seen no where else and I've dove them all.. I've also met and seen many people over the years that have ties to the spring back to it's beginnings in the 1930's that when I first met them, I perceived they were 2-3 decades younger than I later discovered they actually were - There is definitely something unique about the water and minerals that flow forth from this spring.... One must swim in it!

In Apalachicola, on the river, there is a 1st class restaurant I dined at couple of years back that impressed me considerably but I can't recall it's name... Breeze into the river and look on the left... I think it is the largest you'll see... Same deal... dock and climb aboard...

These are my two favorites... but I know there are many more along your proposed course... The important thing to keep in mind, the plank one walks is proportional to their walk... eh?

BTW... Be sure to tell them that Bubba in Wakulla told you about their gig... Get's this ole Pirate a free Morgan's straight up sometimes...

Cheers and Safe Cruising... May you get blown like never before....

--
Bubba
~~~_/)~O~~~
~~~~~~~~~~
On Apalachee Bay - The Pirate Coast
Home of Billy Bowlegs and Mysterious Waters
Wakulla County, Florida
~Wet Dreams~
Hull Number 158


"marklan" wrote in message news:3AYjc.9473$Rd4.743090@attbi_s51...
Bubba
I WILL BE SAILING IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS PAST ST.GEORGE ISLAND ACROSS
YOUR BAY AND DOWN TO TAMPA THEN TO THE KEYS.DO YOU KNOW ANY GOOD PUBS ON THE
WAY DOWN THE FORGOTTEN COAST