St. Patrick's Day at Woody's Waterfront

Carl Fuerstman at Woody's Waterfront on St. Pat's Day

We've spent many St. Patrick's Days in Florida, and most of them have been very hot. I remember seeking shade on March 17th, occasionally thinking wistfully of a cold Minnesota St. Pat's Day.

We woke to wind and spitting rain, and soon heard thunder in the distance, so I had no morning swim. I did get to watch manatees, though, and shared a spot on the wall with a great blue heron. By mid-morning,  there was no visibility across Boca Ciega Bay or to the Gulf across the street. Sheets of rain kept us from venturing out until mid-afternoon.

The St. Patrick's Day festivities in most Gulf communities were a literal washout. We stopped for lunch and a beer at Woody's Waterfront, where the beer and appetizers were cheap and good. Bob made friends with Michigan snowbirds John and Carol, and I enjoyed listening to Carl Fuerstman, whose repertoire was mostly non-Irish but good.

The storm seems to have dissipated and I'm hoping for an evening swim.

Manatees: 2014 Update

A Florida manatee

Last year's Red Tide killed so many of Florida's state marine mammal, the manatee.

I was almost surprised to see manatees in the inlet outside our condo complex, and delighted to note that mating season seems to be in full swing. I was the first watcher this morning shortly before 8:00, but soon a crowd gathered to watch what was described by those around me as "playing". Maybe so.

Whatever the enthusiastic activity, the 4 or 5 manatees seemed to be in noisy good health as they frolicked in the water.

Feels like Minnesota Tornado Weather

Sunday evening, Tampa Bay was white capping on either side of the Howard Frankland Bridge as we drove to TPA. The bridge was closed for awhile when Hurricane Isaac delayed the start of the Republican National Convention in August 2012. I seem to remember pictures of surf on the bridge, but that may just be my imagination.

Stocking up on fish before a storm

I was thinking about Tampa Bay tourist literature promises un "360 days a year", and perhaps that's true, but I'm more inclined to believe a different metric: 2920 annual hours, or  two-thirds of a possible total. Today feels like the Twin Cities during the height of Tornado season. It was almost oppressively warm during the night, when winds began to gust.

This morning, I held on to a lamp post when I was taking pictures beside the bay. I would not be optimistic about my chances of getting fished out of Boca Ciega Bay. I would have to swim a yucky 25 yards or so to the ladder on the dock, enough of a deterrent to keep me both vigilant and sober.

Tornado warnings seem to be for elsewhere in this part of Florida, but the air is oppressive and the wind is howling.