Anna Maria Island Florida beach and island shore living, vacation and rentals.
Anna Maria Island bridge will close from early morning, Monday, September 29th, to allow planned repairs.
The closure is for 45 days, but may be shorter if the work progresses ahead of schedule, or longer if there are delays.
Traffic to and from the island will be detoured to the Cortez bridge to the south. Increased traffic flows at the Bradenton Beach end of Cortez Bridge will be accommodated by a lengthened turn lane.
All eyes were on the tropics this week as a tropical depression in the Atlantic became a storm named Fay, when wind speeds hit 39 mph.
As Fay crossed the Dominican Republic and Haiti, forecasters correctly predicted a turn to the NW and over Cuba. With no sign of weakening over land, Fay headed toward Florida’s SW coastline, maintaining 60mph winds, and leaving a wake of flooding rains as it made its first US landfall over Key West.
Continue reading “Tropical Storm Fay Detours Around Anna Maria Island” »
The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage, F.I.S.H., will hold the first ever “Mullet Invitational Fishing Contest” in Cortez, Florida.
The event will be held Friday and Saturday September 5-6, 2008. The contest will be a tribute to Ben Gullett of “Gullett’s Smoked Mullet” fame and proceeds will be to the benefit of F.I.S.H.
A beautiful day on Tampa Bay last weekend brought out sailors and boaties taking advantage of the breeze and perfect temperature to enjoy a day on the water.
Sailing out of northern Anna Maria Island presents no barriers or bridges into Tampa Bay, the Intracoastal Waterway, and to the Gulf of Mexico. Tampa Bay is one of few Florida deep water bodies of water, along with Charlotte Harbor, where keeled sailboats can enjoy unencumbered cruising without too much fear of running aground on shoals and dredged spoil banks.
Sailing under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge is a treat and navigation is little constrained up to St Petersburg.
Out in the direction of the Gulf of Mexico the ship channel is around 90 feet deep but care must be exercised to avoid being in the path of frequent merchant ships, towed barges, and cruise ships.
Within the protected Tampa Bay area close to Anna Maria Island we enjoyed a close reach up to De Soto Point, and return toward Bean Point, with a couple of broad reaches toward Manatee River and back to Anna Maria Island at the Galati Marina entrance.
Noted by its absence is Passage Key, until recently a favorite anchoring spot for pleasure boaters, sun bathers, and a protected bird sanctuary, but now under water, as a consequence of shifting sands.
Thanks to Ed for an ideal way to enjoy lunch and company for a few hours, get away from home chores, and appreciate the dolphins and seabirds.
Come run along the Manatee River in this historic neighborhood in Bradenton, Florida. This shaded scenic route takes you past the beautifully landscaped, grand old and new homes along Riverview Boulevard.
The proceeds from this race will help to enhance the athletic education of students at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School Athletic Booster Club.
The planned 2011 $7.5 million beach renourishment project for 1.5 miles of Anna Maria shoreline will not use Federal money, according to Charlie Hunsicker, ecosystems director at Manatee County. Funding will come from state and county taxation.
Continue reading “Anna Maria Beach Renourishment Eschews Federal Funds” »
Florida Department of Transportation announced that the start of the Anna Maria Bridge renovations has been delayed until Feb 4. A new contract with Quinn Construction Co of Palmetto calls for the bridge on Manatee Avenue, or State Road 64, connecting Anna Maria Island to the mainland and Bradenton, to be closed completely to vehicles for 45 days.
Originally announced last year to begin April 1, the closure was to be 75 days, but
Continue reading “Anna Maria Island Bridge Renovation Rescheduled” »
