Day 156 – Maximo Marina, St. Petersburg to Regatta Point Marina, Palmetto (near Bradenton) - December 9, 2011

We checked the AGLCA website for sponsors along the west coast of Florida and found Regatta Point Marina.  Although slightly off the beaten path (up the Manatee River a few miles), it looks like a nice place so we plan to spend two nights there.

We crossed Tampa Bay today and spent lots of time looking at the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.  We picked a good day for this travel and our crossing was easy and uneventful.  One of the more interesting things about travel along this portion of the Intercoastal is how shallow the water is outside the channel.  As we traveled in the channel alongside the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, the water on either side of us was just a few inches deep with slightly deeper water just past that (if you can call 1 to 2 feet of water deeper!).  It is very important to know your route and stay in the channel, making sure you are not accidently drifting out of the channel because of wind or current.

Regatta Point Marina is indeed a nice spot and I’m sure we will enjoy our time here.

            Miles: 24.2      Bridges: 2        Locks: 0

our first  view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge

heading toward Tampa bay and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge

as you can see, it is VERY shallow just outside the channel - yes,
those birds are standing on a sandbar just outside the green mark!

getting close to the main span of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge

looking through the main span of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge