My neighbor has taken up fishing in a big way the past year. Every week he tells me of where he fished that week, it's usually Venice, St. Pete Beach or Pine Island off Spring Hill (that's a county park). For Pine Island just take Hwy 50 all the way to the end. You'll pass Weeki Wachie Springs at Hwy 19 intersection. He either surf fishes or off a pier. He's leaving tomorrow for Destin and coming back Thursday night. He's very cautious, he even wears a mask when at the golf course around the club house and putting greens. He just got back last weekend from a week at Marathon, it's an island in the keys about 50 miles before Key West. They rented a condo and he said it was great.
I grew up in St. Petersburg, my parents moved there in '59 and I graduated St. Pete High in '68. I can remember when Treasure Island and St. Pete Beach were nothing a but a couple of motels. You could drive from St. Pete to Clearwater north on Hwy 19 and not see a building in the early 60's. There was a sign pointing west on Hwy 60 that said, "Clearwater Beach" and a gas station on the corner.
Something I found amazing was the Kapok Tree Restaurant in Safety Harbor went out of business. It was a huge restaurant that served 4,000 people a day at it's peak in the 70's during high season. I guess owners died, poor management, whatever. It's still there, but it's a Sam Ash Music Store and a hall that can rented for banquets and weddings, etc. It had beautiful gardens and was a sight to see. I only made it once in 1975.
To get there, instead of taking I-275 (Howard Franklin Bridge), take Hwy 60 Courtney Campbell Causey across Tampa Bay, you get on at the west side of Tampa Airport. After the causeway ends, look for the first overpass (McMullen Booth Rd) take that to the right (north) and it will be a 1/2 mile on the right.
Back in the restaurant days
Now if you want to buy a guitar, go to the Kapok Tree, it's Sam Ash.
If you want to see if Clearwater Beach is busy, here's a webcam. Turn off your ad-blocker after you get on the site, and click in the lower right and make it full screen. You might have to click on the image to get it go live. I can remember going there in the 70's and seeing buoys out by the end of the pier, and it was a shark net. I don't know why they removed it, maybe too much trouble.
Clearwater Beach Live Webcam
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