February 2003 December 2005 .........

Anna Maria Island: A seven mile slip of gulf sand balanced atop the crooked crab claw of North Longboat Key.It's located at southern entrance to Tampa Bay on the Gulf of Mexico, it's the barrier between the two. Access to the island can be achieved from the mainland (Bradenton), or from Longboat Key via the bridge over Longboat Pass. We spent a day at Bradenton Beach, a community located at the southern end of Anna Maria Island. We played in the surf until we were so tired we could hardly stand. The wave's weren't as bad for Dean because he is taller, however some of them even knocked him down .Laurel spent most of the time hanging onto him so she wouldn't fall. One thing that effects Florida beaches that we've never heard of is Red Tide. It's caused by several species of marine phytoplankton microscopic plant like cells that produce potent chemical toxins. The Florida Red Tide is caused by blooms of dinoflagellate that produces potent neurotoxins. These toxins cause extensive fish kill, contaminate shellfish and create severe respiratory irritation to humans. It produces a burning sensation of the eyes and nose and a chocking cough. We got into it once and it wasn't pleasant. After we left the beach Laurel's cough stuck around for a day or so, Dean's went away fairly quickly.

Pictured above - On the Northeast corner of Anna Maria Island, overlooking Tampa Bay and the Skyway Bridge is the Rod & Reel Pier. We ate there and Laurel had a Grouper Ruben Sandwich, sounds awful, but it was wonderful. We went back in 2005 and the sandwich was just as good that time. Don't miss this!

Anna Maria City Pier: (pictured above) Built in 1910, this 636 foot pier of pine and barnacles has withstood hurricanes in 1918, 1935, 1974, 1988 and 2001.This pier is South of the Rod & Reel Pier, it also has a restaurant, but we didn't eat there.

Bradenton Beach: (pictured top two photos below) Just across the bridge from Bradenton. On New Years Eve we walked across the bridge from our RV park, Holiday Cove Resort, in Cortez and watched the fireworks over the water. Great way to spend NYE. In the daytime we rode our bikes across the bridge to Bradenton where they have a great ice cream shop that serves homemade Amish ice cream.

Holmes Beach: (pictures bottom three photos below) It's on down the island from Bradenton Beach, to much traffic on narrow roads for us to ride bikes, so we went there in the car.

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