Boating St. Petersburg, Florida

Hey folks, me and some friends and family are going to pull my boat down from PA to St. Petersburgh this weekend and staying a week. I'm just looking for some advice on boating down there as it will be my first time. If you know any good spots to check out or any warnings while boating the area I would appreciate. Also, if your going to be in the same area then let me know! Thanks!

Re: Boating St. Petersburg, Florida

Good timing, weather is finally improving, last 2 days temp has hit 80. ( I am further south) Wind has still been blowing. Not familiar with the area and can only advise that the tides are low this time of year. Dont go where the birds are standing. Hope you have a good week, lots of people have been very disappointed this winter with the cold and wind. FRED

Re: Boating St. Petersburg, Florida

Use the marked channels, go slow outside of them, the water's been dirty lately tough to see the shallow areas. Get a Top Spot chart.

Re: Boating St. Petersburg, Florida

I live in St Pete and boat a ton. Advice is similar to above, in no particular order ,some thoughts are:
Get a chart, or better yet chart-plotter chip if you can (dunno if you have GPS on boat).
Watch the markers, there is a lotta skinny water around, up side is 99% is sand so if you do get in trouble not catastrophic. Basically stay in channel or odds are you will get in trouble.

Where are you staying?
What kind of boat?
What type activities you looking to do?
Locals Ramps:
Veterans park on BayPines Blvd is nice ramp, located middle of the county and where I launch most of the time. Just Google or go on BoatUS, they have decent ramp locate function on website.

Restaurants, Frechies in Clearwater has good food for reasonable $$. Salt Rock on inter-coastal in Indian rocks beach is higher end food but excellent.
Other Things to do:
Fort Desoto is nice area with nice beaches to the south.
If you want to venture north goto Caladesi Island State Park(dunedin area), they have nice floating dock and you can tie up there for like 4 bucks for the day. They have snack stand open in the summer, dunno about now.
If you are down south a ride under sky-way bridge is kinda fun event. Don't be an idiot with freighters, they take miles to stop.
Tarpon Springs up the alchote river is cool spot, you can tie up at city marina and get a tasty greek lunch and walk around the downtown shopping district.


Give me some feedback where you are staying, what kind of boat and what type things you are looking for and I can give more advice.

Re: Boating St. Petersburg, Florida

Hey guys thanks for the info! Thanks for all the info mikeneal, I have a 20' 2008 Tahoe Q5i SF with 220hp Mercruiser I/O. We are going to stay on the south east portion of the peninsula of St. Pete directly on the bay. I believe its called "Conquina Key". The activities we are looking to do is definitely fishing (I also posted a thread in the fishing section) as well as just cruising around and enjoying the area. Definitely want to take advantage of different spots we can pull the boat up too and dock, whether its to grab a bite to eat, have some drinks or check out a nice scenic area. Thanks again for the info and if you have anything else to add I appreciate the help.

Re: Boating St. Petersburg, Florida

I was actually out of town, I think you are here now, I dunno if you have Internet while in town. In case you do, Conquina Key is nice area right on the southern shore of St. Pete, you should have a blast. The sky-way is close and you should def run under it, makes a cool experience. Unfortunately the winds have been brutal for the start of your visit, should get better later in the week. In the meantime I would go north up the ICW, depending on how big of a boat ride you want goto Clearwater and get lunch or diner. If the boat is in the water long enough to need fuel O'Neil's marina is on west side of the interstate and has decent fuel prices. They also have a ramp there, I think they charge you 5 dollars but give you 5 credit for store. Maximo Park next door also has ramps and is free but ramps are crappy.

If winds get better you can run north across the bay to Rattlefish, it is just south of the Gandy bridge on Tampa side. Cool place with docks. Stay in the channel all around where you are staying, the south west side of the bay is way shallow outside the channel.

Fishing: You can usually catch fish on the flats outside where you are staying, the bridges hold sheepshead this time of year. There are some rock piles in the bay that hold snapper, but without GPS and location odds of finding them is tough.

mappgh said:

Hey guys thanks for the info! Thanks for all the info mikeneal, I have a 20' 2008 Tahoe Q5i SF with 220hp Mercruiser I/O. We are going to stay on the south east portion of the peninsula of St. Pete directly on the bay. I believe its called "Conquina Key". The activities we are looking to do is definitely fishing (I also posted a thread in the fishing section) as well as just cruising around and enjoying the area. Definitely want to take advantage of different spots we can pull the boat up too and dock, whether its to grab a bite to eat, have some drinks or check out a nice scenic area. Thanks again for the info and if you have anything else to add I appreciate the help.

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