Picnic Island

In this blog we visit Tampa's Picnic Island Park. The park is located on the southern end of the Tampa side of the bay. It is a little off the beaten path located in an area of town known as Port Tampa City. This is one of the city's oldest neighborhoods. It was formed in 1865 at the end of Henry B. Plant's railroad. A blog entry called The King of Florida tells this story. 

Plant established a port at the end of his railway line so you pass sights like this on the way into the park

The park has a boat ramp and a canoe/kayak launch along with a fishing pier

Looking north towards the Gandy bridge....some wade fishermen and a guy throwing a cast net

Spectacular views across Tampa Bay..this one looking across at St. Petersburg...the white dome is Tropicana Field

The views are outstanding and what I enjoyed the most on this weekday was...the quiet...

I sat under the shade of one of the many shelters with a cooler, some music and a book...for me that's a great day

In this pic...if you look real close on the horizon over the red buoy you can see the Skyway Bridge

I'll be back to Picnic Island...one of Tampa's hidden gems...check it out one day and enjoy the quiet

Honeymoon Island

Honeymoon Island State Park is a beautiful island on Florida's west coast. Honeymoon and it's neighbor island Caladesi were once one large barrier island known as Hog Island. In 1921 a category 3 hurricane came ashore around Tarpon Springs and cut the island in two.

The pass between the two islands is now known as Hurricane Pass. It provides boaters an outlet to the Gulf without having to go around the islands

Honeymoon Island sits farther out in the Gulf than most barrier islands. The current around the southern end is swift as it goes through the pass

Clearwater beach is the next beach to the south. Tourists don't find Honeymoon as easily as the other beaches so it is a nice place to go and enjoy the views

When the tide is out it is a great place for collecting shells

On the north end where the current isn't as strong there is beautiful white sand

There is a concession stand with facilities and even a designated area to take the family dog

We like to go over in the evenings and take a swim, eat a sandwich and watch the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico

Honeymoon Island....one of my favorite spots here in this great place we live

John Dawson Winter III

One of my all time favorites passed away yesterday at the age of 70. Johnny Winter was one of the greatest guitarists of all time. He could play it all. He was a rocker and a bluesman....a guitar slinger

He got started back in 1969 when the album Johnny Winter was released. He hit the road playing with his new band and even played Woodstock. In 1970 Johnny formed a new band with the members of the McCoys called Johnny Winter And

Randy Jo Hobbs...Bobby Caldwell...Rick Derringer ..Johnny Winter And

Live Johnny Winter And is a scorching rock and roll classic

In the early 1970's he battled an addiction to heroin and left the scene for a few years to get cleaned up

His comeback album after being gone for several years...fittingly titled by a Rick Derringer song Still Alive and Well 

After a couple of studio LP's a second live album was released

Captured Live is one of the best live recordings ever released

Over the years I have seen Johnny Winter in every kind of venue possible...from stadiums to concert halls to bars. One of the first times (if not the first) I saw him was at the Florida Jam in July 1975

It was a great show

As the years went by Johnny's health declined but he kept on playing

The last few years he was unable to stand for very long so he took to sitting down during his shows but he could still play

Doesn't get any better than this..Johnny and Edgar Winter and the All American Boy Rick Derringer

Johnny Winter and Rick Derringer

Johnny and Edgar

RIP Johnny...and thanks for the music

Hula Hula

This blog will be heavy on pictures I took when we went to Hawaii a few years ago when my son was playing with Florida State. They played over there for a week and many parents went along. The first part of the blog will be pics from the beach and then a more somber look at pics from Pearl Harbor

This is one of my favorite pics...I took this on Waikiki looking back at Diamond Head

Here is the view from our balcony looking out at Waikiki and the Pacific Ocean

Honolulu from the balcony

Beautiful Waikiki

Sunset over the Pacific

MK with Diamond Head in the background

 Me and CA with theDuke

The Luau we went to was fun

Batting practice at Les Murakami stadium...University of Hawaii

MK watching the ball game

Here are a few pics from Pearl Harbor...I wish every American could visit there...it is a very serene, very quiet place of great reverence...You go in a room and watch a movie about Dec 7th 1941 and then get on the boat for the ride across the Harbor to the Arizona Memorial. You drive over the bridge to visit the Missouri

You pass this on your way in....

The Missouri and the Arizona Memorial across the harbor from the visitor's center

Oil still leaking after all these years

MK with the Missouri in the background

Part of a gun turret

BB 39

The site of the Japanese surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri

One of my all time favorite pics.. Me on the deck of the Missouri....in one picture you can see where World War II began and where it ended

And we close with this