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By Mary Kelley Hoppe
I remember texting a girlfriend a few weeks back after heading north with my dog Scout on a cloud-capped Sunday morning. I needed a road trip but couldn’t afford the time or money to venture much farther than Pasco County. Resolved to let the road take me where it would, I wound up on a horse farm in Odessa chatting up two chesnut mares. That began a morning of Blackberry transmissions, with me sharing messages and images that left my friend yearning to pack up and hit the open road.
And so began a month of discovery, taking the road less traveled, leaving office and worries behind, heading out into the backcountry to explore Tampa Bay, a place I’ve called home for 23 years but never really taken the time to get to know.
For a girl who loves adventure, who longs to return to the aspen foothills of Colorado, the red rocks of Sedona, and
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the breathtaking canyonlands and cool mountain streams surrounding Escalante, it was an epiphany: God’s country is all around us, right here at home.
As Bay Soundings launches its first “staycations” series, we invite readers to venture outside and join us as we travel to magical destinations. Inside our special insert you’ll find plenty of inspiration and information to help you plan your own adventures. So, saddle up, read on, remember to pack sunscreen, and bring some water along for the ride.
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 Mary Kelley Hoppe with daughters Jane and Maddy |
After a glorious month reconnecting with my adopted homeland, exploring the Tampa Bay watershed that has been
my home for more than 20 years, I tell friends I fell in love with Florida all over again.
Truth is, this Midwestern girl had never really fallen in love with the sunshine state.
Too hot. Too flat. Too crowded.
But sometimes the greatest discoveries come from seeing familiar places with new eyes. Getting out into Tampa Bay’s backcountry confirmed that for me. And it’s important to get out while the getting is good, before summer’s sweltering heat and humidity take hold.
Bay Soundings first annual “staycations”series is packed full of adventures that will take you into the heart of this glorious backcountry, with travel tips and guides to make the trip even more enjoyable. Look for more dispatches from the road in future issues – and drop us a postcard at editor@baysoundings.com to share your favorite backbay adventures. We’ll publish reader favorites and photos in coming issues.
  City slickers: If you haven’t ventured down to the Little Manatee River to feast on some fresh-from-the-bay steamed stone crabs and blue crabs, topped off with ice-cold beer and frozen oreos, well — our condolences. And a friendly tip: You may want to book a trip soon with Gus’s Crabby Adventures before word gets out and Gus’s little slice of paradise is overrun with folks escaping the big-city bustle.
In the interests of full disclosure, Gus may make you work for your lunch, but if this is work, who needs play? At $400 for four people (children are half-price or $25), a four-hour adventure and dockside lunch with Gus is a bargain, even in today’s belt-tightening times. Crew members learn to pull and bait crab traps, then grade, clean, steam and, yes, EAT crabs. In this backbay paradise, common sightings of dolphins, manatees and leaping mullet are simply the icing (er, hot sauce) on the crabcake.
Truth be told, blue crabbing is in Mary Jane’s blood too. “My dad used to take us kids to Ballast Point and blue crab there. It was just a fun family thing to do. So when Bob said ‘let’s go blue crabbing, it wasn’t anything unusual.’” |
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Every month or so, visitors to Bradenton’s Emerson Point can kayak or canoe the spectacular preserve with naturalists and guides from Manatee County. These specially arranged eco-paddle trips, typically conducted on evenings or weekends, are BYOB (bring your own boat) and reservations are required.
Of course, you can paddle the preserve on your own, but these small group outings with experts on hand to point out flora and fauna and answer questions would be more than worth the price of admission, if there was one. But just as the best things in life are free, so too are county-hosted paddling excursions.
A lush peninsula jutting out into Tampa Bay just above the Manatee River, Emerson Point is a magical mix of ancient and modern. Kayaking the mangrove forests that snake through the preserve is awe-inspiring. Cool clear waters, dappled with sunlight from above, reveal starfish, corals and tiny fish darting about. Oysters cling to the walking roots of the red mangrove trees that form quiet and mysterious tunnels beckoning exploration.
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The peaceful paddling excursion is part of a much larger Manatee County “blueways trail” that has gained national acclaim for making the region’s spectacular rivers and bayous more accessible by canoe or kayak.
Should you happen to luck into a tour with Charlie Hunsicker, longtime director of natural resources for Manatee County, so much the better. Hunsicker could talk the ear off a fiddler crab if it had one. The weekend historian also happens to be a master storyteller, whose tales of the villagers and families once inhabiting this peninsula are as mesmerizing as the surroundings.
In fact, the 195-acre park has a long and rich history of human habitation dating back thousands of years. Hikers can visit thousand-year-old Indian shell and temple mounds, and walk restoration trails lined by tropical gumbo-limbo trees and strangler figs, which start life as epiphytes growing on trees and – in behavior most inhospitable – eventually ensnare and strangle their hosts.
For more information on Emerson Point and other Manatee County preserves, or to request a free copy of the Manatee County Paddle Guide, visit mymanatee.org/conservation.html or call 941-748-4501 ext. 4605.
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If ever a tall, handsome cowboy invites you out for a ride on the ranch, say yes.
Nevermind that in this case I asked J.B. Starkey, whose family dates back to the days when Central Avenue in St. Pete was a dirt road. Or that neither of us had a horse and opted instead for cycling – settling for much smaller saddles. The important thing is he accepted. And so it came to pass that the writer and the cattle rancher explored Starkey Wilderness Preserve, family lands sold to the Southwest Florida Water Management District two decades ago.
The preserve is a culmination of “one man’s dream” – J.B.’s father, Jay B. Starkey, Sr., who purchased the land in 1937 and then developed a cattle ranch and timber operation. In 1975, Mr. Starkey donated several hundred acres to the district, initiating the concept of permanently protecting the land and its resources for future generations.
Managed by Pasco County, the 12,500-acre preserve features a paved trail that connects to the 42-mile Suncoast Parkway Trail, primitive camping and cabins, picnic shelters, hiking, biking and equestrian trails.
Suggested Reading: A good book is a gift you can open again and again. Here are a few of our favorites, perfect for armchair adventurers and backbay enthusiasts |
Our morning sojourn follows the 7-mile paved trail through longleaf pine country, which connects to the Suncoast Trail at Highway 54 for cyclists wishing to peddle on. My gracious host allows for occasional stops along the way for me to photograph the sweeping vistas and roadside attractions, like flowering blue lupine and a Sherman’s fox squirrel breakfasting on an acorn.
But it is the longleaf that mesmerizes above all. As far as the eye can see, these elegant, hundred-foot-tall pines punctuate the forest floor, itself beauty to behold, awash in masses of spring green saw palmettos.
Traveling with a companion who raised cattle and children on this land, fished its creeks, and rode horseback through these forests, is a humbling privilege. Here, J.B. points out the spot where a temporary timber mill once stood, in another area, a grove of sand pines he planted when his son, Trey, was born. We pass over Cross Cypress Creek, a tiny tributary to the Anclote River that drought has reduced to a trickle.
Bisecting the trail, a grass road stretches off into the past on either side. I learn that it was once part of a 19th-century “highway” that connected the small town of Elfers, near New Port Richey, to Dade City. On this morning, it hangs in the air like a tender note in a land remembered.
For more information, call 727-834-3247 or visit www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/starkeywilderness.html
For sheer diversity – think grass prairies, a wild and scenic river, freshwater lakes, and a canopy walk high in the sky – few spots can top Myakka River State Park. And then there are the alligators, behemoth denizens that loll around on the mud banks or hang low and motionless in the water awaiting unsuspecting prey. Myakka River State Park has it all and more.
One of Florida’s oldest and largest state parks, Mayakka River State Park is popular for hiking, bicycling, fishing, camping and wildlife-viewing.
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On a recent visit, fellow explorer Mariella Smith and I cycled the paved roads through the park, coasting beneath ancient moss-draped oaks, along vast expanses of rare dry prairie, and stopping by Upper Myakka Lake, where visitors can board the world’s largest airboat for a scenic tour. Daily safari tram tours of the backcountry also are offered from mid-December to May.
From a respectable distance, we befriended a leathery-skinned snapper turtle, spotted numerous alligators and turkey vultures sunning along the lakeshore, and chanced upon a rare black pluffer perched high in a cabbage palm. We also met couples visiting from Pennsylvania and Switzerland, underscoring the national and international draw of Florida’s state parks and preserves.
Along with full-facility and primitive campgrounds, the park also features five quaint log cabins, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps and modernized for comfortable lodging.
Budget time for an easy five-minute walk down the Boylston Nature Trail to visit the canopy walkway and tower. North America’s first public treetop trail is suspended 25 feet off the ground and extends 85 feet through the hammock canopy. An adjoining tower soaring 74 feet into the air offers spectacular views of the park’s live oak and palm forests, and resident eagles, hawks and vultures. The walkway was the inspiration of renowned canopy scientist Dr. Margaret Lowman, aka Canopy Meg, director of environmental initiatives at New College of Florida.
Spring is the driest time of the year and water levels in the river and lakes are already low. Kayakers will have to portage over dry sections of the river, the boat ramp to the Upper Myakka Lake is closed, and Myakka Outpost may limit where rental boats can travel. Dry conditions also make backwoods roads difficult to travel by bicycle.
For more information, call 941-361-6511, visit www.floridastateparks.org/myakkariver and www.myakkariver.org.
 It’s been called poetry in motion. A beguiling sport combining grace, strength and speed – and who doesn’t want some of that – rowing is downright addictive. Good thing it also happens to be one of the best complete-body workouts around, even better than running, boast crew enthusiasts. For Tampa residents, it’s one of the iconic images we associate with our city by the bay. Long, lean racing boats slicing through the water on the Hillsborough River in the late afternoon. Visiting crew teams from Duke, Harvard and other prestigious clubs marking their presence with colorful missives left on bridges and seawalls. Springtime regattas in which high school and college crew teams compete to the delight of onlookers from Davis Islands. For those who have ever longed to give this enchanting sport a try, now’s your chance to test the waters. The nonprofit Stewards Foundation, devoted to advancing the sport, offers “learn to row” classes. Lessons, typically held on Tuesdays and Thursdays after work and Saturday mornings, cost $300 for a three-week session. “The people who love this sport are so passionate they’re willing to come out at ‘zero-dark-thirty’ to row,” says Rosanna Gramuglia, a Stewards Foundation representative who recently moved here from Connecticut to row year-round.
My own introduction to crew came on a Friday morning at the University of Tampa boathouse, where I joined a group of adult women who crew each week. Pity the poor motoring mortals buzzing overhead on Kennedy Boulevard during rush hour – there’s simply nothing like the tranquility of a morning row on the Hillsborough River. The rhythm and cadence of oars moving in unison, the camaraderie of teamwork, the solitary peace – alone in one’s thoughts and at the same time required to pull your own weight for the greater good – rowing is communion with the water and oneself.
Guide to Recreation Lands |
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Before venturing out, accessorize:
Lead the way
Navigate winding trails with ease and find your way back home with this waterproof, handheld tracking device. The Garmin eTrex H GPS Receiver is $109 at llbean.com.
Stowaway
Stow water, maps, sunscreen, snacks and other essentials in this lightweight REI Stroke 9 Pack, available at rei.com for $39.50.
Pump up your Ultraviolet Protection
Boarders and paddlers will love this 50+UPF top (Lands End Long Sleeve Rashguard Shirt), available for $34.50 at landsend.com.
I spy
View birds on the horizon, or magnify plants and insects to seven times their size, with Bushnell Falcon Binoculars, from $24, at dickssportinggoods.com.
Paddling bliss
Outside Magazine calls it a ‘killer value – a rec boat with mojo. At $449, Emotion Bliss looks like your run-of-the-mill beginner boat, but its shapely lines and dual hull channels provide superior handling. The 10’10” kayak is just 37 lbs, making it easy to carry from the car to the water. Visit emotionkayaks.com. If money is no object, how about a canoe with a view from Hammacher Schlemmer? Seating two people, the clear polymer hull of this hybrid canoe-kayak offers paddlers an underwater vista of aquatic wildlife and waterscapes, includes two double-headed paddles, a water bailer and two floatation devices. $1600 at http://www.hammacher.com/publish/10343.asp#
Good eats:
Famished and need to fuel up? Check out these eateries near our “staycation” destinations.
Hillsborough County - Tampa:
Ricks on the River
With live music, fresh oysters, cold drinks and cheap eats served up seven days a week, 365 days a year, this laid-back bar and grill on the Hillsborough River is a favorite with locals and tourists. Located at 2305 N. Willow Ave in Tampa, 813-251-0369, ricksontheriver.com.
Hula Bay Club
For all those who mourned the closing of the popular Rattlefish Grille on Tampa Bay, take heart: the Hula Bay Club has opened in its place, serving up spectacular sunsets and casual fare for boaters and landlubbers alike. Dine on the patio overlooking the bay or grab a stool at Duke’s Retired Surfer’s Island Bar, where you can toast surfer legend, Duke Kahanamoku, who enthralled spectators with his talent for wave-riding. Aloha!
Located in Tampa on the water south of Gandy Boulevard at 5210 W. Tyson Ave., 813-837.4852, hulabayclub.com.
Hillsborough County-Ruskin:
Bay Chop Villa
After a morning or afternoon on the bay, there’s simply nothing better than dining on the dock at Gus Muench’s Bay Chop Villa. Of course, to sample Gus’s seafood fare, you’ll have to book a seat on Gus’s Crabby Adventures. The four-hour backbay excursion includes a trip on the water, where crew mates learn how to pull and bait crab traps and enjoy the native wildlife – dolphin sightings are common. Then it’s back to Gus’s dock on the Little Manatee River where the head chef serves up fresh-from-the-bay steamed stone crabs and blue crabs, Gus’s special crabcakes and icy-cold beverages. At $400 for a party of four (the boat can accommodate up to six), a day with Gus is well worth the price of admission. Good eats don’t get any better than this. Call 813-645-6578 or visit crabbyadventures.com.
Pasco County:
What’s not to love about a quaint little town square anchored on one end by an expresso café and on the other by a pizzeria? After hitting the trail at Starkey Wilderness Preserve, head down to the Longleaf Town Center and fill up at two of our favorite neighborhood restaurants. Town Ground Expresso Café, 727-645-6962, townground.com, serves an assortment of hearty sandwiches, muffins and bagels, along with coffees, cappuccinos, lattes, smoothies and scrumptious desserts. For pizza – Chicago deep dish or traditional – calzones, strombolis, pastas and more, visit Lonzalo’s Pizzeria and Ristorante, 727-494-7615. Lonzalo’s ample menu includes items to satisfy both finicky and mature palettes. Seafood lovers, for instance, can dive into scungilli, mussels and scallops sautéed to perfection in a garlic white wine sauce or dressed in marinara, while the younger set munches on pizza and chicken tenders.
Manatee County:
At Morning Breeze Thai Fusion Restaurant, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, visitors to Emerson Point can fuel up before or after their backbay adventures. The restaurant is just down the road from the nature preserve in a modest building that’s easy to miss if you’re not looking, but well worth the find. Along with traditional thai offerings including curried dishes and stir-frys, the restaurant also serves sandwiches, burgers and salads. Located at 2808 10th St. W. in Palmetto, 941-729-8406, morningbreeze.site-pd.com
Myakka:
Forbes.com calls Linger Restaurant & Lodge “one of the most unusual restaurants in the world” and Al Roker named it one of the “Top 5 Weirdest Restaurants in America.” That’s enough for us to merit a visit to this Old Florida destination, located in Bradenton on the picturesque banks of the Braden River. Try the fresh alligator bits, frog legs, fried green tomatoes or bbq. One suspects you’ll want to linger longer at this spot.
Located at 7205 Linger Lodge Road in Bradenton, 941-755-2757, http://www.lingerlodgeresort.com/index.asp
Perched on the banks of the Myakka River, the Snook Haven Restaurant & Fish Camp dishes up generous portions of Old Florida charm, good eats, and fascinating lore. “Revenge of the Killer Turtles,” starring Johnny Weismuller as Tarzan, was filmed here in 1938. Some of the turtles and monkeys escaped during the filming of the movie and took up residence along the banks of the river. A decade later, the turtles apparently convinced a small group of local investors to open Snook Haven Restaurant. After fueling up, rent a canoe to explore the majestic Myakka up close – but beware the turtles. Word is, they’re still plotting revenge. Located at
5000 E. Venice Ave., Venice, FL 34292
Phone, 941-485-7221, snookhavenretreat.com.
| Editor’s Disclaimer: Bay Soundings is not responsible for readers who may be calling in sick in the months ahead to play hooky in Tampa Bay’s backcountry. Of course, we prefer to think of these as mental health days. So go on, go wild. We know you want to. |