son of a beach

Random thoughts after spending last week in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area of Florida:

As much as I prefer the atmosphere of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, there is something to be said for the clear, calmer, blue water of the Gulf of Mexico.  I don’t know of any beaches along the Atlantic Ocean where you can be waist high (or higher) in the water and still see your feet.  Plus, the sand is MUCH softer – almost like walking in flour.

No matter how tempting it may be to check out the "clothing optional" beaches, don’t.  It’s nothing like you would hope it to be.

"Hurricane Season" begins June 1 for a good reason.  Thursday and Friday were a washout.

I got to cook my skin on the aforementioned beaches in the morning and ice skate in the evening.  There’s a shopping mall in the Clearwater area with an ice rink.  What a great idea!  I lived near Buffalo, NY for most of my young adult life and had to drive to some out of the way rink to get a skating fix.  Leave it to some tropical place to figure this one out.