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To call the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area a watery paradise is an understatement. Downtown St. Petersburg owes much of its flavor to its waterfront location, where The Pier provides a staggering five stories of shopping and food, as well as views of Tampa Bay. Barrier islands bearing historic lighthouses and bird refuges dot the horizon, and the best local restaurants serve up fresh Gulf seafood within sight of it.
There are keys and passes and islands, each offering something a little different from the next and each commanding your attention. All that stands between you and them is the endless water stretching out before you, all changing colors and gentle tides, waiting to be navigated.
Wondering what to do with all this view? Want to go boating, but don't want to play captain? St. Petersburg and Clearwater offer a variety of inspired ways to chart the coast, from free-wheeling pirate ships to sunset cruises and deep-sea fishing.
Sunset Sail
Perhaps the best way to experience the sunset is not overlooking the water, but on it. Several companies offer sunset sails. If it's serenity you're after, reserve a seat and chill out. One the companies offering nightly cruises is Shell Key Shuttle Sunset Cruise, a 90-minute eco-oriented tour through the barrier islands and waterways near Pass-a-Grille and St. Pete Beach. Pack a picnic dinner or bring a bottle of wine to enjoy while the low-impact catamaran glides through residential channels, where rugged cabins and beach palaces are on view. You'll tour a chain of spotless barrier islands as well, all of them lovely enough to be marooned on. Your knowledgeable captain describes the nesting shorebird population on well-preserved Shell Key and encourages passengers to look for manatees in the water, all while the sunset colors the sky. If you want to catch some wind in your sails, try Dolphin Landings Charter Boat Center in St. Pete Beach or the Kai Lani Catamaran in Clearwater Beach.
Pirate Fun
Kick things off with Captain Memo's Original Pirate Cruise on his family-friendly reproduction pirate ship Pirate's Ransom for a spirited tour of the Intracoastal Waterway, the Clearwater Beach coast and the Gulf of Mexico. Little buccaneers get pirate hats, water pistols and an invitation to be as loud as they like – captain's orders – upon boarding the ship. The seadog and scallywag crew, wearing pantaloons and bandanas, commence rigging while steel band music plays and brew (beer and wine for adults) is distributed.
While the ship steams along, kids take a pirate oath and are treated to legends, games and face painting. The swashbuckling team instigates a conga line and dancing. Adults can escape to the top deck to mingle, spot dolphins and check the progress of the 125-passenger, engine-powered boat.
Speed On the Water
For an interactive thrill, hop on Clearwater's 72-foot speedboat, touted to be the world's largest, the Sea Screamer. For half of this adventure, you'll tool around in the waters off of Clearwater Beach and take a jaunt to Sand Key Pass as the captain regales you with stories about the area. But brace yourself: Once the yellow Sea Screamer reaches the Gulf of Mexico, the boat speeds up and it's suddenly an invigorating ride on the open sea. Sit in the back and get soaked or admire the boat's impressive wake from the front of the ship. The captain guarantees you'll see a dolphin or you ride again free, and he delivers. They frolic in the wake and jump alongside the boat. Some lucky passengers even spot calves and manatees.
A Day Fishing
If you want to spend the day scouting and hooking kingfish, hogfish and grouper, Clearwater's Queen Fleet Fishing offers two boats (the largest a 90-foot catamaran) available for private charters. With big sundecks, cool lounges and well-stocked food booths, anglers can kick back when they aren't casting and trawling. The expert crews of the Super and Gulf boats, which can accommodate 85 and 150 people respectively, make the fleet a perfect choice for parties or group excursions.
For deep-sea fishing, Queen Fleet's onboard fish finding equipment can't be beat. The crew supplies tackle and offers to clean the fish, too. You can charter a boat for half-day or full-day trips.
For private captain charters, try Offshore Hustler Fishing Charters in St. Pete Beach for an angling education or Serenity Now Fishing Charters for fly fishing.
Amy Nance was born and raised on the Gulf coast of Florida. She has an MFA in writing from Columbia University and is now a freelance writer based in Sarasota.
