Tampa River Cruise
Tampa River Cruise
7-29-2017
Saturday, about 10:30 a.m., we met at the parking lot near McDonalds at Bears and Florida. We drove to Tampa General Hospital on Davis Island where we parked our cars and walked to the Pirate Water Taxi pick-up station at the ground level. We rode the water taxi to Ricks on the River for lunch and then reboarded the taxi for a trip back down the river to the Tampa Bay History Center. After a lengthy tour of the museum, we again boarded the river taxi for the trip back to our start point where some of us called it a day and some stayed on the taxi to go to another bar/grille for dinner or something cold and wet. We had our share of rain during the day, but had a great time as we always do when we're together as a group.
- Jerry M
Our group ready to head out
David, George, Gene, Peggy and Jerry G.
Julie, Paul & Wally
Our group in hospital parking garage
Taking the elevators down from the gazillionth floor of the garage
View of Tampa from the water taxi pick-up point
Water Taxi waiting area
On board the water taxi
Just relax and enjoy the ride
Our group at the water taxi pick up station
On our way
Good conversations
Cruising past the University of Tampa
Approaching Ricks on the River
Heading for the chow
Some of us sat inside where they had AC
Study that menu
Cruising past Amalie arena
History Center entrance walk
We had to move from this table because the rain came in on us
Approaching the history center
History Center lobby
Typical cigar store
Seminole squaw with her foot-power sewing machne
Studying tampa area points of interest
Part of Florida's citrus industry
Images of historical Tampa
Something to do with drift wood
Here's our ride
Our motley pirate crew
Jose Gasparilla pirate ship (part of Gasparilla parade)
Coming into Ricks
Some of us braved the outdoor heat
Peggy heading for the water taxi pick up
Tampa Bay History Center
Cigar production was a big part of Tampa's history
Did you know Maas Bros stores started in Tampa?
Tampa was a big cattle shipping port. No Bull !!
MacDill Air Force Base has long been a big part of Tampa
Read the book "A Land Rembered" by Patrick Smith - a terrific read wrapped in Florida history
Pick up station at the History Center
Looking at our watery path back to our start point