From the category archives:

Anna Maria Island

Visiting Anna Maria Island? Don’t Miss These Restaurants

February 5, 2010

Posted by David McRee at BlogTheBeach.com
If you are visiting Anna Maria Island, don’t miss these restaurants:
The Sun House Restaurant

The Sun House Restaurant is in Bradenton Beach on Historic Bridge Street at the roundabout, right across the street from the Gulf of Mexico. I enjoyed eating dinner here one evening and was completely taken by surprise [...]

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Here are a Few More Florida Summer Beach Memories.

January 3, 2010

Posted by David McRee at BlogTheBeach.com
If you are on vacation at the beach in Florida this first week in January 2010, my apologies to you for the weather. High temperatures in much of the state will remain in the 50’s Fahrenheit. That doesn’t happen very often.
If you aren’t on vacation here this week, be glad [...]

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Say Good-bye to Manatee County Public Beach Pier

December 2, 2009

Posted by David McRee at BlogTheBeach.com
Lifeguard Curtis Mcfee sent me this cell phone photo today of the pier at Manatee County Public Beach being torn down. I don’t remember when this pier was originally built, but it must have been before 1960, the year I was born, because I can never remember a time when [...]

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West Coast Surf Shop Supports the Surfing Way of Life on Anna Maria Island

August 19, 2009

Copyright (c) 2009  David McRee at BlogTheBeach.com.
Anyone who lives and surfs on Anna Maria Island knows who Jim Brady is. Owner of the West Coast Surf Shop, he and his family are heavily involved in the surfing scene on the island.  I remember the surf shop far back into my childhood when it was located [...]

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Summer Rains Get an Early Start on Florida’s Gulf Islands

May 15, 2009

It’s the middle of May and we are already getting some heavy afternoon thunderstorms here on the west central Florida coast. Often we don’t see this until well into June. That’s ok, we really need the rain.
This photo was sent to me by lifeguard Curtis Mcfee. Looks like it was taken from the south tower [...]

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Rainy Morning in Bradenton Beach

April 3, 2009

I’m sure the Spring Breakers are not happy about the rain, but it is desperately needed. Peaceful looking isn’t it? Thanks, Curtis!

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Manatee Beach Pier Closed

March 1, 2009

I don’t know when this short and low concrete pier was originally constructed, but I know it has been here since I started coming to the beach in the 1960’s. Piers draw visitors, and that’s exactly what this structure has done for half a century.
I caught my first mackerel from this pier while on summer [...]

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Anna Maria Island Beach Walk

February 28, 2009

I was in Bradenton today so I took the opportunity to drive out to Anna Maria Island and take a walk on the beach. It seems to be Spring Break so there were lots of people at the beach. In fact, the parking lot at Manatee Public Beach was overflowing and cars were parking in [...]

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Cortez Piers Slowly Surrender: Concrete Returns to Sand

February 5, 2009

Cortez Beach. This is where spent my first day learning to surf back in 1974. Me and my school friend Stan Rollins spent a warm summer day getting totally blistered by the sun (no SPF 50 back then). We had a blast. Since that first day I was hooked, and spent many glorious days surfing [...]

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Cold Snap Thins the Beach Crowd

January 20, 2009

This morning I received this photo via email from a cell phone. I’m pretty sure it’s from Curtis Mcfee from his lifeguard post at Coquina Beach. Surf’s up!
Hi temps today are not expected to leave the 50’s. With a biting north wind, I’ll bet the wind chill is down in the 40’s out on the [...]

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