Here you can find The Ultimate Florida Golf Vacation with Yacht for the Day, Luxury Bus and Night on the Town.

Golf on the area best golf courses.

Yacht for the Day

Private Yacht for the Day- Private Yacht for the Day-Whether you choose to cruise to our Beautiful Islands, go Fishing, or enjoy the action at the Beach Bars, we promise this will be a day you’ll remember! Full Bar, Gourmet Food and Great Times will be served thruout the day.

Have a luxury bus for yourself and your friends.

This was a remarkable scene. 3 dolphins mating behind my house here in Florida/

Kayak & Canoe Paddlers Invited to Join the Fun at Hillsborough River Holiday Boat Parade – the Holiday Boat Parade for EVERYONE!

Holiday Boat Parade

Everyone in Tampa Bay is invited to be part of the 12th annual Friends of the River Hillsborough River Holiday Boat Parade, the event for everyone who loves living in a city with a river flowing through it!

DATE: Sunday, December 18

TIME: Boats assemble 5:30-6:00 @ Lowry Park boat ramp; Parade begins @ 6:00 pm.

PRICE: FREE!

Parade ends at Sulphur Springs City Pool Park @ Nebraska Ave. (713 E. Bird St.) @ approximately 7:00 pm, with performance by children’s choir and boat parade contest 7 – 7:30.

Paddlers & Boaters alike are welcome and needed for this magical boat parade on the beautiful Hillsborough – anything that floats qualifies! Decorate your boat and put in @ Lowry Park boat ramp @ 5:30 pm to be part of the parade that goes upriver with an incoming tide to the Sulphur Springs City Pool Park off Nebraska Ave. To ensure safety of all participants, paddlers lead this parade, followed by powerboats.

Spectators may enjoy the parade of lights over the water – 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm at:

• Lowry Park,
• from their riverfront docks (riverfront residents are encouraged to decorate their docks and enter their boats in the parade) or
• @ Sulphur Springs City Pool Park – Nebraska Avenue south of Bird St., where there’s plenty of parking, room for viewing the parade.

NEW this year @ Sulphur Springs City Pool Park:

• Sulphur Springs Elementary School children’s choir sings as parade arrives at park.
• Boat contest: Best Decorated Powerboat & Best Decorated Canoe/Kayak – judging and prizes awarded by Sulphur Springs Action League (neighborhood association) at the Sulphur Springs Pool Park; prizes to be given out on the spot!
• free hot chocolate and popcorn!
• Meet your neighbors, help vote for best decorated boats, and enjoy Christmas carols by Sulphur Springs Elementary School Choir!

For more info call Friends of the River @ 813-841-3601.

* * * * * * * * * Addendum * * * * * * * *

What’s so SPECIAL about this Holiday Boat Parade?

It’s a Celebration of both the Holidays & the Rebirth of the Hillsborough!

There’s much to celebrate this year for our river & the city it flows through. 4 years of having freshwater flowing downriver from the dam every day have gone a long way to restore this tidal river’s ability to function as Tampa Bay’s nursery. Fish have come back in numbers & diversity in a way not seen since the flow was interrupted for much of each year back in the early 1970′s.

There are even better days ahead for the river, as next year Tampa Bay Estuary Program will be educating everyone in Tampa & the entire Bay area on how to use lawn fertilizer so it doesn’t runoff and pollute the river & the bay – a major reason there’ve been so many toxic algae blooms, low oxygen levels and fish kills. Thanks to Tampa City Council & Mayor Buckhorn for passing the strongest anti-pollution ordinance in America

And there’s even hope that fish in the river will soon be healthier to eat! The US EPA is scheduled to put a new rule into effect December 16 that will greatly reduce mercury in fish, by requiring coal-fired power plants to filter it out of their smokestack emissions. That’ll mean in a few years you can catch and eat all the fish you want without concern for exposing your family to a toxic level of mercury. 1 in 12 American women now have dangerously high levels of mercury from eating fish, a neurotoxin that’s passed on to unborn children, in whom it can result in developmental disabilities. Soon, that very real fear will be a thing of the past!

Bottom line: A river and bay with more fish, more different kinds of fish, fish that are healthier for you & wildlife to eat = a river that’s coming back to life! THAT’S something to celebrate! Please join us Dec. 18 to do just that!

–

Phil Compton for Friends of the River and

Regional Representative, Florida Healthy Air Campaign

Sierra Club Florida Regional Office

111 2nd Ave. NE, Ste. 1001

St. Petersburg, FL 33701

727-824-8813, ext. 303; cell: 813-841-3601

Christmas shopping time is fast approaching.  The dreaded chore of finding the perfect Christmas gift that will put a smile on the face of the special people in your life.

Caribbean Sailing Vacation

Last Christmas I found myself with the usual dilemma; what gift can I get for my family that would be special, memorable and easy?  Then I found the perfect solution.   I found sailwithterry.com on the internet and was mesmerized by the videos and vivid pictures.  The Virgin Islands were easily assessable, only required a passport and of course the weather was in the mid 80’s in the middle of the winter.   I realized that this would be the gift that everyone would be excited about.

I contacted Captain Terry by phone and after listing to our interests he made numerous suggestions for a customized sailing adventure.

A 46’ catamaran offering three private suites complete with a private bath, a large galley and salon, plenty of deck space for sun tanning.  I signed up for a captain and a chef, but was assured that we would be able to participate in the sailing activities as much or as little as we wanted.

A seven (7) day Caribbean sailing vacation in the dead of winter.  My  Christmas shopping was complete and I could not wait  to see the surprised and excited faces on Christmas morning.

I proceeded to accumulate pictures and brochures of the Virgin Islands.  Since there are over 60 islands and cays I thought that it would be fun for everyone to be able to participate and decide which islands to visit.  Captain Terry had suggested several fun activities.  Perhaps a rendezvous with a dive boat for the certified divers and a exploration dive for the novices, spend a day in North Sound complete with pig BBQ at Leverick Bay while enjoying the entertainment of Michael the Pirate, exploring the “Dawned island” Anegada and enjoying a lobster dinner, or just having a laid back day and getting pampered at a European spa complete with a champagne lunch overlooking the beautiful turquoise Caribbean Ocean?

Well, we did it all and it was definitely the best  Christmas ever and also the most memorable vacation for my family.  Especially since we booked our sailing charter in the dead of winter when all of our friends and neighbors were trying to hide from the cold, freezing weather.

Plan early, contact Captain Terry at sailwithterry@gmail.com or phone him today 941 266 0296.

sailing vacation

Are you looking for the Adventure Travel of your dreams? Do you want to create a memorable occasion for your whole family? Family adventure your whole family can enjoy and remember for years to come? Here are some dream adventure travel experiences:

Bare foot or charter a yacht or a sailboat. Sailing adventure, sail from one Island to the next, drop anchor, find a reef to snorkel, take a walk on white sandy beach, have a dinner while watching the sunset. Next day sail in the warm tropical breeze, dive/snorkel for undersea exploration in azure clear waters, abundant sea life, stunning coral gardens, canyons, tunnels, caverns, grottos, and shipwrecks.

Learn to sail on a sailboat cruise. Why not join in the fun and learn to sail? There are dinghies, catamarans, keelboats, windsurfers and yachts available to choose from. If you already sail, why not improve your skills faster with expert tuition? Combine a vacation and live aboard cruising instructions for yourself and your family. Take a bareboat certification to prepare you for the charter you have been dreaming about.

Take an ocean voyage on a sailboat. Ocean voyages are specially designed for those sailors and adventurers who want to experience sailing and learning while roaming the open oceans of the world. Get a practical experience under real offshore and coastal sea conditions.

Or set sail on a tall ship for the sailing vacation of a lifetime on a historic replica of an 18th century privateer or historic Windjammers.

Create your own adventure vacation filled with activities such as sailing, snorkeling, diving, fishing, kayaking, windsurfing, exploring, wildlife and nature viewing, water sports, golf, spa and more. Make your adventure full of fun activities and excitement or a relaxing rejuvenation with lazy days in the tropics, where all stress and day to day worries are left behind.

‘Doctor Radio’ on Sirius XM is a station powered by the NYU Medical Center, devoted to bringing together respected doctors, guest host physicians and medical experts from around the world.  On Tuesday June 9th at 7am, John Sitaras will join host Dr. Francis Adams to discuss the Sitaras Method and the techniques involved with staying fit with asthma.

Tune in to Sirius 114 or XM 119 from 7am – 8am tomorrow, Tuesday June 9th to hear more.

If you do not have satellite radio, listen on your computer with a free trial found on this website…

http://www.sirius.com/freetrial/register

Sitaras Fitness

boat rental

Listen for the echo’s of the Seminole Indians imprisoned here in the mid 1800′s.

Historic Egmont key has been a treasured spot among Floridians and visitors for decades. Accessible only by private boat this tropical paradise is a great place to relax, explore and enjoy the great outdoors.

Although today it is primarily a wildlife refuge, the island is steeped in history; from its fabulous lighthouse built in 1858 to historic sites and beautiful trails.

Snorkeling, exploring, shell collecting and relaxing are the top activities here.

Bring your camera, sun screen, hat, wading shoes (rentals available), beverage of choice (water provided), towels, a bag for shell collecting, change of clothes, sandwiches and snacks (or we can order your food for you with 24 hours notice).

Florida Water Adventures
941-737-1701

stand up paddling

Be a stand-up paddler! The newest, coolest water sport hitting the industry is now available from American Watersports at Pompano Beach Florida. This sport is for everyone – whether recreation or surf, child, teen or adult! You won’t need surfing or kayaking experience to be able to stand-up paddleboard. A paddle board rental is stable and wide enough for the rider to jump-on and ride! Embark on a journey of leisure, racing or surfing. Stand up and see further than any other water dweller!

Paddle Board Rentals & Tours, American Watersports

Kiteboarding, uses wind power to pull a rider through the water on a small surfboard or a kiteboard (which is like a wakeboard). Generally kiteboarding refers to a style of riding known as free-style or wakestyle.

kiteboarding

Kitesurfing schools provide courses and lessons to teach various skills including kite launching, flying, landing, usage of the bar, lines and safety devices. The usage of kitesurfing equipment can be misunderstood, so it is essential for beginners to take instructions from a certified kitesurfing instructor. A good course should include basic kite setup, operation, maintenance, kite size and type considerations, and operation of all safety systems. It could also include weather planning and hazards, launch area selection, body dragging upwind to avoid board leash use, solo launching and landing, emergency landing, self rescue, safety gear, kite tuning, water starting and how to stay upwind while riding.

WIND STALKES KITEBOARDING are the only full service kiteboarding instructors in SW FLORIDA, offering both pro certified lessons, rental gear, retail gear.

Calusa Blueway Paddling Festival Oct. 25 through Nov. 2 

The nine-day festival spans Lee County, Fla.’s, waterfront communities (think: Fort Myers-Cape Coral-Sanibel-Bonita-Pine Island, etc.)

Win a Free Kayak: Register to win an Ocean kayak from Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World by visiting the Blueway Mobile, a funky van that will appear at various events and businesses in Tampa & Orlando and Lee, Collier & Charlotte counties from now through festival time. Or visit the festival Web site. (Online registration starts later this month and will run till festival time.)

Calusa Pro-Am Kayak Fishing Tournament: Professionals compete Nov. 1 and amateurs tackle the waterways Nov. 2 in this catch-and-release, digital weigh-in tournament. 

Paddling races in Bonita, North Fort Myers and Matlacha: Race to the finish line: the Imperial River Challenge is Oct. 25, the Midpoint Paddle Sprint is Nov. 1 and the Paddle of the Pass is Nov. 2.

Community Fests: Show support for eco-tourism, kids’ activities, educational happenings, music, fun and being outdoors in a waterfront community. From Bonita Springs to Sanibel and North Fort Myers to Pine Island, there’s something for everyone.

Free Clinics and Demonstrations: Learn some key tips and strategies to maximize your paddling experience in a variety of how-to series from Oct. 25 through Nov. 2. Or just come out and watch to get an introduction to paddling. (Most of these are free.)

Guided Tours: Explore the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail  with a local expert. Guided cultural and nature tours happen throughout the festival.

Speaker Series: Win prizes and get the low-down on everything from photography to the Calusas at Rutenberg Park’s Eco-Living Center for this free, after-work speaker series Oct. 27 through Oct. 31.

All details for events listed can be found at http://www.calusabuewaypaddlingfestival.com/