Your Yacht Awaits A Pleasure Cruise

A Meridian 381 family cruiser is docked on Garrison Channel at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel across from Harbour Island. The cruiser’s twin 370-hp MerCruiser gas inboards can take this boat to over 32 mph. (It holds 300 gallons but gets just 0.59 miles per gallon! Ouch!!)  It has two full-size staterooms and sleeps six…bring your friends and family. Two SeaDoo watercraft sit ready on the dock. Enjoy!

Heavily Armed Special Operations Assault

Crowds of people on Harbour Island are the backdrop for a Special Operations Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat and U.S. Special Operations team demonstration assault today on a barge fronting the Tampa Convention Center. These fast boats have twin diesels driving waterjets and are extremely quick – with a top speed above 40 knots – and maneuverable. They draw only two feet of water and as you can see, they can be very heavily armed. The United States Special Operations Command was host to several demonstrations of Special Operations Force capabilities, featuring operators from a dozen countries “assaulting” mock enemy positions and rescuing “hostages” next to the convention center, both on land and in the water. Boats, assault vehicles, ATV’s, helicopters and other aircraft were involved in the rescue scenarios as special operators from the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force work alongside Special Operations Force teams from partner nations around the world.

The Republicans Are Coming!

The Tampa Bay Times Forum, home of the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning, can be seen from Harbour Island over the boat docks on Garrison Channel. The Forum will be the site of the 2012 Republican National Convention in August. And, yes, it's gorgeous and hot today (89 degrees) but it'll be sizzling in the midst of Tampa's summer hurricane season.

Go-Fast Boats Partying at Sunset

The docks of the Tampa Waterside Marriott Hotel on Garrison Chanel were packed with "go-fast" boats gathered for a "fun run" by the West Coast Powerboat Club of Florida. Headquartered near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in St. Petersburg, the go-fast boat owners and guests were partying up a storm in Tampa with music, food, drink and lots of good looking people. A blast!!

The boats ranged from sport and multi-use center consoles to luxurious performance cruisers plus the a bevy of sleek, colorful Go-Fast boats that such as Spectre, Donzi and Cigarettes.

The homes, apartments and condominiums of Harbour Island are across the channel and have a great view of the incredible watercraft and all the fun. The weather, too, was perfect.

Sunset from Harbour Island Bridge

WATERY Wednesday #63

It was gray, solid clouds and steady rain here all morning and then changed into a light drizzle as the cold front moves down across the Florida peninsula. Thanksgiving Day should see some light clouds and nice, cooler temperatures. Today, through the weekend, isn't the best weather for the beach or boating.

Click HERE to see other wet and Watery Wednesday images from around the
world.

Fishermen going out as the day cruise ends