Adios to the Gulf of Mexico

My time here at Fort Desoto has been pleasant, but according to the thermometer, it’s time to head North again ahead of the heat, humidity and swarms of insects that define summer in Florida. The next stop will be a Forest Service campground in the Ocala National Forest where there will be no power, let alone WiFi, so I’ll upload this batch of photos now before I enter Dark Territory.

I spent the morning on the beaches before it got too hot. Spotted some weird foam along the shore at the point closest to the Skyway bridge, watched a fisherman catch a two pound Pompano off the Bay Pier and spend time reading at the bird sanctuary near North Beach. The pelicans, cormorants and terns were busy hunting in the inlet pool, crashing into the water to grab a fish and then gulping it down as they flapped to regain altitude, all with varying degrees of grace as their species dictated.  When I felt like I’d had enough solar radiation for the day, I hiked back to the truck for a leisurely drive up the coast to the peek at the city of St. Petersburg, passing through many small communities like Pass-A-Grille, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island and Pasadena.

Eventually I returned back down the Pinellas Bayway to the camper, stopping for a late lunch at a spot called the Island Grille and Raw Bar for a final dose of fresh seafood. My previous choice of Billy’s Stone Crab was a rambling bar and fish house with a dock on the channel for unloading fishing boats. In contrast the Island Grille is a large newish building overlooking a marina full of expensive yachts. As such the menu featured many more complicated and pricey selections, but the creativity of the chef was apparent, and the execution spot on. I found myself thinking that if Johnny & Jill Mitchell had a place by the bay it would be like this.

I ordered “island ceviche” and a side salad, and the entree was probably the best ceviche I’ve ever had, served Mexican style with avocado, jalapeno, pickled onion and tortilla chips. The portion was large and chock full of sea scallops, gulf shrimp and baby octopus. Flavors were balanced, bright, and fresh. Truly delightful!