Being known as the Sunshine City didn’t happen by accident. It’s a badge the city wears with pride, averaging 361 days a year of warm, welcoming sunshine. Along with an abundance of sunshine comes sunburns and equally painful summer electricity bills, but there’s also opportunity. Specifically, we can explore rapidly growing clean energy initiatives, especially solar. Recently, St. Pete was proud to announce that we’ve joined 19 other cities, stretching from coast to coast, in dedicating ourselves to a goal of “100% clean, renewable energy for all.” Our mayor, Rick Kriseman, issued the following statement regarding the Ready for 100 campaign, “The Integrated Sustainability Action Plan builds on my executive order on sustainability by creating a roadmap to achieve the City’s long-term sustainability goals.… Read More

Strolling along Coffee Pot, casting your lines into the sparkling bay waters, or grabbing lunch dockside by what will one day be our new pier, you will be accompanied by a constant companion: the ubiquitous Brown Pelican. These birds are found everywhere, pestering fisherman for their catch, perched on one of the many docks that line the bay, and gliding effortlessly only inches above our waters. These birds are synonymous with life here in the Old Northeast.

Brown pelicans are unique creatures. They are the smallest species of pelican in the world. They are also the only pelicans that hunt by diving from heights as high as 60 feet, attempting to scoop up fish along with 3 gallons of seawater by the mouthful.… Read More

‘When was the last time you spent a quiet moment just doing nothing – just sitting and looking at the sea, or watching the wind blowing the tree limbs, or waves rippling on a pond, a flickering candle or children playing in the park?” –Ralph Marston

As I’ve said many times before, beauty is everywhere; all you have to do is open your eyes. Flora Wylie Park is one of St. Pete’s true treasures. Nestled along the waterfront from the Sundial at 18th Avenue and North Shore Drive NE, and extending past the Aquatic Center, the park is truly remarkable.… Read More

Hey mister, where can you find waves around here?” That’s the question I hear nearly every time I’m loading or unloading my standup paddleboard (or SUP for short) at one of our local beaches. I explain that you don’t need waves; you stand on top of the board and paddle it. Then the questions come in a fury: “Is it hard? Do you need to have great balance? Aren’t you afraid of sharks?” I smile and answer all the question that come my way. No it’s not that hard; you don’t need great balance, especially on the calm water in the bay; and I’m not afraid of sharks, because if you’re going in the water… there are going to be sharks.… Read More