E. G. Simmons park for the next few days

[Ponaldpe]

Taking the Mac and the camper to E. G. Simmons park Ruskin , and Tampa Bay . Look like going to be good weather for sailing and camping . So I am going to find out.

[Ponaldpe]

E. G. Simmons ,after action report, The Park and campground are very nice Water and electric table and fire ring at campsites. Most of the sites have water access but many use the same opening through the mangroves , so mark the access that you want to use with something. we did not do that , set up camp and went sailing, when we returned slot had a boat in it so we had to use one a little further away from the camper. The bad I mean really bad is the mosquitos and no-see-ums , very bad all day. It seems to be that way till around January on of the rangers said they stay full January till March the rest of the time pretty slow , now I know why (Bugs biting bugs). They are bad I live on the edge of the green swamp and they are worse their at the campground. The channels around the camp ground are nice about 8 eight foot at mid tide. the bugs did not bother you as long as you stayed in the middle of the cannel. It you look on your charts and Google map earth you can see the large sand bar. We crossed over the bar sailing and motoring at mid and high tide 3 three foot was the lowest n but did not drag or kick up rudder. The local fisherman said 18 eighteen inched at low tide in some spots. The boat ramp is good not great all concrete with floating docks, like all ramps you have to watch out for the power boaters. This area is a manatee zone slow speed and their is at least one in the area one the we saw anyway. This was my first overnight on the boat, I had it backed up to the shore by the camp site, and could not keep the bugs out, Tried the A/C unit that I got for the boat I did cool the boat but not very well. The V-berth did not really get cool at all, the rear berth collected the heat from the out side exhaust hose. The A/C is a portable 8000 btu with hose that vents to the outside, maybe some insulation would help.

[vizwhiz]

Aahh...yes. I'm sorry I didn't see this post sooner, or I would have warned you about the no-see-ums. Jist trying to get the canoe on/off the car was a timed challenge and orchestrated event. "Okay, you grab this wnd, i'll walk there and open the car as we go, you grab the straps and i'll put the rods in the car..." Etc. Probably funny if it waan't so miserable. Then we would drive as fast as we could with all the windows down to blow the bugs out of the car so we didn't get eaten as we drive home.

EGS was one of the main locations we would go with our canoe. We would stay in Little Manatee River St Pk just a little ways down the road, and take the canoe up to EGS to fish. I suggest you try that approach, especially if you are just daysailing. LMRSP is our all-time local favorite near there. And EGS is pretty good for fishing, lots of sheepshead, redfish, some snook, and plenty of trout. And, of course, ladyfish and puffers and pinfish and catfish and stingrays... Fishing was always fun there, although not always productive. There is also easy access to the grassy areas just outside the park, up and down the edge of the bay from the water entrance there.

Glad you had fun, and check out Little Manatee River St Pk next time!