Pirate Invasion

[Benny]

Getting ready for Gasparilla. For over 100 years pirates have been invading the City of Tampa. The pirate ship Gaspar will sail again on February 7th for the 2009 invasion. We are taking a power boat as it would be a little hazardous for the sailboat. Check out the web page and come on down!
www.gasparillapiratefest.com

 

[Rich Stidger]

Wow! That's some website!!!

I have a power squadron friend that lives in St Pete Beach, just south of Tampa and he is involved in the boat parade each year as he is also a member of the CGA.

One of these years I'll have to get down there.......

 

[Benny]

Wea have a hard freeze warning for tonight with temperatures expected to go below freezing for 8-10 hours but for Saturday the temps are expected to moderate and get up to 74 F. If you visit the web page don't miss the video. The ship is actually a steel barge and you can see it being pushed by a tug but it holds 800 pirates aboard and plenty of grog. The parade that follows can fairly be described as a Mardi Gra event with beads flying and shirts flapping. Plenty of drinking and debauchery. For these reasons they have a childrens parade the week before. For those boating the go-fast boats of state and local law enforcement agencies for 5 counties will be on patrol.

 

[Ron20324]

On this freezing Thursday morning even the Weather Channel is mentioning the Gasparilla.

 

[Ross in Tampa]

It really is a fun time, I will be on the water too, but headed in the other direction. Too many drunken pirate chasers, on vehicles with no brakes.