The Wandering Disciple

Tampa, Florida: Home to the newest attraction at Busch Gardens, SheiKra and site of two of the three water rides, Stanleyville is one of the busiest lands of the park. From diving on the country’s first dive coaster to getting soaked on one of the water rides, Stanleyville is the home of thrills for all ages. The area was added to the park in 1973 with the opening of the Stanley Falls Flume. The Stanley Falls Flume is a traditional log flume water ride in which riders experience a 43 foot drop into the lagoon. In 1977, Stanleyville added the Queen Africa Boat Ride, a boat ride that takes you through an African Village. By 1989 the park decided the ride needed a facelift and added a 55 foot splashdown drop and renamed the ride the Tanganyika Tidal Wave. Stanleyville remained mostly unchanged until 2005 when Busch Gardens introduced SheiKra, the first dive coaster in the United States. SheiKra takes its riders on a floorless, stadium seated coaster train on a 200 foot drop at a 90 ...

Boca Grande, Florida: The oldest building on Gasparilla Island, the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse has been guiding ships through the waters of Boca Grande. The lighthouse was almost lost to Mother Nature before an effort led by local citizens restored the lighthouse to its original splendor. Built on the southern tip of Gasparilla Island, the lighthouse marks the entrance to Charlotte Harbor via the Boca Grande Pass. The lighthouse was placed into service on December 31, 1890. The complex consisted of a two story wooden lighthouse on stilts with a three and a half order Fresnel lens at the peak of the roof along with a second building for the assistant keeper. The lighthouse keepers and their families lived on the complex until 1956 when the light became automated. Then in 1966 the United States Coast Guard decommissioned the lighthouse due to deterioration. A local effort began in the early 1970’s to help restore the lighthouse. The lighthouse was transferred to Lee County in 19...