The Wandering Disciple

A few days left until Christmas and Dick Gothner of Skyscraper Tours has passed along a few deals that could make the perfect holiday gift for someone this season. There are two different deals on the Navigator of the Seas. The first one leaves Fort Lauderdale on 1/10/11 and embarks on a 5-night Western Caribbean Cruise and visits Labadee and Montego Bay. A balcony on this sailing is just $319 a person. The second sailing is also a 5-night Western Caribbean Cruise and departs Fort Lauderdale on 1/15/11. This sailing makes a stop at Grand Cayman and Cozumel. An atrium room will set you back just $199 per person. The Navigator of the Seas is a Voyager Class ship and features a skating rink, mini-golf course and much more to enjoy. We traveled on this ship in 2007 and had a blast. Want to travel on the largest, most innovative ship in the fleet? Try the brand new Oasis of the Seas. There are two itineraries to choose from. The 7-night Western Caribbean Cruise departs Fort Laude...

North Port, Florida: Christmas is fast approaching and that was never more evident in North Port than Saturday night along North Port Boulevard for the annual holiday parade and festival. Spectators lined the parade route that began at the north end of North Port Boulevard and traveled down to Dallas White Park for the festival. The theme of this year’s Poinsettia Parade was “Magical Night of Lights”. The parade had over 60 participants all showing their holiday spirit in an attempt to entertain the crowd and take home one of four awards. At the conclusion of the parade route was the Poinsettia Festival. The festival had live entertainment, great food and even snow to play in. The parade and festival occurs each year to celebrate the holiday season. Click on the photo above to view photos from the 2010 Poinsettia Parade .

Dick Gothner with Skyscraper Tours has sent over some more cruise deals. These deals are part of the Tuesday's Sales Event by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruise Line. There are many great deals to choose from and here are some of the highlights. Take a quick trip to the Bahamas on Monarch of the Seas. Depart Port Canaveral on 1/17/11 for a 4-night cruise to the Bahamas with stops at Nassau and Cococay. Rates start at $139 for an inside cabin. Don't want to go to the Bahamas but will need a short sailing, try the Navigator of the Seas 4-night trip to the Western Caribbean. The ship set sail on 1/20/11 from Fort Lauderdale on a trip to Cozumel. Rates start at $219 for an inside cabin. Want to sail on the holiday's? Check out the rates for sailings during Christmas or New Years. There are some good prices on several different ships including Adventure of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Radiance of the Se...

Dick Gothner of Skyscraper Tours has sent along his latest cruise deal. Princess Cruise Line is offering a great rate on a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise on the Crown Princess. The ship leaves Fort Lauderdale and stops at Grand Cayman, Roatan, Cozumel and the cruise lines private island of Princess Cay. There are three dates to choose from; January 8, 15 and 29, 2011. Rates start at $432 for an inside room or $629 for a balcony. The Crown Princess has been sailing the seas since 2006. It is a member of the Grand Class of the Princess fleet and can accommodate 3,080 passengers. It features 5 pools, a nine home mini-golf course, theaters, casino, night clubs and lounges. The ship features many onboard restaurants to satisfy every member of the family. The rates above include cruise fare and taxes and are subject to change. If you are interested in this deal or any other cruise, contact Dick Gothner with Skyscraper Tours .

Venice, Florida: Thousands of on-lookers lined the banks of the Intercoastal Waterway in Venice for the annual Venice Christmas Boat Parade which occurs the first Saturday of December for the past twenty two years. The parade of boats began on Casey Key, traveled through the jetties then back into the Intercoastal waterway towards the airport where the boats were judged. In all over 30 boats ranging in size and decorations participated in the event. The award winners for the 2010 parade include: 29’ & under: Wayne’s World (#13) 30’-39’: Mis Bessie (#8) 40’ & over: Trust No One (#10) Commercial, Service, Club: Kat’s Meow (#25) Best in Show: Emerald Isle (#17) The Venice Christman Boat Parade began in 1989 when Jim Hussmann organized a committee to assemble the first ever holiday boat parade. The event has taken place the first Saturday of each December since then and has attracted thousands of participates and fans over the years. Proceeds from the event go towards youth boatin...

Boca Grande, Florida: The Boca Grande Pier is located on an abandoned train trestle on the barrier island of Boca Grande in west Charlotte County. Its location on the northern end of the island has become a popular fishing spot for locals and tourists. The train trestles leading to Boca Grande were once the lifeline of the island. Aboard these tracks, trains loaded with phosphate would make their way from the mines to the awaiting freighters in Port Boca Grande. But when the rail shipping of phosphate had ended, the tracks were no longer used. Several years later, government officials from Charlotte County parks and recreation turned a section of the train trestles on the island into a fishing pier park. This section on Boca Grande provides excellent fishing along the Gasparilla Sound. In these waters live grouper, black drum, white grunt, sheepshead and more. There is no charge to use the facilities, however the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority charges a toll to cross the only brid...

This weeks cruise deals from Skyscraper Tours. Ever dream of sailing on the newest cruise ship to hit the waters? Royal Caribbean is offering a deal for the brand new Allure of the Seas for its second cruise that departs from Fort Lauderdale on 12/12/10. The ship visits Nassau, St Thomas and St Maarten on this 7 night Eastern Caribbean Cruise. Enjoy the new features this ship has to offer including Central Park, Boardwalk, Aqua Theater and all the other favorites Royal Caribbean is known for. Rates for this cruise start at just $729. If you need a break and only have a few days to spare, try the four night cruise on the Majesty of the Seas from Royal Caribbean. This four night cruise leaves Miami on 12/13/10 and visits Key West, Nassau and Cococay. Rates start at $159 per person. Royal Caribbean is also offering deals on Radiance of the Seas out of the Port of Tampa. This four night cruise leaves Tampa on 12/16/10 and travels to Cozumel and back. A balcony room on this sailing starts a...

Dick Gothner with Skyscraper Tours is no stranger to the cruising industry. A cruise specialist for over 12 years, his knowledge of cruising comes firsthand since he has been on over 100 cruises. He has sailed on many on all the major cruise lines, many of the ships in operation today and has been to most of the itineraries and ports of call that the industry offers. Dick puts this passion for cruising into each and every customer that he books for. Whether it be a first time cruise or a cruise veteran, they get the same great service each and every time. What makes Dick different than other specialists? It is the constant care that Dick puts into each and every booking. From the moment you begin shopping for the cruise, he goes to work looking for what you want combining the itineraries and amenities with the price you'd like to pay. Once the cruise is booked, he continues to monitor the cruise, looking for better rates or perks that will benefit you on your sailing. He a...

After traveling for the past few years, I have acquired a rather large collection of digital photos from the trips. I was storing the photos on my computer and emailing individual photos to friends and family. The process was a long and tedious process made sharing the memories a hassle. Then one day my wife came across an add for Shutterfly and we decided to give it a try. Their unlimited online storage makes storage problems a thing of the past. Plus since the photos are stored online, you can access or upload new photos to your albums wherever you are. Plus they have plenty of products that you or your audience can order with the prints and now they have partnered with Target, Walgreen and CVS to offer 1 hour photos. For the holidays, Shutterfly has rolled out new collections of holiday cards , Christmas photo cards or enjoy the photos all-year long with a desk calendar . So head on over and give Shutterfly a try. New users will get 50 free 4x6 prints for trying the servic...

To celebrate our nation's veterans, the Florida State Parks System is offering free admission to all of the state parks with the exception to the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier. The deal is valid only on Veteran's Day, November 11. For a list of state parks, visit the Florida State Parks website . Last year we took advantage of the offer and visited Homossassa Springs State Park. Where will you go? Click on the photo above to view my Florida State Park photo gallery.

Placida, Florida: Located at the point of the Cape Haze peninsula is Placida Rotary Centennial Park. Home to the popular annual seafood festival, it’s the park’s fishing pier attracts visitors all year round. The fishing pier is actually part of an abandoned train trestle. During the peak of the phosphate mining days, the railroad took the phosphate from the mines to the freighters at Port Boca Grande. Once the rail operations were shut-down, the train tracks were decommissioned and sat unused, quickly deteriorating in the Florida weather. The Charlotte County government stepped in to turn portions of the track into fishing piers. The Placida portion is located on the mainland side, just south of the Boca Grande causeway. It goes several hundred yards out into the Gasparilla Pass and provides great fishing opportunities. In these waters you can catch grouper, drums, snapper and much more. In addition to the pier, there are great fishing spots located under the SR-771 bridge. 1...

Its hard to believe that Halloween was the one year anniversary of starting the website Around the World in Pictures. During this time, through photos and stories, I have taken you along with me and my family on our travels. On the journey we have been on cruises, to theme parks and some sporting events just to name a few. In the past year, I have added almost 300 new stories to the site covering travels from the past seven years. The site has not taken off as quickly as I had hoped, but we have managed to attract 8,941 unique visitors since the site opened. The photo galleries have by far been the most popular portion of the site with almost a half of a million visitors. As of today, the total visitor traffic for the photo galleries has been 460,512 visitors since the galleries opened in 2007. Not too bad for an amateur with no professional talent or advertising. I thank the steady support of those who visit the site on a regular basis. The past year had also brought new opport...

Florida: The warm weather and multiple ecosystems make the state of Florida a haven for many different species of birds. From year round resident species to thousands of migratory birds, the area is one of the best in the world for observing birds. Just like the birds are attracted, so are the enthusiast that follow them and for them we have the Great Florida Birding Trail. To accommodate the growing desire for birding, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission developed the trail. With assistance from the Wildlife Foundation of Florida, Florida Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Audubon of Florida and Visit Florida, they designed a program to highlight the diversity of bird population in Florida. Modeled after a similar program in Texas, the first section of Great Florida Birding Trail opened in 2000. Today the trail has grown to 2,000 miles in length with over 400 individual sites throughout the state. The trail is segmented into four sections: East: opened in 2...

North Port, Florida: The North Port Bobcats suffered a devastating 48-6 loss to the Riverview Rams in conference play on Friday night at the Preserve. The Bobcats defense could not stop the explosive Rams offense and were plagued by penalties and turnovers on offense, making for a long night. Meanwhile on the other side of the ball, the Rams were virtually flawless. Riverview wasted no time taking the lead. They won the coin toss and elected to receive. 67 seconds was all it took to reach pay dirt. John Evans rumbled 60 yards to score and give the Rams a 7-0 lead. After forcing the Bobcats to a three and out series on their first possession, the Rams offense hit the field again on a fast track to the end zone. The drive ended in a 26 yard touchdown run by Devontae Williams. Down 14-0, the Bobcats showed life on their second possession. After a touchback on the kickoff, the Bobcats put together a 10 play drive that took them down the field. The drive stalled in the red zone a...

Orlando, Florida: Bikes fly, a purple dinosaur sings and dances, animals act, and a coaster goes crazy. No your not dreaming, you are in the middle of Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone at Universal Studios Florida. Here the littlest members of your group can get wild and crazy with some of the famous Universal cartoon characters. This area of the park was initially part of the World Expo until 1999 when it was separated and renamed Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone. Today it is home to shows and attractions geared towards the younger ones. The oldest attraction here is one of the parks signature attractions, the ET Adventure. Opened in 1990, you embark on an adventure to help ET save the green planet. Hop aboard a bicycle and try to escape capture from the police. Before you know it ET has your bike airborne to avoid capture and begin your journey to the planet. Once you arrive, the healing touch of ET helps save the day and the planet. If the flight to the green planet wasn’t wild enough, the next...

Orlando, Florida: It takes just a few steps before your imagination takes you from Central Florida into the pages of the popular book series by JK Rowling. As you pass through the gates of Hogsmeade, your journey takes you through the village on the way to Hogwarts with plenty of thrills and excitement along the way. Enter through the gates into Hogsmeade and you are whisked away to the magical place. Off to your right sits the Hogwarts Express, fresh from delivering this years class of wizards. As you travel deeper into the village you begin to encounter shops and restraraunts inspired by the book. The first of the rides you will encounter is the Dragon Challenge. Hop aboard one of two coasters, Hungarian Horntail or Chinese Fireball, to embark and partake in the Triwizard Tournament. Originally opened is 1999 as the Dueling Dragons, the roller coaster was re-themed to follow the story of Harry Potter. The dueling steel inverted coasters feature five inversions and three near misses ...

Orlando, Florida: Since we have a few months remaining on our annual passes and the schools had a professional day, we decided to take a day trip to Universal Orlando. This was our second trip of the year, but the first since the Wizarding World of Harry Potter had opened. This trip was the first time we had gone up to Universal Orlando without staying overnight at one of their fine hotels. From the moment we arrived, I realized how much we were going to miss the perks of being a hotel guest. The first of these moments came when parking in the parking garage. Having to park the vehicle in one of the multi-story parking garages and then make your way to the park rather then hop on a boat and being transported to the park. The second “wish I would have stayed at a Universal Orlando hotel” moment came once we arrived at the entrance to Islands of Adventure. Here guests of the three hotels were allowed to enter the park early while non-hotel guests had to wait in the large crowd fo...

Sarasota, Florida: Just outside of downtown Sarasota lies this small county park along the Philippi Creek. The urban oasis provides a refuge for people and wildlife looking to take a break from city life. The 22 acre park is operated by Sarasota County and offers many activities. The park features a playground, picnic pavilion, basketball courts, boat launch and nature trails just to name a few. The park is also a popular spot for bird watching. The mesic hammock habitat combined with the waters of the creek provide a habitat that supports many species of birds. During the spring months, the park is home to many migratory birds such as wrens, warblers, thrushes and more. They join the year round residents like herons, ibis, ducks and more who find the mix of wood and water a perfect home. Although the park is operated by Sarasota County Parks and Rec, the Sarasota Audubon Society helps oversee the operation of the park to ensure the habitat remains inviting to the birds. The...

Naples, Florida: Just a few miles east of I-75 in eastern Collier County lies a hidden gem on the edge of the Big Cypress Swamp. One of the last remaining strands of Bald and Pond Cypress in existence, the 10,000 acres of the Corkscrew Swamp are home to over 200 species of birds and wildlife. During the early 1900’s the Big Cypress Swamp was in its prime. The swamp stretched for over 5,000 square miles and was home to thick forests of cypress trees. The Bald Cypress were Florida’s version of the California Redwood, they grew to over 130 feet tall and towered over the swamp. Many species of wildlife resided within the canopy of the cypress, resulting in a very diverse population. By 1912, the National Audubon Society had wardens stationed within the Corkscrew Swamp to monitor the wildlife and most importantly protect the wading birds nests. During this time, it was common for a warden to record bird populations in the hundreds during a tour. The numbers continued to grow thanks the gre...

Sarasota, Florida: The sun wasn’t the only thing shining on Saturday afternoon, the skills of the men and women of the Sarasota County Fire Department shined during the department’s annual open house. Thousands of visitors flocked to Station 5 to witness the firefighters showcase their skills during the event. The theme of this year’s event was “ Smoke Alarms, a sound you can live with” and stressed the importance of working smoke detectors in your home. Ensuring that there is a working smoke detector in your home is one of the most important thing you can do to help keep your family safe in the event of a fire. During events throughout the day, the firefighters showed how they use their training to handle a hazardous materials fire, perform a technical rescue, extricate a victim from a vehicle and demonstrate how to safely use a fire extinguisher. The apparatus and equipment was also on display so the visitors could get an up close look at the tools that help keep them safe. The...

North Port, Florida: Despite taking an early lead, the North Port Bobcats were unable to match the offensive attack of the Venice Indians as they suffered a 49-20 loss to the top seed in the division. The Indians struck for 28 points in the second quarter, leading them to their fifth win in a row. The Bobcats won the toss and elected to defer to the second half. On the first play from scrimmage, Brandon Engell recovered a fumble to give the Bobcats the ball on the 18 yard line. The drive stalled on the 6 yard line and Gasto Orsetti kicked a 21 yard field goal to give the Bobcats a 3-0 lead. The Indians answered back with a 67 yard scoring drive that ended with a QB keeper by Grant Flessner for the score. The keeper and the point after gave the Indians a 7-3 lead. The Bobcats forced another fumble to set up their second scoring drive. Quinn Bass recovered a fumble on the 26 yard line during the Indian’s punt return. The Bobcats drove the ball to the 8 yard line on a rush by quart...

Fort Myers, Florida: Located in a restored train terminal in the heart of downtown, the Southwest Florida Museum of History takes a detailed look into the past of Southwest Florida. Begin in the days when large animals ruled the land and take a look into the lives of those who came to call the region home including Native American’s, Florida Crackers and those who live here today. The dream of the museum began in the 1970’s when the Atlantic Coastline Railroad closed their Fort Myers depot. The depot became neglected until a group of local citizens raised money to restore the depot to house a museum. In April of 1982, the museum opened to the public. Today guest to the museum can tour the history of Southwest Florida inside the restored train depot. As you enter the depot, you begin your tour with Paleo Florida. Here you learn about the large animals that roamed Florida during the day of the dinosaurs. There are skeletons of a giant sloth and saber tooth tiger as well as other l...

North Port, Florida: The North Port Bobcats dazzled the homecoming crowd Friday night by defeating the visiting Ida Baker Bulldogs by the score of 34-14. After being shut-out last week, the Bobcats rebounded and scored twenty unanswered points and three shut-out quarters before allowing the Bulldogs to reach the end zone in the fourth quarter. The explosive ground game of the Bobcats led the way, finishing the game with 289 yard on the ground. Both Brandon DeShields and Devonte Bailey walked away with 100 yard nights. The Bobcats first drive began on defense when DeShields intercepted a pass on the opening drive of the game. The Bobcat offense then drove the ball 27 yard on 5 plays resulting in a 10 yard touchdown run by DeShields to take the lead 7-0. Then in the second quarter, the Bobcats struck again. After a Bulldog punt, the Bobcats began another scoring drive from their own 26 yard line. Eighteen plays later it was Tyler Griffith carrying the ball across the goal line to ...

North Port, Florida: The North Port Bobcats dropped their home opener against Desoto County on Friday night at the Preserve. Despite taking an early lead in the second quarter and holding Desoto to just one first down in the first half, a twenty point fourth quarter doomed the Bobcats, handing them a 20-7 loss. The Bobcats took the lead in the second quarter. The 56 yard scoring drive was capped off by quarterback Paul Balcomb scoring on a 3 yard QB keeper. The touchdown plus the extra point gave the Bobcats a 7-0 advantage heading into the locker room for halftime. The second half began much like the first half. Hard nose defense and running attack, kept the score at 7-0 until the midway through the fourth quarter. But that’s when things turned bad for the Bobcats. Th Bulldogs recovered a fumble by Antonio Washington to start the game tying scoring drive. Washington then ended the drive by throwing a 23 yard option pass to Dalton Green to tie the game. Another Bobcat turnover led to ...

Port Charlotte, Florida: The Charlotte Stone Crabs finished the 2010 regular season in winning fashion by defeating the Bradenton Marauders 4-1 on Sunday afternoon at Charlotte Sports Park. The Stone Crabs led by a fantastic outing on the mound my Jake Thompson, took the lead in the third inning and never looked back. The Stone Crabs took the zero off the board in the bottom of the third inning. Isaias Velasquez and Reid Fronk delivered back to back singles to put runners on the bases. Velasquez would later score on a force out by Tim Beckham to give the Stone Crabs a 1-0 lead. The Stone Crabs added to their lead in the fourth inning. Michael Sheridan singled followed by a double by Matt Hall to put two runners in scoring position. Velasquez then drove home both runners with a single to left, increasing the lead to 3-0. Bradenton picked up their only run of the game in the eighth inning. Adam Davis singled to center then advanced to second after Jordan Newton was walked. Greg P...

Port Charlotte, Florida: Over 6,000 fans packed Charlotte Sports Park to watch a preview of the first round of the playoffs as the Charlotte Stone Crabs faced their neighbor to the north Bradenton Marauders. Both clubs dueled toe to toe but when the dust settled and the game was over, the Stone Crabs fell 4-2. The Stone Crabs jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Stephen Vogt drew a walk with two outs to put a runner on the bases. Vogt moved to second on a wild pitch. Then Greg Sexton hit a fly ball into shallow right that fell in the middle of the three Bradenton defenders, the hang time on the ball was enough to allow Vogt to score from second and give the Stone Crabs a 1-0 lead. Bradenton tied the game an inning later. Eric Fryer singled to left to get things going. Then things took an odd turn. Calvin Anderson connected on a check swing and dropped the ball right in front of home plate. What appeared to be a dead ball, home plate umpire ruled a live ball and An...

The Charlotte Stone Crabs will host their final homestand of the regular season this weekend. In what appears to be a preview of the 2010 FSL South Division Playoffs, the Stone Crabs host their neighbor to the north, the Bradenton Marauders. The weekend is packed with promotions including the popular Fan Appreciation Night on Saturday night. The Stone Crabs will have giveaways throughout the game as well as the final fireworks show of the season to follow the game. In addition to the festivities of the night, Miss Sarasota Softball will be conducting a fundraiser on the main concourse to help raise money for their organization. MSS is a non-profit organization that provides a recreational fastpitch softball program for girls ages 4 1/2 to 16. The league has been attempting to refurbish their park that has been their home for over 30yrs. The park is in serious need of new dugouts. The program is strictly funded through volunteer hours and donations for the community. The program ...

Port Charlotte, Florida: After two consecutive days of rain-outs, the rain stayed away long enough for the Charlotte Stone Crabs and Jupiter Hammerheads to play a doubleheader on Thursday night. The Stone Crabs swept the twin bill at Charlotte Sports Park. Game one was dominated by the Stone Crabs starting ace Matt Moore. His work on the mound combined by a big fly by Tyler Bortnick gave the Stone Crabs a 4-0 shut-out victory. The Stone Crabs took the lead in the second inning. Ryan Royster led off the inning with a double to right field. Stephen Vogt followed with a ground ball to second, but a throwing error by Jupiter’s second baseman led to Royster scoring and giving the Stone Crabs a 1-0 lead. The Stone Crabs picked up some insurance in the sixth inning. Tim Beckham doubled to left then later stole third base. Vogt then drew an intentional walk to put runners on the corners. Tyler Bortnick then delivered a three run homer to left, his first hit as a Stone Crab to give th...

Sarasota, Florida: The GCL Orioles fell to the GCL Red Sox on Wednesday afternoon at the Ed Smith Sports Complex. It took four innings for someone to break through the zeros but when it was over, it was the Red Sox taking the 6-1 win. It wasn’t until the fifth inning until the Red Sox reached the scoreboard. Jose Vinicio led off the inning with a single to right. Henry Ramos followed with a triple to center that scored Vinicio. Ramos would later score on a sac fly by Kendrick Perkins to give them a 2-0 lead. The Red Sox added to their lead in the top of the sixth inning. Luke Yoder drew a walk with one out to get things going. Yoder moved into scoring position by stealing second. Trygg Danforth drove home the run with an RBI double to increase the lead to 3-0. The Orioles pushed across their lone run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Riley Hornback drew a walk followed by Michael Mosby being hit by a pitch. Rojean Cleofa then drove home the run with a ground ball that sc...

Fort Myers, Florida: The Gulf Coast League Red Sox are the rookie league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox join the Rays, Oriole and Twins as part of the Southern Division of the Gulf Coast League. The GCL Red Sox have been a member of the league since 1991. They split there schedule between the Red Sox Player Development Complex and City of Palms Park in downtown Fort Myers. The schedule begins in late June and runs through August. The Red Sox won the league title in 2006. They are also a five time division champion as well, winning the division in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. For photos from the club, visit my GCL Red Sox photo page. Here you will find game photos and player profiles.

Port Charlotte, Florida: The Charlotte Stone Crabs won their seventh game in a row by defeating the St. Lucie Mets 8-7 on Sunday evening at Charlotte Sports Park. The Stone Crabs lost their lead midway through the game but walked off with the win thanks to a ninth inning RBI by Isaias Velasquez. It was a big night for Stone Crabs fans as Carlos Pena was playing tonight on an MLB rehab assignment, leading off as the designated hitter. It was also the first start for newly promoted pitcher Kirby Yates, who just joined the Stone Crabs after being promoted from Bowling Green. The Stone Crabs jumped out to an early lead in the first inning. Carlos Pena and Tim Beckham led off the inning with back to back singles. Pena then advanced to third after Stephen Vogt grounded into a double play. Greg Sexton drove home the run with an RBI single to score Pena to give the Stone Crabs a 1-0 lead. The Stone Crabs added to their lead in the second inning. Michael Sheridan opened the inning with...

Sarasota, Florida: The GCL Rays took over sole possession of first place in the division with a shut-out victory on Friday the Thirteenth. The 4-0 win was enough to give the Rays a one game advantage in the division as we near the end of the regular season. The Rays broke the scoreless tie in the top of the third inning. Luke Bailey hit a solo home run over the right field wall to give the Rays a 1-0 lead. The Rays offense would not score again until the top of the ninth inning when they struck for three runs in the inning. Justin O’Conner led off the inning with a walk then moved to third on a sac bunt followed by a wild pitch. Cesar Perez then drew a walk followed by Julian Morillo reaching on an fielder’s choice with O’Conner out at home on the play. An intentional walk to Bailey loaded the bases for the Rays. Edward Dorville drove home the first run of the inning with an RBI single to score Perez. Morillo then scored on a wild pitch followed by Bailey scoring on an error t...

Englewood, Florida: At the southern tip of Manasota Key lies a stretch of natural Florida coastline known as Stump Pass Beach State Park. The mile plus strand of unspoiled coastal land is a favorite to locals and tourists alike. Many flock to the park for the great beach, shelling and fishing. The park is made up of three islands sandwiched between the Gulf of Mexico and Lemon Bay. The main portion of the park is located on Manasota Key and is accessible via the Tom Adams Bridge. Here is the gulf beaches, picnic areas, bath house and nature trail. As you head further east you encounter the uninhabited Peterson Island and Whidden Key which are also part of the park and only accessible via boat. The body of water separating the islands is known as Ski Alley and is a popular local water recreation area. At the southern end of the park is Stump Pass, one of the few passes in the area that allow you to enter the Gulf of Mexico from the Intercoastal Waterway. The water activities are...