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Fort Desoto Trip Report April 2005 Fort Desoto
Fort Desoto is one of my favorite Tampa Bay area beaches, and considering it's on Dr. Beach's 2004 list at #2, I'm not the only one. Seeing as the water is "almost" warm enough to swim in, at least for people who are acclimated to Florida temperatures, it seemed like a good time to pay a visit to this park.
I always enjoy the drive through St. Pete to Tierra Verde (a Spanish phrase meaning "lush land with many condos") because I know what's waiting at the end: Mullet Key.
After Sun Pass beeping my way through the toll (35 cents) and over the bridge, I enter Pinellas County's largest park. The gaps in the mangroves on either side of the road are popular with kayakers and fishermen, as you can park close to the waterline. The campground looked pretty full, and given that the weather is nice and the insect population is still coming out of their winter slumber, I can see why. :-)
"The Fort" has several beach areas. The park map shows "East Beach" and "North Beach" which are the developed areas with picnic shelters and nice parking and other facilities. There's also the beach at the end of the main road past East Beach which is used by paddlers and windsurfers and features a great view of the Sunshine Skyway bridge which connects Tampa/St. Pete with Sarasota/Bradenton.
My personal favorite is the beach on the west side of the island, just north of the Fort. The currents are not as safe for swimming as at North Beach, but it's usually a little quieter here. You can park at the concession/gift stand past the Fort and be on the beach easily, walking north until you find a nice spot to relax.
After spending some time enjoying the sun and the water, I took a walk around the remains of the mortar battery at the old Fort. I've seen those huge 12-inch guns many times in the past 10 years, but they still impress. Even more impressive are the men who served here during the Spanish-American war, before the advent of insecticide and air conditioning!
The views of Egmont Key and even Anna Maria Island and Bradenton are fantastic from the top of the fortifications. The haze level was low today and the lighthouse at Egmont was as blinking as clear as could be.
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