The current span of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a cable stayed bridge with 174' of clearance, wasx begun in 1982 and completed in 1987. It is considered by many as Florida's signature bridge. Pinellas County controls the northern entrance to the bridge, Manatee County the south, and Hillsborough County controls the main ship channel and the center span of the bridge.

A kitesurfer uses the pull of his kite to move across Tampa Bay near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida in mid December, 2016.

On a misty,foggy morning, a fleet of boats lie at anchor at the mouth of the Alaia River where it flows into Tampa Bay, Florida.

On a misty,foggy morning, a fleet of boats lie at anchor at the mouth of the Alaia River where it flows into Tampa Bay, Florida.

The sun sets over tampa Bay as you look from Bahia Beach in Ruskin over the pier toward St. Petersburg, Florida on the hjorizon. This is a favorite place to watch the sun go down.

A sunset over tampa Bay as seen from Bahia Beach in Ruskin, Florida looking toward St. Petersburg on the horizon.

A boater pulls into the dock at Bahia Beach in Ruskin, Florida as the suns begins to end its march across the sky for another day. It won't be long before its dark.

Digital representation of a sunset over Tampa Bay as seen from Bahia Beach in Ruskin, Florida.
Its hard to imagine a better way to end the day.

People enjoy a wonderful day at the beach on Bradenton Beach in Manatee County, Florida. Clear skies, white sands, and blue water, what more oculd anyone want?

Look northwest along the shoreline of St. Joe Bay in north Florida from the Old Salt Works Cabins in Cape San Blas toward Blacks Island and the heart of the bay on a cloudy summers afternoon. This was during the scalloping season and St. Joe Bay is known as a prime destination.

Sea oats help keep the dunes in place at St. Joseph Peninsula State Park in the panhandle of Florida. This park has some of the largest dunes in the state.

This is the Cape San Blas shoreline near the lighthouse in the panhandle of Florida. Located in Gulf County, it is on the road from the city of Port St. Joe on the way to St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, home of the largest dunes in the state of Florida and a favorite scalloping destination.