Built in 1858 on Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay to help guide ships into the Bay, it originally was the only lighthoust between St. marks and Key West on the gulf coast of Florida. Egmont Key itself is now a state park and wildlife preserve with many nesting sea turtles, and sea birds.

Looking southwest from the Apollo Beach Nature Preserve one evening I could see the silhouette of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, with a thunderstorm approaching.

Looking southwest across Tampa Bay toward the Sunshine Skyway from the Apollo Beach Nature Preserve one evening, I saw these thunderstorms on the horizon.

The sun sets over Tampa Bay as seen from E.G. Simmons Park in Ruskin Florida looking toward the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

The Bradenton Beach City Pier was created as a fishing pier on the island side when the original wooden bridge from the mainland to Anna Maria Island was replaced with a draw bridge.

Over the years the pier has been damaged as the result of various storms and rebuilt with the latest occurring in2010 when boats were thrown against the pier damaging it. The restoration was completed in January of 2015 and resulted in what you see here. As well as fishing, the pier has a bait swhop and restaurant.

Kite surfes enjoy a day on Tampa Bay from Ft. DeSoto Park near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

Kitesurfers take off from Pinellas County, Florida's Ft. DeSoto Park and make their way across Tampa Bay toward the Sunshine skyway Bridge on a fun day of activity.

The Mobile Bay ferry service operates between Ft. Morgan on the eastern shore of the bay and Dauphin Island on the western side of the bay. The ferry is pictured here arriving at the Ft. Morgan landing.

This is part of the fleet of fishing boats in Bayou La Batre, the seafood capitol of Alabama. Bayou La Batre is located in south Alabama on the Mississippi Sound.

A bayou in Venice, Louisianna in the southeastern corner of Plaquemines Parish.

Early morning light coming across the Gulf of Mexico near Gulfporti, Mississippi.

The Mobile Bay ferry service operates between Ft. Morgan on the eastern shore of the bay and Dauphin Island on the western side of the bay. The ferry is pictured here arriving at the Ft. Morgan landing.