Ft. DeSoto Park has several beaches

[TBTourist]

Ft. DeSoto Park is located at the mouth of Tampa Bay at the very southern tip of Pinellas County, which is the northern part of the Bay's entrance.  It features all kinds of stuff to do outdoors including at least 5 big beaches, swimming, 2 fishing piers, wind surfing, regular surfing, kayaking, dog parks, biking and of course exploring the old fort that was used to guard the mouth of Tampa Bay with huge cannons.  You can  still see the cannons today.  

Speaking of today, we went there and I took pictures of everything EXCEPT the old fort, dang it.  We were supposed to go back to it after swimming and we left the park for home instead.  Here's a link to their website.

http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_Ft_Desoto.htm

In the replies below I'll post the photos and the names of the places in those messages.  We started at the Eastern tip of the park near Tampa Bay and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and then we made several stops on our way to the North Beach on the Gulf of Mexico side.  

Enjoy!

[TBTourist]

At the Eastern end of Ft. DeSoto Park is a turnaround and there we found dozens of wind surfers riding the wind and waves like pros!  The view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge behind them was spectacular also.  

Here are some photos, so click them to make them larger.  

[TBTourist]

The East Beach at Ft. DeSoto Park also has a nice view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at the mouth of Tampa Bay.  It has a play ground, picnic shelters and restrooms, plus a nice beach. 

The photos are below, so click them to make them larger.

[TBTourist]

Ft. DeSoto also has a fishing pier at the mouth of Tampa Bay.  The fishermen pulled in a couple of fish while we walked out there, but they looked too small to keep. 

While we were there, the Tampa Bay Ferry arrived to drop-off passengers.  The ferry runs out to Shell Island where you can hunt for shells on a deserted beach.  We'll have to check that out next time. 

Click the photos to make them larger.

[TBTourist]

We wanted to go swimming and eat our picnic lunch so we dragged out all of our beach stuff and the cooler to the beach next to the pier.  When we got to the end of the boardwalk, several signs said "no swimming dangerous currents."  Dang it!  We had to turn around and go to the North Beach instead.  I shot a couple photos before we left, so click them to make them larger.

[TBTourist]

The North Beach at Ft. DeSoto Park is a huge beach with fluffy sand that was named the number one Beach in the nation in 2005 and it's been number 1 for two years in a row for a national travel website whose name I can't remember.  They also have a life guard on duty and the park rangers were visible too.  The life guard chased away a couple fishermen to don't take your pole there. 

Anyways, it's beautiful and I took a few photos for you to see.  Click to make them larger