continuous Slow Speed: discontinuous Boca Ciega …

1 82 45'0"W 82 40'0"W. Boater's Tips: IDLE SPEED Speed Restrictions Stay clear of the main ship channel when large Vessel speeds are regulated for many reasons ships are approaching. Some vessels entering including safety concerns in high traffic areas, Fishing Piers Tampa Bay are as long as two football fields, NO WAKE and to help ensure the safety of swimmers, Public Boat Ramps carry hazardous materials, and are fairly dif- boaters, or manatees. Please refer to motor 6 foot depth line ficult to maneuver. Many clear the 45-foot exclusion zones and shallow water cautionary Seminole Channel deep shipping channel by as little as 4 feet, zones on the map. Intracoastal Waterway and may require a mile or more to stop. Pilot's SLOW SPEED Park Blvd. Mangroves vision may be restricted by the large size of the Idle Speed: A vessel operating in an Idle National Wildlife Refuge Speed No Wake zone must slow to the minimum 27 50'0"N. vessel they are captaining.

2 It is up to the small Seagrass 27 50'0"N. boat operator to keep safely out of the way of speed that will maintain steerage control. An these ships. MINIMUM WAKE example of this is to put a car's automatic trans- continuous mission in Drive and allow it to idle forward. discontinuous Boca Ciega Bay Boater's Guide In case of an emergency, use VHF Channel 13. to communicate with commercial ships. RESUME NORMAL. Slow Speed: A vessel operating in a Slow Speed Zones Speed Minimum Wake zone must come fully Be sure your boat is visible at night and in off plane and completely settle in the water. The No Entry poor weather conditions. vessel's wake must not be excessive, so as not No Internal Combustion Johns Pass Johns Pass to to Passage Passage Key, Key, including including Shell Shell Key, Key, Fort Fort De De Soto, Soto, &. & Egmont Egmont Key Key The main shipping channels are shown on to create a hazard to other vessels. Slow Speed Semino le Slow Speed the map.

3 SAFE OPERATION Minimum Wake and Slow Speed mean the Bridge Idle Speed same thing and require the same operation. The Bay Pines ay Royal Terns, Short-billed Dowitchers, Ruddy Turnstones, and ew B. Keep your boat in good repair with all neces- Welcome to Boca Ciega Bay! Audubon terms are used interchangeably. us War Ca sary safety equipment on board. Veterans Ty ro ne of Florida, St. Petersburg Audubon oca Ciega Bay offers a variety of other birds rely on sandbars as resting areas. Photo by Lee Snyder. Resume Normal Safe Operation: ch NO ENTRY. Memorial Society, and our partners have produced Bl el Park vd boaters' destinations, special habitats, and W.. this Guide to share interesting informa- Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge Park St. N. Watch for changing weather conditions. When exiting an Idle Speed or Slow Speed (NWR) was the tion about the extraordinary natural spectacular natural resources. The bay is BEYOND zone, you will see a sign that states Resume third Federal Bird Reservation created by presidential decree in 1905 by Know your boat's limitations and respect them.

4 Dogleg resources of this special area. The map is located on the north side of the mouth of Tampa THIS POINT Normal Safe Operation. At this point you may Madeira Key provided for informational purposes and Teddy Roosevelt. This dynamic sandy barrier island located in the mouth of Beach Bird Bay and is bordered by the cities of St. Petersburg, Jet skis are boats, too, and must follow all increase your speed to one that is appropriate for Little Sanctuary is not intended to serve as a navigation Tierra Verde, St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Gulf Tampa Bay periodically hosts a vibrant ground-nesting bird colony, listed by Bird boating regulations. the sea and vessel traffic conditions. Key Bird chart. Management areas are subject to port, Seminole, and Madeira Beach. Visitors can the FWC as among Florida's six most important colonies. Brown Pelicans, Rookery revision as landscapes and habitat usage The Coast Guard Auxiliary and Power Squad- Key find historic forts, important natural communi- Royal and Sandwich Terns, Laughing Gulls, and Black Skimmers nest here rons offer free boat inspections and boating COMBUSTION No Entry: Boats, people, and pets prohibited.

5 Eleanor by wildlife shifts. The map was designed and formatted by Jacob Tustison, Florida ties, and some of the largest, most diverse, and when Passage Key emerges above the high tide line. Storms in 2004 and 2005. 66th St. N. Island safety classes. These are interesting, fun, and MOTOR Combustion Motor Exclusion: No Marine Research Institute. most important bird areas in Florida. Nearly all of moved Passage Key sands, so the island is now below high tide. The area is a informative. See Resources for information. gas or diesel powered motor use beyond the sign. the Gulf beaches are used by nesting loggerhead designated bird protection area, and the island and surrounding waters are Be careful to prevent spills during fueling and EXCLUSION Electric motors, poling, and paddling allowed. Tyrone Blvd. turtles. Waterways emptying into Boca Ciega Bay closed to visitors year-round, including an off-shore buffer area. The refuge is include Lake Seminole (through Long Bayou), administered as a unit of the Chassahowitzka NWR Complex (352/563-2088).

6 When adding oil. Shallow Water Danger: The areas Cross Bayou, Bear Creek, Clam Bayou, and French . behind the signs are very shallow and have 1st Ave. N. man's Creek. Although major portions of the bay Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge and State Park Safety and Security: healthy seagrass beds. At high tide, proceed with Treasure Island Causeway Central Ave. have been altered to provide waterfront homes was established in 1974 for the protection of migratory birds and has had The Coast Guard Marine Safety and Security Task caution to avoid prop scarring and damage to sea- a colorful military past. Five artillery batteries from historic Fort Dade, in SHALLOW with docks and boat access, significant natural Force is asking boaters to stay well away from all grass. At low tide, only poling or paddling across service from 1898 until 1923, are located on the west side of the island and Treasure areas and park lands remain. Key biological sites Ave.

7 Commercial vessels and facilities in Tampa Bay, DANGER this area is appropriate, to protect seagrasses. Island and other areas of interest are outlined below. were armed with 3-, 6-, and 8-inch cannons. Some batteries are in the water today as the island has eroded eastward (these reefs offer excellent diving ena to increase public safety and reduce the threat The islands and bay bottoms of Boca Ciega WATER and snorkeling experiences). Other batteries have been protected by beach d Pasa of terrorist attacks. Also, a 100-foot security Bay are part of the State of Florida's sovereign zone extends from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge re nourishment projects and may still be visited. The Fort Dade Guardhouse lands and are managed by the Florida Department supports, including all the portions of the bridge was constructed in 1910 and will be a Visitor's Center after restoration. Fort of Environmental Protection's Pinellas Aquatic Seagrasses 27 45'0"N.

8 Having a distinct vertical rise. To report suspi- eway Dade, on the National Register of Historical Places, was home to 300 resident 27 45'0"N. us Preserve Program. Staff are undertaking manage- cious activities, call 911 or VHF Channel 16. For Gulfport Blvd. soldiers and support personnel. The lighthouse, still used for navigation, was a ment and restoration of both the spoil and natural yC. more information: 727/824-7531. built in 1858. Egmont Key hosts populations of box turtles and state-listed Core Seagrasses are underwater flowering plants that mangrove islands. Gulfport Clam gopher tortoises, and is a key site for migratory songbirds seeking landfall use strong roots to anchor themselves to shal- Bayou after flying across the Gulf of Mexico. An average of 44 Atlantic logger- Fishing Tips: low bay bottoms. Like land plants, seagrasses use Johns Pass Gu photosynthesis to make energy from sunlight. contains three islands: Little head turtles nest annually on the island's sandy beaches.

9 A large colony of lf Blv Seagrasses provide critically important food and Bird Key (Johns Pass) to the north, Bird Rookery Brown Pelicans, Royal and Sandwich terns, and Laughing Gulls nests on d. Help fish stocks increase by practicing catch Key (middle), and Eleanor Island (south). These the south end in the bird sanctuary. Black Skimmers and Least Terns have habitat for many animals, including manatees, and release. turtles, seahorses, seatrout, redfish, tarpon, and Long mangrove islands are surrounded by shallow nested on the re nourished beach area at the northwest portion of the island. Observe regulations and size limits. shrimp. Seagrasses trap sediment, cleaning the Key grassflats and sandbars, and provide excellent This nesting site, as well as the two wildlife sanctuary areas (southern end water, and dampen waves near shorelines, reduc- 275 bird foraging habitat. Brown Pelicans, herons and of the island and along the eastern beach north of the Pilots' Station), are Dispose of fishing line properly in closed ing erosion.

10 Dense, healthy seagrass beds carpet Use Caution egrets nest on Little Bird Key and Bird Rookery closed year-round. The seagrasses along the east side of the island are also garbage disposal. Around Key. All three islands are protected as bird sanc- protected. Two-thirds of the island is available to boaters and approximately large portions of lower Boca Ciega Bay. Please tuaries. Marinas, restaurants, boat fuel, and shops 150,000 visitors arrive annually. The refuge is administered under the Chas- Use chrome-plated steel, gold-plated steel, or note motor exclusion zones and shallow caution Seagrass Beds! Fixed Brg. Vert. Cl. 11'. 54th Ave. S. Eckerd are located at the mouth of Johns Pass. sahowitzka NWR Complex (352/563-2088). The refuge is co-managed with bronze hooks as they corrode quickly in salt areas on the map. Most seagrass beds occur in Fixed Brg. Vert. Cl. 18'. College waters 3 6 feet deep, and at low tides, they are Seagrass beds are the Florida Park Service (727/893-2627).