2011 Indian Rocks Beach Holiday Street Parade
Sunday, December 4th, 2011
The Boat Club traded channel markers for sidewalks and participated in the annual IRB Holiday Street Parade. No worries about running aground and the conditions were outstanding–1-2 footers just offshore of Gulf Blvd. and Walsingham Road.
2011 Veterans Boat Parade
Saturday, November 12th, 2011
The IRB Boat Club did us (and their country) proud in the Veterans Boat Parade held in Madeira Beach and Treasure Island. James Ratz donated the use of is 53′ fishing charter boat, Fatal Attraction. And, thanks to Discount Boat Tops, who donated their time to sew the red, white and blue sails adorning the fishing tower, the Boat Club entry took 4th place in the 23′ and up category. George and Karen Laufenburger’s boat, Curious George, also received honorable mention!
Intracoastal Fall Clean-up
Saturday, October 8th, 2011
On a windy Saturday, the IRB Boat Club cleaned five islands near IRB and Belleair Beach. The group found everything form plastic bottles to a juvenile blue heron caught in fishing line. See John Thayer (holding the bird!) that he and Jerry Newton (left) rescued floating in a foot of water just off the island in IRB. The bird was sent to the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary for recuperation. No word on the bird’s condition was available at press time.
A special thanks to Bob & Michelle Lindsey of Belleair Beach who were the first representatives
from that community to join us! Michelle is pictured below with IRB Boat Club President Bob Griffin
as they hold one of the more unusual discoveries.
End-of-Summer Island Party
Saturday, September 17th, 2011
The Boat Club ushered Summer 2011 out with a bang! This year’s End-of-Summer Island Party featured a Scallop Bar!
Caladesi Island Party
Sunday, August 21st, 2011
The IRB Boat Club enjoyed a great turnout again this year for the Caladesi Island Party. It was rescheduled from May when it was canceled due to bad weather. The weather this time made up for it! Spectacular! Beautiful water and fun people – about fifty total – aboard eleven boats and a Sea-Doo!
Fourth of July Island Party
Monday, July 4th, 2011
The Boat Club celebrated Independence Day on One Tree Island just south of the Clearwater Memorial Bridge. Beautiful skies all day until the sun went down in the evening and the City of Clearwater’s spectacular fireworks lit up the sky.
Reef Clean-up
Saturday, June 4th, 2011
IRB Boat Club member Scott Shapiro participated in the Reef Clean-up spearheaded by Reef Monitoring, Inc. His team collected over 100 lbs. of items potentially life-threatening to marine life on our artificial reef. In total, 40 divers on 14 boats participated in removing 350 lbs. of rope and line in just two hours…along with several anchors, traps, fishing rods, reels, nets, etc.
The Bait House Boat Bash
Sunday, April 17th, 2011
The IRB Boat Club cruised into The Bait House in the Clearwater Beach Marina for a day of fun, great food and boating stories. Free parking was arranged in the marina and a few members came on bike.
Salt Rock Grill Excursion
Saturday, March 26th, 2011
As part of their commitment to use their boats at least once a month, 50 members of the IRB Boat Club spent a lazy Saturday afternoon at the Salt Rock Grill enjoying the water, great docks and outstanding food. Besides outings like this, the IRB Boat Club holds informative meetings on the 3rd Thursday of every month and participates in environmental clean-ups of our beautiful waterways and beaches. LITTLE KNOWN FACTS: You DO NOT have to live in IRB to be a member. And, guess what? You really DO NOT have to own a boat either…but a love of the water is mandatory! There are always IRB Boat Club members more than willing to take the “boatless” on board. For more info, call Boat Club President Bob Griffin at (727) 517-1997.
Spring ICW Clean-up
Saturday, March 12th, 2011
The IRB Boat Club carried on its long-standing tradition of being good stewards of our beautiful waters with its spring cleaning effort. A group of volunteers met at the 15th Avenue Boat Ramp at 8 a.m. and spent a couple hours gathering up some rather interesting articles from the shoreline and from the Boat Club’s Adopted Island, at the south end of IRB near the Belleair Causeway. Those without boats hopped aboard other vessels to lend a hand. A special thanks to our “young boaters” who gave up their time to help. Many visitors to our Adopted Island have remarked about how much cleaner the island is thanks to the ongoing efforts of our volunteers who clean it twice a month.
Island Way Grill Brunch
Sunday, February 20th, 2011
The third annual cruise to the Island Way Grill drew even more boaters and ride-a-longs than in the previous two years. About 80 folks and 10 boats were in attendance for a day of enjoying our beautiful waters and, of course, the Island Way’s unbelievable Sunday buffet. This event is always one that everyone looks forward to next year!
2011 Afternoon Cruise to The Pub
Saturday, January 29th, 2011
Our first Boat Club of the year brought out close to 50 members. The weather was spectacular (we apologize to our northern friends who read our Web site!) and The Pub treated us to free appetizers. It couldn’t have been a more perfect afternoon. Oh…and the company wasn’t bad either.
