Families throughout Tampa Bay have spent the past week hunkering down in their homes, many without power or air conditioning. Some spent days on the road, driving up the state and across the coast.
Now, it’s time to relax and recuperate.
Tampa-based outdoor company iTREKKERS is sponsoring a free event, “Family Day on the Bay for Hurricane Irma Relief,” on September 17.
Licensed, professional captains will ferry families from the Gandy Boat Ramp to a nearby beach, beginning at 10 A.M. on Sunday. Captains will assist you with settling onto the boat with your belongings; then it’s time for a 15-minute ride through Upper Tampa Bay to the nearby sandbar beach.
At the sandbar, iTREKKERS guides will have various outdoor skill learning stations set up for kids and parents. Learn how to:
- Paddleboard in shallow water
- Cast, hook, reel in a catch and other fishing basics
- Cook canned food camping-style for the next hurricane
iTREKKERS will also provide coolers, several canopy tents for shade, an outdoor bathroom, and plenty of beach games, including KanJam, cornhole, Polish horseshoes, beach balls and frisbees.
Bring along sunscreen, snacks, beverages, and towels. A limited number of life vests for adults will be provided, but bringing your own is recommended. You’ll also want to bring life vests for small children. Children under the age of six must wear a life vest while on board a boat.
Listen to music, unwind on the beach, or sit in the shallows on a beautiful sandbar in Tampa Bay. It’s just the remedy after a week of worry, stress, and preparation for Hurricane Irma.
“Our goal at iTREKKERS has always been to help those who are unfamiliar with the environment learn to appreciate and understand nature,” explains iTREKKERS founder and CEO Tom Mulliez. “Our hope in offering Tampa residents a free day of fun at the sandbar is to simply provide some stress release after a trying week for families in the area, as well as to get little ones outside early, where they can learn to appreciate and respect both the beauty and power of nature.”
The TREKKERS “Family Day on the Bay for Hurricane Irma Relief” on Sunday, September 17 is an all-ages event. The event is free, but those who are planning to attend must register. Click this link, then hit Find Tickets to register! Walk-ups are also welcome on a first-come, first serve basis. Parking is free at the Gandy Boat Ramp, located at 5108 West Gandy Boulevard.
The entry fee: a canned good or other nonperishable items to be sent to residents of the Florida Keys for hurricane relief.
Along with free community events like the sandbar fun day on Sunday, iTREKKERS is launching a new series of free educational entertainment events that offer local residents a glimpse into some of the great ways that they can easily experience the outdoors. Learn how to stand up on a paddle board, how to bait a fish hook, or how to hike through Florida’s marshes and woods. Sign up for event notifications at itrekkers.com/newsletter.
Already comfortable holding a fishing rod? iTREKKERS offers guided bay fishing in Tampa and deep-sea fishing in Clearwater and St. Petersburg, with additional guides offering fishing and paddle experiences throughout the state. You can also sign up for guided hiking and camping. Visit iTREKKERS.com to learn more about how you can get #outspired.
