dockside – DOWN THE BLOCK, AROUND THE CORNER

Cortez, Florida: ANNIE’S BAIT & TACKLE; Minnows, food, Heineken & cigars

Annie’s Bait & Tackle, Cortez, Florida (Bradenton Beach); An inter-coastal bait shop offering Heineken & cigars.

Why this place appeals to me

Annie’s explains their dining as EXTREMELY CASUAL – it is.

“What time do you open shop?” I asked Bruce Shearer, owner of Annie’s Bait Shop for the past 18 years.

“6 am, used to open at 5:30, but no reason any more, not busy in the morning,” Bruce said.

“How come you’re not busy at 6 am, that’s when fishermen like to head out?”

“They died,” the owner of Annie’s Bait Shop said.

“The fish died out,” I asked.

“No, the fishermen,” Bruce explains. “The old guys, down from Michigan, used to charter a boat for the entire season, one day a week, all winter December through April. Now, an occasional old guy brings his grandson by once a year to show him what a rod and reel looks like.”

Florida, bait, intercoastal, cigars, Grouper, Cortez, dockside, on the water, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, cold beer, locals, cheap meals, undiscovered, hidden, jogging, running, restaurant, bar, cheap meals, beer, price — Annie’s sign from out front

Annie’s Bait & Tackle is local, but with a surprising touch of class.

Nancy pulled a cool Heineken from the cooler as I selected a Macanudo cigar from the humidor atop the bait counter.

“Need a cutter?” she asked.

Nice touch; a $7 cigar does not offend my yearning to go local.

How Far Down the Block? From McKechnie Field spring training home field for the Pittsburgh Pirates it’s a nine mile drive.

From mid-crossing on the Sunshine Bridge spanning the entrance of Tampa Bay it is 37 miles to Annie’s Bait & Tackle.[mappress mapid=”8″]

Why you might be nearby? Social demands on Longboat Key have you seeking somewhere local to sip on a cold beer. Grab the tender from somebody’s yacht and zip north to the Cortez Road Bridge, following the channel into Annie’s immediately northeast of the bridge.

Lesser Known Facts Bruce Shearer once sold 15,000 bait shrimp daily to the fishermen pushing off from Cortez into the Gulf of Mexico. Fishing in 2014 isn’t the same as the 1980’s, Bruce moved with the money. Annie’s Bait Shop now serves cold Heineken with their signature Grouper Sandwich on the ten bar stools, four indoor tables or dockside on their … well, it’s just a dock..

Bruce, a refugee from Michigan – now proprietor of Annie’s Bait & Tackle, headed south in the late 1970’s with a stash of $1,800. He stands the afternoon watch at Annie’s these days

Local Recommendation

“What’s the specialty?” I asked.

Nancy, who came down from Cincinnati, was on duty at Annie’s. She said, “The Grouper Sandwich, 100%.”

Nancy was right.

Something for Nothing Park your car, lace up your running/walking shoes and head over the bridge towards Anna Maria Island. Round trip from Annie’s n the east side to the base of the bridge on the West side and back is 1.5 miles. Continue on the Gulf, extend your exercise routine and return to Annie’s thirsty.

Russell, New Zealand: RUSSELL BOATING CLUB; a drinking place from another time

Russell Boating Club; a drinking place from another time located in Russell, New Zealand, Matauwhi Bay, the Bay of Islands

What Appeals? The deck hangs over the bay, the bar offers a decent choice of booze and a satisfying selection of New Zealand beer. But, at the Russell Boating Club, it’s the characters.

Russell Boating Club, Drinking restricted — Drinking Restricted Rule not enforced

When locals tell a good story, the main characters often do the telling. Sometimes in a really local place, you step inside their community.

In France refugees from the 1960’s are known as soixante neuf’s – sixty-niners. One foot stuck in 1969, the rest of their self dealing with 2014. These entertaining peeps are defined by what they are not; they are not fat, not well groomed, not impressed by wealth and not subject to silly drug laws. They are the same entertaining folks we hung with in college … 69’ers in the Bay of Islands had found each other at the RBC at 5 pm on January 23, 2014.

On the deck outside the Russell Boating Club a slender man with gray hair, trimmed brush cut style, aged skin and an ear-ring sits on the bench of a picnic table. He leads the dialogue with eight of his sailor/drinkers – all wearing colorless jackets and faded Bermudas. Two beers rest in front of the speaker; one finished, the other half drained. This is their community.

How Far Down the Block? Four blocks from the base of the pier in Russell, New Zealand. The pier is Russell’s hub. Follow Matauwhi Road out of town, when the road turns left, continue straight on.

Why you might be nearby? A) You are staying at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel and you want to go local. B) While sailing New Zealand’s Bay of Islands a cyclone strikes; you need the protection of a Hurricane Hole. Matauwhi Bay is your refuge.

Russell Boating Club, Dinghy Dock — Dinghy dock
Russell Boat Club

Lesser Known Facts: The sole display of social stratification within the RBC community is revealed at the dinghy dock. Twenty dinghies are tied up at the Russell Boating Club; ten dinghies are powered by a small outboard motor, the other ten rowed in. Those rowing have to time their return trip based on the in/out flow of the 11 foot tide.

Standing at the bar, Ida Bircher, bartender, responded to her customer, “If you want help, don’t ask my husband.” Community advice.

Ida, an Irish rover, sailed into Matauwhi Bay and the Russell Boating Club two years ago from Fort Lauderdale by way of Australia. Ida controls how quickly beer is served. When asked to repeat her name, she said, “Ida. Like in Ida good time.”

Local Recommendation Meals are served at the RBC on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The price is a fraction of nearby alternatives.

A dinghy carrying eight was being rowed towards the RBC dinghy dock; the boat rode low in the water. As the overloaded dinghy approached a hunched senior sailor, doing the South Pacific on a 24-foot vessel, scurried to help. After a successful disembarkation, he passed by and whispered, “I’d rather assist on the dinghy dock than have to jump in.” Community wisdom.

Something for Nothing: A) Feel young again at the Russell Boating Club without the cost of drugs. On this Wednesday eve in January 2014, the youngest person in the RBC was 51 years. B) Parking is free; either at the dinghy dock or in the lot for autos.