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Activities at ERF 2001 and Beyond

Mark Luther
Luther@marine.usf.edu
Sherryl Gilbert
Sgilbert@marine.usf.edu

You can read all about the scientific program at ERF 2001 elsewhere. We're going to tell you about the really important stuff. The Tradewinds Conference Center (http://tradewindsresort.com) sits smack in the middle of St. Pete Beach, on a stretch of beautiful white sand called Lido Beach on the nautical charts (27° 43.76' N latitude, 82° 44.64' W longitude). The Tradewinds is composed of three hotels, the main one is the Island Grande, the Sandpiper 1,000 feet to the north, and the Sirata 1000 feet to the south. The ERF 2001 registration, poster sessions, some of the oral sessions, and all of the parties will be at the Island Grande. The rest of the oral sessions will be at the Sandpiper.

Co-Hosted Meetings
The 7th Estuarine and Coastal Modeling Conference (http://www.oce.uri.edu/ecm7/) and the AMS 4th Conference on Coastal Atmospheric and Oceanic Prediction and Processes (http://www.ametsoc.org/AMS/meet/FAINST/4coastal_hp.html) will have all their sessions at the Sirata. Both the ECM and AMS meetings will honor our registration badges for their scientific sessions and we will list their sessions in our program materials. It's an easy 4 to 5 minute walk either along the beach or on the street (we recommend the beach) between the meeting venues. In case of inclement weather, a shuttle will run continuously between the hotels.

Social Functions Offer Opportunities to Meet Colleagues
All the ERF 2001 social functions will be held at the Island Grande. We considered planning an off-site event, but it doesn't get any better than this great beach. On Sunday evening, you will be welcomed to the conference at the President's Reception on a beachfront deck, complete with a steel drum band.

On Tuesday evening, we'll celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Estuarine Research Federation (aka ERF XXX) in the Garden Courtyard, with a picnic buffet and entertainment by the well-regarded band, the Thrusters (http://www.thethrusters.com/).

To accommodate all the abstracts submitted, the scientific program will run all day on Thursday. We're saving some of the best for Thursday's sessions, and rewarding Thursday's participants with a grand finale event where the winners of the student presentation awards will be recognized. This closing reception and awards presentation will find us back on the beachfront deck at 5 p.m. on Thursday, so be sure to plan to stay at least until 7 or 8 PM Thursday.

Tradewinds' Excellent Accommodations and Amenities
To have the best access to the conference scientific sessions and to your colleagues, plan to stay at one of the Tradewinds hotels; the Island Grand or the Sandpiper will be the most convenient. Be sure to ask for the ERF 2001 rate when you make your reservation. Room rates at the Sandpiper are less expensive than the Island Grand. Both hotels have two-bedroom suites available (i.e. many roommates can share the cost) and many of the rooms have refrigerators . There is a large supermarket a few blocks south of the Tradewinds complex.
At the Island Grande there are ten food, beverage and entertainment venues, ranging from a Pizza Hut to upscale restaurants. For your post-session enjoyment there are pools, tennis courts, a health and fitness center and beach volleyball courts.

The Tradewinds has a concierge desk that can assist with excursions to local and not-so-local attractions.

Offsite Restaurants and Theater
Many good places to eat are within easy walking distance. For casual dining with water views, try Woody's (7308 Sunset Way), the Harp and Thistle (an Irish Pub across the street from Woody's) or the Sloppy Pelican Saloon (677 75th Ave), all on Blind Pass, about a half mile to the north.

Vito and Michael's Gourmet Pizza is the best we've had, and is open until 2 AM for those late night munchies (7704 Blind Pass). More upscale Italian fare can be found at (in ascending order by price) Bruno's Trattoria Italiana (432 75th Ave.), Alfredino's (7141 Gulf Blvd), and Brunello's (3861 Gulf Blvd). For a great view, try the revolving restaurant atop the round Holiday Inn on the south side of the Sirata.

The St. Pete Beach Theatre (http://www.filmparadiso.com/) is a recently remodeled 60-year-old Art Deco movie theatre located about a mile north of the Tradewinds. It serves beer and wine amongst it's other novelty concession items. Both independent and foreign, first-run films are featured.

Sponsored Diversions
There will be field trips to Shell Key, departing from Merry Pier, also good for fishing, and to Fort DeSoto Park. You can go there on your own as well. Both Shell Key and Fort DeSoto Park are unspoiled barrier islands with great beaches and bird watching.

Shell Key, located about 2 miles to the south, is accessible only by boat. Fort DeSoto is accessible by car. Unfortunately, the Fort DeSoto beach parking areas close at dusk, which makes watching the sunset there a bit difficult. You can park at the fishing pier and hike down the beach to the more deserted stretches if you want to watch the sunset in solitude.

For more information about these local points of interest , visit their web sites at:
Merry Pier - http://www.merrypier.com/ or http://www.shellkeyshuttle.com)
Fort DeSoto Park - http://www.fortdesoto.com/ or http://www.co.pinellas.fl.us/bcc/park/fort_de_soto_park.htm or http://tampabayonline.net/tour/ftdesoto.htm)

Public Transportation is Available
There is a trolley service that runs from Clearwater Beach to St. Pete Beach and to downtown St. Petersburg (see http://www.psta.net/routes/beach.htm for a schedule).

Beyond St. Pete Beach
There are many restaurants, shopping, and other attractions in Clearwater and St. Petersburg. Pass-a-Grille is the southern portion of St. Pete Beach and is much more quaint, with several good restaurants. The impressive hotel Don Cesar is the big, pink stucco, 1920s structure that marks the beginning of Pass-a-Grille. It's worth a visit.

We'll have more information on local attractions, restaurants, and the like in your registration packets. There is an Avis car rental agency at the Island Grande for longer side trips. There are the usual suspects, like Disney World, Sea World, or Universal Studios in Orlando (a 1.5- to 2-hour drive), and Busch Gardens in Tampa (about 45 minutes away). See the list at the end of the article on conference field trips for a more complete list of the natural attractions, like the springs, rivers and beaches of west central Florida.

We look forward to seeing you all at the beach.