Most cruisers visiting Tampa Bay set their course for St. Petersburg, time after time. Tampa, while it boasts some “city” docks around Harbour Island and the adjacent convention center, does not offer much in the way of power and water connections, nor shoreside amenities.
However, Captain Tom Ulanski, who, as he notes in the message below, was kind enough to attend my presentation to the Naples Yacht Club last week, has come up with what sounds like a great spot to coil your lines, near the heart of downtown Tampa!
Has anyone else spent some time at the Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina’s docks. If so, please click the “Comment on This Posting/Marina/Anchorage/Bridge” link below, and share your information.

Claiborne
Thanks for extending your visit to Southwest Florida to fit-in a presentation at Naples Yacht Club.
A question from the audience came up regarding places to go in Tampa. You mentioned the municipal docks at the Convention center being without amenities
for overnight accommodations. However, just east of the convention center (literally across S. Harborside Blvd., but under a 19’or 20′ fixed-bridge) is the Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina. Note the amenities … its gorgeous.
Description for Tampa Marriott Waterside Resort & Marina:
Located on Garrison Channel in downtown Tampa, the marina has 32 slips with floating docks and one outside slip that will accommodate vessels up to 100 feet. The Tampa Marriott Waterside is a bay front hotel in the heart of Downtown. This new hotel offers elegant amenities for work and play, from 50,000
square feet of meeting space and complete business services to a full-service spa and several delicious restaurants. Dockage includes access to all of the
hotel amenities. Monitors VHS Ch. 16.
Published charts and your printed guide state the bridge clearance as 10′. Not so. Its either 19′ or 20′. Please verify the clearance with the dockmaster who is accesible through the hotel’s main number.
Tom Ulanski