Rescue Mission Saving Boaters Near Beer Can Island In Tampa

Have you taken a trip to Beer Can Island in Tampa? It was a treacherous day for a group of friends out on a boat near Beer Can Island.

On Friday, September 15, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office rescued ten people after a pontoon boat started taking on water right off of Beer Can Island. Beer Can Island is the nickname for Pine Key. The beautiful 11 acres are uninhabited, and the island is privately owned. It's in Tampa Bay and is easy to get to from Davis Islands, Harbor Island, and downtown Tampa.

Thank goodness the Sheriff's office aviation unit was able to locate the pontoon boat after someone aboard made the distress call. They assisted the boat to their location, saved 6 people from the boat, and four other people who'd left the boat and were on the rocky shores of Beer Can Island.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister spoke proudly of his team. “There is no doubt that our team is prepared to respond swiftly and effectively in any situation, be it on land, in the sky, or at sea. A day on the water can be unpredictable, which is why it’s vital to prepare.”

I have one crazy personal story I can share about a crazy day at Beer Can Island in Tampa. One summer afternoon, I was out boating with my friends. We dropped anchor at Beer Can Island. But then we saw the storm clouds rolling in. Then came the thunder and lighting. After speeding towards Davis Islands, we soon realized the storm was all around us. We had to turn and head towards Apollo Beach and try to outrun the storm. There was no way we'd safely make it to Davis Islands. Thankfully, we made it to Apollo Beach and were able to dock as the lightning crashed around us. I've never been so scared on a boat. You never want to be in that kind of storm on the water. That was my last trip to Beer Can Island in Tampa. Not a great memory.

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It's a Florida pastime, even if it's illegal. Many tourists and locals will crack open a cold one on the beach, even though it's against the law. But there are a handful of beaches in Florida, including the Tampa Bay area, where you can drink alcohol without a hefty fine.

While it is illegal to drink on a lot of Tampa Bay area beaches, many get away with it daily. Popular beaches like Clearwater, Honeymoon, Bellaire, Indian Rocks Beach, and Fort De Soto Park have all banned alcohol. Even though they have the stereotype as the "spring break beach", no beach in the Miami area allows public drinking. But like we said, it's not uncommon to see a group of people with coolers of beer, or even beverages from the beachfront restaurants. Keep in mind that officers do keep watch on the beach. If you get caught, it could mean at least a $250 fine and possibly spend up tp 90 days in jail. Seems like a harsh punishment, but it's there to protect the people and environment.

Remember different beaches have different rules but one thing remains the same. No glass is allowed on any beach in Florida. Even if the beach allows alcohol, you'll have to pour any glass drinks into a different container. It's really for the best, in case you were to break a bottle, it would be impossible to pick up all of the pieces. Eventually, someone will cut themselves on it.

There's another golden rule when it comes to day drinking on the beach. Don't forget to down some water in between alcoholic beverages. It's hot here and there's nothing worse than a dehydration headache and a nasty hangover. And ALWAYS remember to have a designated driver!

They don't call it Mad Beach for nothing! Not only can you bring alcohol on the beach (but no glass), there are also a lot of great bars and breweries to check out around the area.

Alcohol beverages are allowed on the sand at beachfront hotels, but this is limited to hotel guests. 

Alcohol beverages are allowed but not in glass containers. However, no alcohol is allowed on the beach between the 8500 block and the 9900 block of Treasure Island Beach between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Redington Beach is one of the few beaches that allows alcohol no ordinances against glass bottles. Although it is still strongly discouraged to bring glass on the beach.

This beach is widely known to be a party spot. However, PCB has a spring break law where no alcohol is allowed on the beach during the month of March. Thanks to TikTok challenges, you also can't dig holes deeper than 2 feet. A few months ago, it was a popular challenge on social media to dig the deepest hole you can at the beach. This led to lots of people falling into said holes, and now, the new law.

Not only does Siesta beach have some of the softest sand and clearest waters. But you can also sip on a High Noon as you enjoy the gorgeous views.

Head to the other coast to sip some beer and catch some waves all at the same beach. But be careful in the water, Cocoa beach and the New Smyrna beach are known to have some of the most shark attacks in the U.S.