LETTER TO THE EDITOR: GIMM thanks everyone for a great season

To the Editor:

The Gasparilla Island Maritime Museum (GIMM) and Whidden’s captains had a great tarpon season! We hosted  two “Howl At Moon“ tournaments, and William Woodroffe hosted two more tarpon tournaments to benefit GIMM this past season. Each tournament was a “grande’ success, and a portion of each tournament entry included a donation to the GIMM, Thank you!

The season was very busy with lots of tarpon in the Pass, with charters and families enjoying beautiful Boca Grande Pass and our community. A special thank you to all participants for their commitment to traditional tarpon fishing tournaments.

Now it’s time to begin work on restoring the interior of the historic museum. The walls, ceilings and floors have all been cleaned and sealed. We are now working on sorting boxes that have been stored since Ian and putting items back on shelves, etc. 

We are also sorting through our photo albums, repairing and replacing some. It’s a tedious process.

Idalia did bring some high tide over the dock and Museum front dock, as well as to the front entrance to Museum. It’s dried out now, and there was no serious damage.  

We are planning to open the museum this fall – we know how important it is to have this popular spot open to share our maritime heritage.

In the meantime, please enjoy a stroll on the dock, sit and enjoy  a story, watch the kids fishing and the captains cleaning the catch of the day … because there is always something happening! 

There are many captains available for charters, sightseeing trips and snapper fishing, not to mention offshore and back bay fishing. Tarpon are still here, too, but either way there is nothing better than a boat ride any day of the week!

We are looking forward to opening the GIMM doors soon! 

Thank you,

Betsy F. Joiner, 

President of GIMM