The Florida Gulf Coast has been a favorite of mine since my college days, when I interned one summer at The St. Petersburg Times (now The Tampa Bay Times). In my free time, I explored the beach communities north and south of St. Pete, where I lived in a retirement hotel with my Irish-American grandmother (that’s another story…).   The Bradenton beaches on Anna Maria Island were idyllic, with long stretches of blindingly white sand, clear blue water, and few crowds. While kayaking in the...