Just a little thing I wrote. It goes with the little thing above. The first of a series coming to a major daily newspaper that may or may not be near you.
You can’t do Boca Grande like a local unless you speak the language. And while that language is officially English, locals tend to communicate in a lingo all their own.
You can’t do Boca Grande like a local unless you speak the language. And while that language is officially English, locals tend to communicate in a lingo all their own.
It’s not unusual to come across a thoroughly confused visitor who innocently asked a well-intentioned local for directions, only to collide head-on with the island’s language barrier. Here’s a guide to get you started. And there will be a quiz.
- The Pink: The Pink Elephant, a bar and restaurant owned by the Gasparilla Inn.
The Inn: The Gasparilla Inn and Club. - The Waterfront: The Innlet Motel, owned by the Inn.
- The Pink Pony: Dolphin Cove Cafe. Not to be confused with the Pink.
- The Loose: The Loose Caboose restaurant.
- Jams: Sisters Restaurant.
- Three Sisters: An island, not to be confused with Jams.
- Uncle Henry’s: The Boca Grande Resort and Courtyard Plaza.
- The Laff: The Laff-A-Lott, now South Beach.
- Back Dock: Whidden’s Marina.
- Millers: The Boca Grande Marina.
- Guide Docks: The public docks on Fifth Street.
- Pink Docks: See Guide Docks above.
- The Temp: The Temptation
- The Rec: The Boca Grande Community Center.
- Community House: The Louise Crowninshield Community House, not to be confused with The Rec.
- Spaghetti Dinners: Held at the Community House.
- The Theatre: PJ’s Seagrille
- The Theatre: The auditorium at The Rec.
- The Big Tournament: The now-defunct World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament, aka the WRTT.
- Jiggers: Those who use an artifical device to hook tarpon.
- Jigs: The artifical device used to hook tarpon.
- Live Baiters: Those who don’t fish with jigs.
- Snaggers: See Jiggers.
- The Dorms: The Gasparilla Inn and Club employee housing.
- Dog Park: A gulf-front soccer field on Seventh Street owned by the Inn.
- The Hurricane: Charley
- The Storm: The Hurricane.
- First Street: A street, but also a beach favored by surfers.
- The Boys: An island group, the Boca Bande, that frequently plays at The Laff.
- The Pass: Boca Grande Pass
- Silver King: Tarpon, frequently caught in The Pass.
- The Bayou: Pretty much any body of water that isn’t the gulf, the Pass or Charlotte Harbor.
- Whidden’s Bayou: The bayou fronting the Back Dock leading to Charlotte Harbor.
- Tarpon Gone Bad: A two-day party celebrating the end of tarpon season.
- Boat House: The location of Tarpon Gone Bad.
- Union Hall: A downtown apartment building.
- Caribbean Room: Located behind the Temp.
- Season: Late December through Easter. Just like anywhere else.
- Social Season: See Season. Never used by locals.
- They: Seasonal residents.
- Rag Tag Bunch: Local beach access proponents.
- Main Street: Park Avenue.
- The Isles: Boca Grande Isles, a private community.
- Cayo: Cayo Costa, or La Costa.
- Cabbage: Cabbage Key.
- Cabbage Court: Island Bike ‘N Beach
- Shrimp Boat: You’ll find it at the Back Dock if it’s in.
- Boat run: What you buy off the Shrimp Boat.
- GIBA: Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority. Pronouced GEE-bah.
- The Bridge: The Boca Grande Swing Bridge, one of three bridges on …
- The Causeway: The Boca Grande Causeway. It turns into Gasparilla Road at Uncle Henry’s.
- The Bakery: Now Caffe Boca.
- Hardware store: The Barnichol.
- Range Light: The former Rear Range Light, now the Gasparilla Island Light on Gulf Boulevard.
- The Lighthouse: The Port Boca Grande Lighthouse.
- On island: Opposite of “Off island.”
- Off island: Opposite of “On island.”
- Off islander: Anyone on the beach in front of your house.
All set? Now translate the following: “We’re going to do dinner at Jams or the Theatre, pick up a few pounds of boat run at the Back Dock, stop by the Waterfront to change, then head over to the Laff to catch the Boys.”
Got it? Now take a seat at the butcher block. Oh, wait. Forgot that one.