Advertisement

Boat tour unveils Pasco's 'hidden paradise'

 
Ray Kelly served in the Navy for four years, has been a licensed captain for 15 years and has owned Miss Daisy Boat Tours for 14 years.
Ray Kelly served in the Navy for four years, has been a licensed captain for 15 years and has owned Miss Daisy Boat Tours for 14 years.
Published June 25, 2014

Spotlight

From the helm of the Miss Daisy II, a 40-foot pontoon boat, Capt. Ray Kelly sees what others don't in Pasco County: a hidden paradise.

"When you drive down (U.S.) 19, you don't even know the Gulf of Mexico is there," said Kelly, 66, owner of Miss Daisy Boat Tours. "You wouldn't believe where you live."

Kelly, who served in the Navy for four years, has been a licensed captain for 15 years and has owned his boat tour business for 14 years. The Miss Daisy II docks at the Gill Dawg Marina in Port Richey. Between tours, Kelly maintains the boat and books trips on it for 10 to 42 passengers. The boat travels during two-hour tours along the Cotee River and around Durney Key, to parts of Pasco rich in wildlife and history.

"We chase the dolphins around, look for the manatees. Sometimes we can sneak up on the snook," Kelly said. "The water out there is crystal clear."

On the boat, he passes Pasco's stilt houses and tells their stories. He points out the homes once owned by Johnny Cash, Charlie Chaplin, Esther Williams and other celebrities.

"I give (patrons) a good ride," he said. "You really haven't seen New Port Richey until you've seen it by water."

For information about Miss Daisy Boat Tours, visit missdaisyboattours.com.

Job fair: The Pasco County School District will host a job fair from 2 to 6 p.m. July 9 at Land O'Lakes High School, 20325 Gator Lane. Representatives from the school district; sheriff's office; Pasco County clerk of court and tax collector; United Way; and the Central Pasco and Wesley Chapel chambers of commerce will be present to talk to job applicants. For more information, visit pascoschools.org.