Bimini Bay Live Cam, Anna Maria Island, Florida

Bimini Bay is a sheltered inlet on Anna Maria Island, the barrier island on Florida's Gulf Coast west of Bradenton. This live camera, operated by SeeCam, looks out over its calm waters.

Anna Maria Island, often called AMI, is a seven-mile strip of white-sand beaches, low-rise cottages and laid-back towns, a world away from Florida's high-rise resorts. Bimini Bay, on the island's bay side, is a protected boating and paddling spot where private docks line the canals and small boats head out toward Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Kayakers and paddleboarders enjoy the flat water, especially in the calm of early morning.

Wildlife is part of the show. Dolphins and manatees are regular visitors to the waters around the island, pelicans and herons hunt along the shore, and ospreys circle overhead.

Best times to watch

• Early morning, for glassy water and soft light
• Late afternoon, when boats return to the docks
• Winter, the dry and mild peak season
• Summer afternoons, for dramatic thunderstorms

Hurricane season runs from June to November, and storm days can bring wind, rain and rising water to the bay.

The camera is provided by SeeCam.