Mike McCormick points while grilling cheeseburgers on his food boat, Beachin' Bites. The waters of Shell Key can be seen in the background. — Credit: Dave Decker/Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

Editor’s Note: This story is part of a series on the floating food vendors feeding Tampa Bay boaters. Read more here.

Bailey and Mike McCormick serve the heartiest food you can get while wading around Pinellas sand bars.

Their boat, Beachin’ Bites, is equipped with a propane grill for cooked-to-order smashburgers, hot dogs, smoked sausages, and “every once in a while, they’ll cook a pork butt or a brisket,” Bailey told CL. They also serve boiled peanuts and ice cream bars.

The couple are among several food boat owners inspired by Nauti Dogs hot dog boat.

The McCormicks both work full time in the A/C industry, Mike as a service technician and Bailey as a general manager for another local company. But earning some extra cash during a day on the boat doesn’t hurt.

“I love meeting people, and we just love being out here on the water,” Bailey told CL. “So, not only are we out here making money, but we’re also out here doing what we love to do.”

The couple tried to launch its business just before the 2024 hurricanes, but had to wait a year. This season, the McCormicks have seen double the business compared to last year.

“I think last year people were still recovering from the hurricanes, and they weren’t ready, or they were replacing their boats, or fixing their boats, or whatever the case may be,” Bailey said. “But this year we have sold out every single weekend so far.”