caladesi island
The Clearwater/Dunedin area is highly developed and traffic is quite congested on major highways, especially US 19. So after spending time in Clearwater Beach, it’s quite surprising to discover a completely undeveloped island like Caladesi, with a virgin pine forest and 3 miles of completely virgin beaches. (A virgin forest is one that has never been cut down for wood.)
After taking the relaxing boat ride from Honeymoon Island (you’ll likely see a few dolphins along the way), you’ll cruise through thick mangrove forests (called mangroves) before disembarking at the marina located on the right hand side of the island. in front of the concession where you can buy food or drink. The beach is reached by walking along a sidewalk and walkways for about 5 minutes. There are several covered picnic pavilions as well as picnic tables under the palm trees between the marina and the beach. Halfway to the beach you will find sanitary facilities with changing rooms, showers and a drinking fountain. Once at the beach, you can walk north for about a mile, or south for many miles, although the park itself only encompasses 3 miles of beach. Wheelchairs for the beach are available from the rangers. There is a vendor near where the boardwalk ends at the beach if you want to rent beach chairs and umbrellas, or if you want to rent a kayak. They offer Ocean Kayaks.
What else can you do on the island? Go fishing, rent a kayak, and paddle through the mangrove tunnels on the bay side of the island. Take a walk on the nature trail and see the oak and palm hammock (a type of forest). See the double trunk pine. What are you going to see? Owls, birds of all kinds, rabbits, armadillos, snakes perhaps, and there is even a very curious wild turkey on the island. Don’t be surprised if you find the turkey following you!
You will most likely head straight for the beach, which is wide and flat. The water is shallow and usually calm. This is great for diving. Remember that you can’t keep live shells, and that includes sand dollars you find in the water.
Caladesi has a natural beach that is not raked or cared for by beach machines, so you may find more seaweed and beach debris here than at Clearwater Beach. It also means you’ll find more interesting things on the beach that have washed up.
There is a 4 hour time limit on the island if you come by ferry.
Photos you can see in the following link