Blog The Beach

This photo really isn’t too exciting to look at. The composition isn’t particularly pleasing, and there is a wooden structure on the left foreground that is ugly. The colors aren’t that great, and the focus isn’t sharp.

The photo is VERY interesting once you realize how much is actually present in the photo, and what it reveals about Clearwater and its beaches.

I am standing at Main beach on Honeymoon Island, looking across Hurricane Pass toward Caladesi Island (number 1 beach in the nation for 2008). There are no buildings other than the concession and the ranger’s house on Caladesi Island. The tall buildings you see are actually several miles away, across St. Joseph Sound, in downtown Clearwater! The buildings look like they are on Caladesi don’t they? The only thing visible on Caladesi Island is the white sand beach and the mostly cabbage palm forest.

Caladesi Island has just been named the America’s Best Beach for 2008 by Dr. Stephen Leatherman of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research. Also known as Dr. Beach, he comes out with his list of the top 10 beaches in the nation each year around Memorial Day, which is generally thought of as the beginning of the summer beach season.

Dr. Beach has 50 criteria that he uses to judge beaches, including sand and water quality, facilities, and management. Sand and water quality on Caladesi are excellent, as are the facilities and management.

Caladesi is an interesting choice. This island, which is a Florida State Park, is located just west of the City of Dunedin, and just north of Clearwater Beach.

One thing that’s different about Caladesi is accessibility. You can only get there by boat or by walking several miles north along the beach from Clearwater Beach. Most people opt for the boat.

There is a pontoon boat ferry to Caladesi that leaves from nearby Honeymoon Island. It’s an easy 20 minute ride by ferry to Caladesi.

I’ve written quite a bit on my website about how to get to Caladesi Island and what to expect when you arrive. There’s plenty to do and see. I’ve also got quite a few photos of Caladesi Island and its beaches on my Florida Beaches website www.BeachHunter.net. If you love birds, shells, and nature trails, you’ll love Caladesi Island. Check it out!

Caladesi Island State Park has one of the best undeveloped beaches in the state. This Gulf coast island has no roads, no cars, and no buildings other than the concession, a few picnic pavilions, and some service buildings, and no one lives on the island. Thankfully there is no bridge to Caladesi, so the only way to get to it is by boat. This keeps the crowds down to a minimum.

Don’t have a boat? A ferry to Caladesi leaves regularly from Honeymoon Island State Park, just a 20 minute boat ride from Caladesi.

Chosen by Dr. Stephen Leatherman (aka Dr. Beach) of Florida International University as the number 2 beach in the nation in 2007, Caladesi has a lot to offer those of us who like to get away from the crowds and commercialism and just enjoy a quiet secluded beach and see some nature.

The beach on Caladesi is not raked and manicured by heavy equipment like most other beaches in the area, so whatever washes up remains for curious beachcombers to sift through.

After you’ve walked the 3 miles of totally undeveloped beaches on the island, and snorkeled in the shallow Gulf waters, you might like to hike around the island via the loop trail that leads through a shady maritime forest of native pines, cabbage palms, oaks, and cedars. See how many different kinds of birds you can observe. The island also has its share of wildflowers.

I’ve just added several pages of photos to beachhunter.net. And be sure to look for the video of one of my favorite animals, the armadillo, sniffing around for a grub.

Caladesi beaches
Caladesi Island Nature and Shells
How to get to Caladesi Island

Below is a photo of Caladesi Island beach I took from the dune walkover. The island in the distance is Honeymoon Island. It appears closer than it actually is because of the zoom lens effect.