Undeveloped  pristine beaches still exist in Western Florida.  One of my favorites is Caladesi Island, one of Florida’s State Parks.  Caladesi Island is accessible by the Caladesi Island Ferry which you can ride from Honeymoon Island just off the Gulf  coast of the Scottish community of Dunedin, just a little north of Clearwater. At low tide, Caledesi Island is also accessible from North Clearwater Beach, but plan your hike around a little point where Mangroves touch the Gulf waters and the tides.

My trip adventure began by being dropped off at the entrance to the Dunedin Causeway, hiking 2 miles to the Caladesi Island Ferry inside Honeymoon Island State Park.  (Florida State Park fee $2.00 for pedestrians).  The first ferry ride starts at 10:00 at a cost of $14.00 per adult (round trip, no one ways). Last ferry ride leaves the island at 3:30pm and you need to notify the ferry captain if you are not returning.    I checked at the Ranger Station to see if I could walk the entire Island down to Clearwater and he indicated that if I left now when the tide was low (low tide was at 8:30 am full moon, November 1st) that I could probably walk it. The Florida Park Ranger indicated that I would come upon an area where Mangroves touched the gulf water, and will have to walk out into the gulf.  I asked how deep and he indicated it could be up to my waist.   I followed the Nature Trail to the pristine rural beach and proceeded south towards North Clearwater Beach. I was all alone on the beach.    The island is a habitat for some unusual wildlife species, nesting shorebirds, rattlesnakes, etc.   It was once the home of Hans Heinrich Schaerer (1858-1934) from Switzerland and now a Florida State Park. Park signs indicated not to remove any shells that have life crabs in them, or sand dollars that are still green and to stay on the trail.    I encountered both, took pictures and left them on the shores.  I came upon shoreline birds of which I need to identify.  I believe the shoreline had been untouched for a few days due to the high winds from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.  The tide was coming in by 11:30am when I approached the Mangrove area, looked ahead and saw that it was underwater.  I decided at that point there was no way I was going to wade out into the Gulf with the pounding of waves.  I  took a chance to go on land and found a little marked trail through the mangroves,  some footprints so I assumed it had been traveled before.   I prayed that I would not encounter  any rattlesnakes, saw a crab skirt into it’s hole,  and found out later the mangroves are a very protected plant, should not be disturbed, and I could have been in violation.    Just a short little side trail and back onto the beach and views of the beach condo’s in North Clearwater. Crab cages or pots, yellow colored seaweed, more shells, a dedicated funeral bench, a few very tanned runners, and unusual bird sounds along the residential beach and million dollar homes to the business district of Clearwater Beach. Beach Hike from Caladesi Island to North Clearwater Beach hike took 2 hours.