Honeymoon Island is one of the most beautiful stretches of sand I’ve had the pleasure of kayaking on. On my trips there I’ve encountered dolphins many times and had a manatee almost swim up to me when I was beached for one of my many relaxation breaks. Kayaking on Honeymoon Island can be a destination of its own or it can be the starting point on some longer paddles.
Getting There
Honeymoon Island is about 40 minutes east of Tampa International Airport on Curlew Road (FL-586) in Dunedin, Florida. Honeymoon Island is a state park mostly known for its beaches but it’s got plenty to offer kayakers as well. There’s a fee to enter the actual park but the best place to launch your kayak is actually from the causeway before you actually enter the park. Sail Honeymoon rents kayaks and SUPs if you are visiting the area and don’t have your own kayak.
Making Your Way Around the Island
Once you launch you’ll make your way through St. Joseph Sound and head west toward Honeymoon Island. The water is typically four to six feet deep here and very clear. First you’ll see the bridge onto the actual island. It’s here where I’ve seen dolphins on numerous occasions. As you get closer to the island you’ll have to head south a bit and you’ll come to Hurricane Pass. You can likely guess how this got its name and with recent hurricanes, its shape has continued to change. On the north side of Hurricane Pass is the Honeymoon Island Dog Beach. It’s a pretty long trek from the park so this beach is a lot less congested than the north beach where most tourists head to. On the south side of Hurrican Pass lies Caladesi Island which has some excellent mangrove tunnels you can navigate in your kayak. If you continue around the island you’ll see the North Beach and off in the distance will be Anclote Key and the locally renowned Sand Bar where a good party is usually happening. You can also kayak to Anclote Key but it’s a three-mile paddle over open ocean so it’s not for everyone.
Hurricane Pass can have some heavy currents depending on whether tides are going out or coming in, so if you’re not a strong paddle you may want to stay close to the beach. At low tide sand bars appear and you can find some pretty cool shells. Boat traffic can get heavy on weekends during the summer so keep that in mind as you’re making your way around.
Honeymoon Island is not going to provide you with hours of paddling but it will allow you to enjoy some of the best scenery that Florida has to offer and there are plenty of places to beach yourself and make up for the relaxation you’ve been missing all year. This is my go-to destination when I just want to get away from real life and meditate with the sound of the ocean as the backdrop.