The Wandering Disciple

A late fall cold front churns up the Gulf of Mexico at Honeymoon Island State Park.  With each cold front that dips into the Sunshine State, the temperatures drop and the wave heights pick up all over the Gulf coast.  (Photo: November 11, 2009)

The sea grass blows in the wind at Honeymoon Island State Park. The barrier island near Dunedin is a popular spot on Florida’s Gulf Coast. (Photo: November 11, 2009)

The sea grass blows in the wind on a windy fall day at Honeymoon Island State Park.  Originally named Hog Island, it was split from neighboring Caladesi Island by a hurricane in 1921.  In the late 1930's, a New York developer marketed the island as a newlywed destination called Honeymoon Island.  Today it is a 200 plus acre state park.  (Photo: November 11, 2009)

Dunedin, Florida: Located on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County lies the picturesque Honeymoon Island. With over 2,800 acres of wildland and 4 miles of beaches, the island is home to many Florida native plants and wildlife. The island was once much larger, but was split in two by a major hurricane in 1921. The result was two islands, Hog Island and Caladesi Island separated by Hurricane Pass. Hog Island was later purchased by Clinton Washburn, an New York developer in 1939. Washburn built cottages and marketed the island as a honeymoon getaway for newlywed couples. The island was then renamed Honeymoon Island. The island remained a prominent vacation spot until World War II when the cottages fell into disrepair. The State of Florida took possession of the island and it became part of the Florida State Park system. The cottages were removed and the island was attached to the mainland via the Dunedin Causeway. This resulted in more than 900,000 annual visitors to the park. ...