Winter Water Activities in Dunedin, Florida

My last several posts, featuring scenes of Christmas Celebrations in Downtown Dunedin have met with delight at the realization that many people are wearing shorts in those photos. I am sensing a lot of desire for warm weather and sunshine. So, because this is why people relocate to, or vacation in, Florida and the Dunedin area, I am starting a series today of sunny winter fun.

The photo above was taken from side street just a few blocks north of Downtown Dunedin, just north of the Dunedin Marina. I have never seen this spinnaker before. But it is a pretty little craft, and certainly speaks to the spirit of Florida Living. It looks like fun, doesn't it?

The body of water they are sailing upon is called St. Joseph Sound by some people, or Clearwater Harbor by others, and makes up part of the Intracoastal Waterway . The trees in the background are on Caladesi Island, which is also Caladesi Island State Park. To get to the Gulf Of Mexico from here, you either go a little further south to Clearwater Pass, or you go a little north to Hurricane Pass. In fact, over the next several days, I will bring you more images of sunny winter water fun along the Dunedin Causeway, including boating activity in Hurricane Pass.

If you would like to see more photos of the area, check out Clearwater Daily Photo and Clearwater Beach Daily Photo too!

Dunedin Marina - Moonlight Paddle Launch

In recognition of our summer-like temps (high of 82F), I offer up this archive picture from a moonlight paddle sponsored by a local kayak outfitter, Osprey Bay Outdoors. We launched from Dunedin Marina in the evening, just a little while before sunset. Then we paddled to a spoil island less than a mile from the launch for a Jimmy Buffet, Margaritaville style party. We all had drinks, burgers, hot dogs and s'mores while we watched the sun go down. Then we partied for a while, and paddled back to the Dunedin Marina under a brilliant moon, arriving around midnight. It was a lot of fun. And hey, it's Florida, that's why we live here, isn't it?

You can't see my boat in this shot, but it looks very much like the third one from the left. It's a Dirigo 120, by Old Town. You can see the Old Town information about it here. It's not a real fancy boat, but I love it just the same. This area is perfect for kayaking, with rivers, bays, harbors and the Gulf of Mexico all nearby. Of course, the weather makes it enjoyable just about all year round.And here I borrow a great idea from my fellow blogger in Brasov, Romania, including some satellite images from Google Earth. Modern technology is AWESOME! The picture on the left is the spoil island we visited for the party. The middle image is the Dunedin Marina. The image on the right shows both the Marina and the spoil island, so you can get a little bit of an idea of the distance. Click to enlarge.

More Dunedin Housing?

This beauty resides at the Dunedin Marina. And although I cannot be certain that she is being used as a live aboard, it certainly is an option in this area. It really is a beautiful boat, and her name is Regard. Now, for fun, check out the name of the dinghy stowed on top of the cabin... Or if you cannot afford a boat this nice, perhaps you could live in one of the condo's in the background. After all, you would not be living on a beautiful boat, but you would have great views of lots of beautiful boats (without all the upkeep). It is a thought, isn't it?

Dunedin, Florida: Dunedin Marina Reflections, Sailboats

A serene moment at the Dunedin Marina. Complete with wind, water, and sailboats. It always pays to look for the 'other view' of something. Life is full of reflections. Come to Dunedin, and find your reflection in a better way of life.