A low-tide evening paddle from Dunedin Causeway toward Hurricane Pass and Caladesi Island
Some paddles are memorable because of distance or difficult conditions. This one was memorable for the light. Tim, Buddyboy, and a mixed group of kayakers and stand-up paddlers crossed toward Caladesi as the August sun turned the shallow water gold, then stopped on an exposed sandbar for a Gulf swim and sunset.
The plan and the tide
On August 21, 2025, we launched from the Dunedin Causeway for a late-day paddle toward the south end of Caladesi Island. The timing gave us beautiful light and a Gulf sunset, but it also put us on the water during an exceptionally low tide. Broad sandbars and shallow flats shaped the route, slowing us down in places and giving everyone plenty of opportunities to get out, wade, and enjoy the warm water.
Crossing the flats
As the sun dropped lower, every paddle stroke seemed to catch the light. The kayaks and SUPs became silhouettes against the glittering water, and the shallow flats around Hurricane Pass made the whole landscape feel wide open. Buddyboy rode along with me, calmly watching the group and the changing sky.
Low-tide sandbar
The low water exposed a broad sandbar near Caladesi. We left the boats in the shallows and walked toward the Gulf, where the wet sand reflected the sky and exaggerated everyone’s shadows. It was one of those simple stops that becomes the center of the whole trip: warm water, friends, an open horizon, and no reason to hurry.
Sunset swim
By sunset, much of the group was in the water. The Gulf was calm enough to linger, and the sky shifted from gold to orange, red, and finally blue-gray. Behind us, a tall storm cloud caught pink evening light—a reminder that even on a calm summer paddle, Florida weather deserves constant attention.
