Marinas we dive
Dunedin Marina, and the water it lives in.
Named 1882St. Joseph SoundScottish roots
Marinas we dive
The water
On the strength of its large dock, Dunedin carried Florida's largest fleet of sailing vessels, and it was the site of the state's first wooden yacht manufacturer. This was a working sailing port first and everything else afterwards.
The first land deed was recorded in 1852. The town nearly became Jonesboro, until two Scots from Edinburgh — John Ogilvie Douglas and James Somerville — opened a store on the waterfront and made it the centre of the place.
In 1882 they petitioned to name the post office, and the town, Dunedin — from Dùn Èideann, the Gaelic name for Edinburgh.
2.3 miles from Dunedin Pass is close enough that the season does most of the forecasting for you. Predictable water is the easiest kind to schedule around.
Dunedin Marina, DunedinDunedin Marina lies about 2.3 miles from Dunedin Pass, with Hurricane Pass roughly 3.2 miles off. It is close enough to the inlet to feel it, and that distance is the single best predictor of how fast a hull fouls here.
Close to a pass, tidal exchange still reaches the berth but has lost some of its force. Growth is mixed rather than dominated by one thing, and it follows the season more predictably than water further in.
A private marina with a settled fleet gives us the most useful thing possible: the same hulls over time, so the cadence gets sharper with every visit.
Timeline
Richard L. Garrison records the first land deed, seven years after Florida becomes a state.
George L. Jones tries to fix his own name to the settlement.
Two Scots from Edinburgh open a general store on the waterfront. It becomes the hub of the settlement.
The two merchants petition to name the post office and town after Dùn Èideann — Gaelic for Edinburgh.
With its big dock, Dunedin carries Florida's largest fleet of sailing vessels and builds the state's first wooden yachts.
The Orange Belt Railway links Dunedin to St. Petersburg.
The Tampa Bay hurricane splits one barrier island in two. The gap between the halves is named for the storm that made it — Honeymoon and Caladesi.
Honeymoon Island becomes a state park and goes on to be the most-visited in Florida.
Things worth knowing
Distance to the nearest inlet is the strongest single predictor of fouling rate. At 2.3 miles from Dunedin Pass, with Hurricane Pass a further 3.2 miles off, this berth sits well within reach of it.
City-owned, opposite Caladesi and Honeymoon Island. Dunedin, on St. Joseph Sound, 2.3 miles inside Dunedin Pass — well within our regular run.
Growth in Pinellas is not linear, and at 2.3 miles in the seasonal swing is pronounced but predictable. A cadence set for August will be wrong in January.
Bare metal fouls faster than painted surface everywhere on this coast, and in moving water it is relentless. Props, shafts and struts usually signal the timing before the paint does.
Manatees, dolphins and grass beds share St. Joseph Sound. Method matters as much as schedule — media matched to the paint, and nothing scoured into the bottom.
989 Google reviews at 4.8 stars puts this among the busier facilities we cover, and busier basins mean more hull traffic moving growth around.
From the diver
The Sound is the clearest water in the county to work in. Lighter fouling overall, and good enough visibility that an inspection dive returns real information rather than a guess by feel.
Seagrass bottom means care with what gets stirred up and where. Cleaning here is as much about not damaging the grass beds as it is about the hull.
Lighter growth invites longer intervals — but the running gear still fouls on its own schedule, and that is usually what sets the timing.
Gallery
We dive St. Joseph Sound and know how it behaves through the season. Tell us the boat and the slip and we'll send a number and a cadence that fits the water it actually sits in.