The Clearwater Ferry is the one public boat with a regular schedule into Dunedin Marina this October. It ties up at a temporary landing built with help from Clearwater Marina staff, and it has stopped there since October 9, 2025. The marina boat ramp is still closed. As of September 3, the south side of the Dunedin Causeway is also closed to motorized launches.
You can still get on the water from Dunedin this fall, but the trip usually starts in another city. If you own a trailer, you're headed to Palm Harbor or Clearwater. If you paddle, the Causeway is still yours, as long as you use the zones the city allows. If you don't own a boat, the ferry landings do the job. Here's how the trip works by what you bring.
| What you're bringing | Where it goes in this fall | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Trailered motorboat | Sutherland Bayou in Palm Harbor, or Seminole Street in Clearwater | $6 daily parking at Sutherland Bayou, pay by card only |
| Kayak or paddleboard | Dunedin Causeway, east of the drawbridge or between the concession area and the second bridge | No launching from the center section |
| No boat at all | Clearwater Ferry from Dunedin Marina, or the Caladesi Island Ferry from Honeymoon Island | Clearwater Ferry runs Thursday through Sunday |
| Fishing rod | Dunedin Causeway | Fishing after 11 p.m. needs a permit from the Sheriff's North District Station |
Why the marina is a ferry stop and not a launch
Hurricanes Helene and Milton damaged most of the marina, and the city is still rebuilding it in stages. Some of it is back. The Peninsula has reopened to the Windlasses, the DTSA and the public. Slip renters can return once they sign new agreements with the city. The ramp has a different status. The city's restoration page says its goal is to open the ramp in 2026 "with new regulations." The same page says reopening will be re-evaluated after the marina is operating and work on the worst-damaged areas has started. That page was last updated September 1, and it gives no date.
The seawall is still under construction. BDI Marine won the repair bid in July 2025, started on the north seawall on October 13, and is now working on the east seawall. The parking area and drive aisle next to Edgewater Park are closed, and the city expects to finish this fall. In its September 10 newsletter, the city reported fill going in at the collapsed bulkhead and rebar racks being installed for the seawall cap.
The fishing pier is the clearest example of how slowly this is moving. In January, the commission awarded the job to On-Point Contracting Company, LLC, and crews finished removing the damaged pier above the water early this summer. Construction starts once every permit is approved. The city's September update names the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit as the one holding up piling removal and the new pier. Docks A and B are stabilized. Their permanent replacement with floating docks began design and permitting in May 2026, permitting is expected to take 24 months, and construction is set to start in 2028.
For now, the marina is set up to handle people walking on and off a ferry. Ramp traffic will have to wait.
The Causeway kept its paddlers and lost its trailers
Before the ordinance, the Causeway was where motorboats launched when the marina couldn't take them. The commission's 5-0 vote on September 3 ended that. The ordinance had passed its first public hearing 4-0 on July 23, after a June 2 workshop where commissioners pointed to environmental and safety concerns. You can read the full ordinance text on the city's site. The ban covers launching only. It doesn't stop you from running a motorboat in the Intracoastal Waterway or St. Joseph Sound. Launching motorboats was already prohibited on the north side west of the drawbridge, so the new rule closes the last open stretch.
Paddlers kept their access. The 2.5-mile Causeway is open for recreation from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., parking is free, and a Pinellas Trail spur runs along the south side. There are no paved ramps. The city allows non-motorized launches east of the drawbridge and between the concession area and the second bridge, and it bars them from the center section.
If you're paddling out with friends who don't own boards, Sail Honeymoon runs the Causeway's permitted rental concession. Single kayaks start at $35 for two hours, and the posted winter hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. High & Dry Grill is next door at 61 Causeway Blvd. Its own site and Sail Honeymoon's list different closing times, The grill's site says 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sail Honeymoon lists the café as open 10 a.m. to sunset, so check before you plan dinner around it.
With the marina pier gone, the Causeway is also Dunedin's most reliable fishing spot. No one is allowed on the Causeway after the 11 p.m. closing, though special permission can be granted for fishing. The city's Causeway page says that permit comes from the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office North District Station at 2496 Bayshore Blvd. in Dunedin.
Expect some delays on the drive out. Steel coating and structural repairs on the Causeway bridges are expected to last until about winter 2027. During that work, drivers may hit intermittent lane closures, and boats get only single-leaf openings with 6 feet of clearance. Pinellas County says the hurricane repairs to the access road and bridge fenders are complete. Design work on a full bridge replacement is on hold, with no construction date.
Where the trailer goes now
If you're towing a motorboat, you're choosing between a ramp to the north and one to the south.
- Sutherland Bayou Boat Ramp, 2119 U.S. Alt. 19 N., Palm Harbor. This is the closest saltwater public ramp, and it opens directly onto St. Joseph Sound, the same water you'd have reached from the Causeway. It's open 24 hours with 50 vehicle-and-trailer spaces and a boat rinse area. Parking is $6 a day, and you pay at a station by entering your tag number. The stations take Visa, MasterCard and American Express only.
- Seminole Street Boat Ramp, 201 Seminole St., Clearwater. This one has eight lanes and is open around the clock. Clearwater says construction phases one and two are done. Underwater concrete work is still planned but has no schedule.
- John Chesnut Sr. Park, Lake Tarpon. This only helps if freshwater works for your trip. The county says the lake accommodates combustion-engine boats, and the park is open 7 a.m. to sunset.
Ramps around the county are also still recovering. The county's October 2 parks bulletin lists the War Veterans' Memorial Park ramp as closed for repairs through late 2026. Before a weekend trip, it's worth checking the county's Know Before You Go page as well as the ramp's own listing.
The no-boat route runs through the ferries
If you're hosting guests who don't own a boat, two ferries cover most of what Dunedin's waterfront used to offer from its own docks.
From Dunedin Marina, the Clearwater Ferry runs Thursday through Sunday to Downtown Clearwater and to Clearwater Beach Marina near Pier 60. PSTA's current fares are $9 regular and $4.50 reduced per trip, and children 8 and under ride free. Those prices reflect the $1 increase that took effect September 17. The operator's printed timetable still shows the old fares, so use PSTA's numbers and check live departure times before you head to the dock.
For Caladesi, you drive to Honeymoon Island State Park. It's open 8 a.m. to sunset, and the vehicle fee is $8. In October, the Caladesi Island Ferry leaves every hour starting at 10 a.m., and every half hour on weekends. Round trips cost $20 for adults and $10 for children ages 6 to 12, and children 5 and under ride free. Tickets are sold only at the ferry ticket office on Honeymoon Island, not online. Honeymoon Island's park page still warns that erosion has cut off the northernmost mile of the sandspit, and it tells visitors not to enter or cross the water there.
If you own a boat, Caladesi got more useful last week. As of September 29, these docks are open for day use.
- A-Dock: south side only
- B-Dock: slips 33 to 64
- C-Dock: slips 65 to 96
- D-Dock: still under construction
Power and water cost $7 per vessel plus the park entrance fee. Overnight stays aren't available, and food service may be limited, so pack lunch. A Saturday that starts at Sutherland Bayou can end tied up at Caladesi in the afternoon, which is the closest thing to the old Dunedin boat day available right now.
What would move water access back to Dunedin's shoreline
None of the projects that would return launching and pier fishing to Dunedin has a firm opening date. Here's where each one stands:
- Marina boat ramp. The city's goal is 2026, but it will be re-evaluated after the marina is operating.
- Fishing pier, day docks and emergency docks. The city's timeline says construction in late 2026, pending permits.
- Weaver Park living shoreline. The city's concept includes an ADA-accessible floating kayak launch, mangroves and oyster domes, and the project has moved into permitting. The construction estimate is $2.24 million to $2.58 million against a current budget of $250,000, and city staff are pursuing grants.
- Marina slip parking. Permits for 2027 go on sale at the Harbor Master Office in December 2026.
Until the ramp reopens, Dunedin trailer boaters will launch at Sutherland Bayou or Seminole Street, and Dunedin Marina will serve mainly as the Clearwater Ferry's stop.
If you're weighing a slip, a dock, or a waterfront address in Dunedin, ask what access that property actually has today, and check what's still waiting on permits. That's the kind of detail I check for clients before anyone signs. If you want help sorting that out on a specific property, Ryan Chamberlain can walk through it with you. Let's Connect.
