The string of barrier islands are separate by inlets, referred to as passes. The inlets serve as channels for water flowing in from the Gulf of Mexico and back out from the estuaries and freshwater bodies. They are outlets for storm tides inside the bays and buffers from the storm tides that develop in the gulf. Barrier islands and inlets work together as part of a natural system.
Anclote Key
The barrier contains the Anclote Key State Preserve and the Anclote National Wildlife Refuge. Pinellas County does not manage the beaches of Anclote Key. Geologic studies indicate that Anclote Key is approximately 2,000 years old. This November 2005 photo looks north at the south end of Anclote Key.
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Howard Park
The man-made beach at Howard Park, dedicated in 1966, was most recently nourished in 2002 with nearly 7,000 cubic yards of truck-hauled sand. Beach vegetation and two new sidewalks were also installed during this project. This October 2002 photo looks north with the Anclote River in the background.
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Three Rooker Bar
This island started as a sand shoal, building up over the last couple decades. The area is very popular with boaters and birds. This photo looks north along the bar in November 2005. |
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Honeymoon Island
Shoreline restoration projects on this state park were conducted through a partnership between Pinellas County and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. This photo looks north during the 2007 project.
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Hurricane Pass
This inlet separates Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island, providing boating access between St. Joseph Sound and the Gulf of Mexico. The inlet is dredged periodically by Pinellas County, and the dredge spoil is placed as nourished sand on Honeymoon Island or Dunedin Causeway.
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Caladesi Island
One of the few pristine barrier islands in Pinellas County, this island is accessible by boat or by foot from the south where it is connected to Clearwater Beach Island.
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Dunedin Pass
Dunedin Pass shoaled and closed in the late 1980’s. Studies have shown that re-opening the pass through dredging would be costly and detrimental to the physical and biological ecosystems that have developed over the last couple decades.
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Clearwater Beach Island
Clearwater Beach is a popular vacation destination with beautiful sugary sand. After an interesting history of coastal management, the island’s beaches do not presently require nourishment.
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Clearwater Pass
Clearwater Pass is an important inlet for recreational boaters in northern Pinellas County. Two long jetties prevent the inlet from shoaling.
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Sand Key
At about 14 miles, Sand Key is the longest barrier island in Pinellas County. Nine coastal municipalities occupy this island. After suffering from decades of erosion, the federal segment of the Pinellas County Beach Erosion Control program began in 1985.
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John's Pass
John's Pass is a federally maintained inlet that is dredged periodically by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The most recent project was conducted in 2000 when dredge spoil was pumped onto Treasure Island as beach nourishment. The on-going FDOT John's Pass bridge replacement is scheduled for completion in 2010.
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Treasure Island
Treasure Island has two erosional hot spots, Sunshine and Sunset Beaches, on the north and south ends of the island, respectively. The Pinellas County Beach Erosion Control program has maintained these beaches since 1969. In contrast, the wide, central beach on Treasure Island accretes slowly due to sediment bypassing around the large ebb delta of John’s Pass. The City of Treasure Island’s emergency plan allows for “sand sharing” from the wide beach to the erosional areas after a major storm, if necessary.
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Blind Pass
Blind Pass has more structural modifications than any inlet on the west-coast of Florida. The inlet is dredged periodically to nourish the downdrift beach (Upham), most recently in 2000. The gap in the south breakwater was closed in 2005. The next dredging of Blind Pass is scheduled for 2009.
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Long Key
Long Key is the technical name for the island that contains the City of St. Pete Beach. The major erosional hot spot on Long Key is Upham Beach, on the north end of the island. Pass-a-Grille Beach, on southern Long Key, also requires periodic nourishment. The Pinellas County Beach Erosion Control program has maintained these beaches since 1980. Five geotextile T-head groins were installed on Upham Beach in 2005 as an experimental project intended to slow the rapid erosion.
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Pass-a-Grille Channel
This inlet forms part of the Egmont Channel tidal delta complex. Modifications in the early 1960's to Pass-a-Grille Channel included dredging and the construction of the terminal groin and seawall at the south end of Long Key. Dredged material from Pass-a-Grille Channel was placed on Long Key in 1986 and 2004 (2004 dredging shown at left). |
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Shell Key
Shell Key began as two separate sand shoals that have built up and merged since the 1950's. The island is now managed by Pinellas County's Department of Environmental Management.
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Bunces Pass
This beautiful natural tidal inlet between Shell Key and Mullet Key has limited boating access due to two fixed (16') bridges. This tide-dominated inlet forms part of the Egmont Channel tidal delta complex. The ebb tidal delta (shown to left) contains distinct channel-margin linear bars. |
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Mullet Key
The barrier island containing Pinellas County's Ft. DeSoto Park has a right-angle formation with one shoreline exposed to the Gulf of Mexico and the other shoreline exposed to Egmont Channel. This photo looks north along the Mullet Key shoreline in April 2006.
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Egmont Key
Most of this island, which is managed by the Florida Park Service, is a wildlife refuge. The beaches of Egmont Key are not managed by Pinellas County. Egmont Key is actually located in Hillsborough County.
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The Pinellas County coastline is bordered by 35 miles of sandy beaches on 11 barrier islands along the Gulf of Mexico. Barrier islands provide a natural protection to the mainland. Some are developed, while others are preserved for the environment or historical significance. 
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