It was osprey breeding season on the 3 mile
Osprey Trail hike through the pine forest, mangrove and tidal flats of
Honeymoon Island. The Tampa Bay Sierrans were buffeted by high winds that
morning as they searched for the nest of the elusive resident local owl
which, upon discovery, appeared empty.
The first recorded visitors of this island were the men and women of the
Tocobaga tribe. Hog Island, as it was later called by pioneers, was split
in two by a hurricane in 1921 forming Hurricane Pass and Caladesi Island.
In 1939, Hog Island became Honeymoon Isle when a New York developer built
50 palm-thatched bungalows for honeymooners. Honeymoon Island is a link
in the chain of barrier islands that extends from Anclote Key south to
Cape Romano, cushioning the Florida coast from tropical storms. Geologically
speaking, the island is a relative youngster -- only 7,000 years old!
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