RedactedNarrative: On August 31, 2020, around 0930 hours, I Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officer Specialist (FWC), while on land patrol on Dunedin Causeway, received notification from dispatch that there was a sunken sailboat on the southern tip of Honeymoon Island, just outside of Hurricane Pass. Myself and FWC Officer responded by patrol vessel and found a 44' partially submerged sailboat rocking on a sandbar, lying on it's starboard side. There was a rather large line of debris drifting from the vessel onto the gulf side of Honeymoon Island. There were no identifiable names or registration numbers visible on the vessel. 
  
       A call to United States Coast Guard confirmed the vessel had grounded around 2130 hours the previous night and all passengers aboard were safely taken to shore by Sea Tow. I contacted the owner/operator of the who told me he was headed west through Hurricane Pass when his vessel became grounded on the north side of the channel. 
  
  Operator told me the vessel began taking on water and he was forced to abandon the vessel. Sea tow brought him and his wife to shore. Upon completion of my  interview with Operator, it is my belief that although Operator had the proper navigation instruments, he was unfortunately not familiar with the local waters. He told me that his GPS was showing a depth of 11 feet as he headed west out of Hurricane Pass. He told me that his vessel draws about 5 or 6 feet of water and he was in the channel at the time of the grounding. 
  
  Operator was unaware that the north side of the Hurricane Pass Channel has filled in substantially with sand (in large part due to the erosion of the previous beach re-nourishment project). Therefore, due to the vessel drawing 5 or 6 feet and the prevailing tide, Operator's unfamiliarity with the channel resulted in the grounding of his vessel. 
  
  Sea Tow was unable to free his vessel from the sandbar and as a result of the keel rocking on the bottom, the vessel probably sustained enough damage to allow a significant amount of water intrusion. As water continued to flow into his vessel from the damaged area, the bilge pumps were unable to keep up with the water intrusion. Eventually, enough sea water entered the hull of the vessel causing it to capsize on the sandbar.
  