Business owners happy to hear about plans to dredge John’s Pass

MADIERA BEACH – Pinellas County's largest tourist destination, you'll find boat tours, shops, and sand. Captain Dylan Hubbard is Majority Owner and Vice President of Hubbard's Marine. Only one of those is an issue for him.

"Everybody sees the sand, and then what do they do? They come back, and they think it's a beach, and people get out here and treat it like a beach."

Hubbard said it's anything but a beach. One step too far, and you could end up 30 feet below water. That's in addition to strong rip currents.

"Even adults we've seen get swept off this beach, and we countless times have deployed a boat and gone and assisted people. We had those young gentlemen get swept offshore here and one passed away."

Captain Hubbard said his family has fought to dredge John's Pass since 1997.

They finally saw a victory Wednesday night.

At the Madeira Beach City Council meeting, Representative Linda Chaney presented council members with a $1,556,000 check from the state.