Aquatic transportation service returns to area waterway

Residents of St. Petersburg and Tampa will once again be able to ditch their cars if they want to cross that big body of water that separates them, with the Cross-Bay Ferry returning for a third season that began Nov. 1 and will end April 30, 2020.

The service will again launch from the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa and the Vinoy Yacht Basin in St. Petersburg. One-way fares remain the same: $8 for adults; $5 for seniors, military (both active and retired) and college students; $3 for kids age 5-18; and free for kids under 4.

A special 2019-2020 maiden voyage took place Oct. 30 with a passenger manifest that included Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp, Pinellas County Commissioner Janet Long and HMS Ferries President Matt Miller.