Sights of Cross Bay Ferry

departing St Petersburg

Didn't know St Petersburg - Tampa had a ferry? Heard about those long bay bridge crossings? Well this 'season' (meaning the 'winter' months) a bay crossing trial was started using a boat from Boston/Providence Town, Massachusetts.

It took 3 days to sail down the intercostal waterway and dock in St Petersburg. Daily crossings run 50 minutes for $10 round trip. These are very popular as alternative transport to sporting events on both sides of the bay! The trial ends this month.

So last Friday hubby and I decided to support the venture and try it out. The one below, not the Schooner to the right which is also docked in St Petersburg.

This is the CrossFerry carrying circa 150

War 1812 Square Topsail Schooner

Once we arrived in Tampa - slightly windblown from the upper deck, but in great spirits on a fine day - we explored the newly opened RiverWalk, complete with Convention Center, several museums and of course eating establishments along the way.  Yes, the 'sail' covering pictured below is because even in April it is hot in the sunshine (89 F on Friday or 31.7 C).

Believe it or not, there is a little history in Tampa - a few early 20th century buildings and infrastructure from the railroad. On the left is what was an old railroad hotel (1891) from Henry Plant, now a museum and part of the University of Tampa.















This Kress building looks fancy for a 'five and dime' but sadly now, although on the register of historic places and extending straight through from one block to the next, is vacant.

1929 Kress & Co Building ('five and dime' dept store)

Have to say whilst this part of town was fun to explore, we didn't find much else of interest. Several tall bank buildings, a few ugly government buildings and an almost deserted pedestrianized walkway through what once must have been the center of downtown rounded out our tour of Tampa proper. Tampa is a city of 350,000, St Petersburg 250,000 and Clearwater 110,000, for a total  Tampa Bay AREA of 3 million. Having explored Tampa by bus on another trip (27 June 2015 blog) and visited Ybor City before, we called it a day and returned to our ferry for the trip home. There was partying in our boat wake, but not by dolphins, rather jet skiers!

It is always great to be out on the water in the sunshine!