Carlton: A mayor, a ferry and a swarm of bees

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Carlton: A mayor, a ferry and a swarm of bees

Sue Carlton, Times Columnist

Saturday, November 5, 2016 6:00am

Notes from the boat and other news of the week:

Tongues were wagging as assorted elected officials and local leaders made the first ceremonial trip on the Cross-Bay Ferry this week.

The subject of the chatter: the presence of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, or lack thereof.

Buckhorn was on hand on land in Tampa to greet the ferry as it arrived on its inaugural jaunt from St. Petersburg with that city's Mayor Rick Kriseman aboard. Another batch of notables waited on the Tampa dock as the boat readied for the journey back, Buckhorn among them.

The Tampa mayor shook hands, smiled and posed for pictures. But the boat headed back to St. Pete without him.

For the record, Buckhorn is not a man to duck a photo op. A cute kid in a crowd will soon be on the mayor's shoulders. The chance to wear a paratrooper uniform or shamrock-festooned pants — he's on it.

The backdrop of that big bow slicing through the beautiful bay that day had to be tempting.

Adding to the talk was that Buckhorn has sounded enthusiastic but also measured on the ferry and its future. He says it has lots of appeal in connecting two emerging downtowns.

But government can't subsidize it for the duration, and "ultimately, it must stand on its own financing," he said. Nothing wishy washy about that.

Is this why Buckhorn did not ride? No, he says, pointing to a schedule packed that day with a Hillary Clinton event and an Ybor City speech.

He says he will ferry to dinner soon.

.  .  . 

Reporters who rode the ferry this week did not lack for information about the boat: how fast it goes (about 33 mph), whether you can smoke (no), if you can bring your bike (yes).

On the list of what you may not bring for your commute across the water are items you might expect: hazardous materials, guns, coolers, dive tanks.

Oh, and absolutely no beehives.