Photo courtesy of Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Earlier this week, two 50-foot catamarans landed in nearby Cortez, Florida as a part of the Gulf Islands Ferry Service, a ferry service set to transport visitors and locals from downtown Bradenton to Anna Maria Island.

“I call this the initial framework for what I hope to be a larger network of multi-modal transportation in the region,” says Elliot Falcione, Executive Director of the Bradenton Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We’ll start operating every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 am to 9:30 pm. The ferries will run from downtown Bradenton just east of the Desoto Bridge out to Anna Maria Island, where it will make two to three stops before heading back to downtown Bradenton. The one-way fare for adults will be $8 with discounts for seniors and children as well.”

Although there isn’t a strict timeline set, the Gulf Islands Ferry Service is expected to open operations later this summer and is currently undergoing Coast Guard trials to determine final run times and ports. The catamarans, operated by Gulf Coast Water Taxi, can each hold up to 49 passengers and will offer amenities such as a restroom and free WiFi. “For many years, the three cities on Anna Maria Island and the Bard of County Commissioners were looking at ways to enhance multi-modal transportation not only on the island itself but within the arteries going to and from the island,” says Falcione. “We look at this water ferry operation as the natural place to start–we have such great water assets in the Manatee River and Sarasota Bay, so the Tourist Development Council and Board of County Commissioners really wanted to move this initiative forward. We expect this to grow into a regional program and are excited to get Sarasota county involved in this as well.”

Photo courtesy of Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

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