Tampa's Pirate Water Taxi expands route, eliminates Rick's on the River stop

A popular stop along Tampa's Pirate Water Taxi route is no more.

This afternoon, the  local taxi boat announced a few changes to its service area, as well as the elimination of the Rick's on the River stop.

"The River Route will change and turn at Armature Works, eliminating Rick’s on the River Stop 17," said the company in a press release. "Unfortunately, boat congestion at the Pirate Water Taxi dock at Rick’s on the River has created a challenging operating environment for a busy water taxi service sharing the dock with a boat launch and close proximity to a boat rental company."

The company says that it is hoping to relocate Stop 17 in the near future somewhere along the planned West Riverwalk expansion.

But even with the elimination of the Ricks stop, the company says it's expanding its overall route by over a mile of service with a new Island Loop around Harbour Island.

"The expanded route will include a new stop 8A at Davis Islands located at Channel Drive and Bayshore Little League," said the company. "The Island Loop will feature a partial Port Tour of the main shipping channel. The River Route will change and turn at Armature Works, eliminating Rick’s on the River Stop 17."

The Island Loop will debut on Wednesday, Nov. 1.

Pirate River Taxi is owned and operated by Yacht Starship Dining Cruises, which also runs the Lost Pearl, Bay Rocket, Tampa Riverwalk Rentals, and Yacht Starship.

Last September, the company announced the arrival of a new European-style river dining cruise ship called "Craft," which his expected to launch this fall.

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