Cruise ship returns to Tampa Bay after day-long fog delay

Creative Commons / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Heavy fog delayed a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico from returning to the Port of Tampa for more than a day.

Port spokesman Andy Fobes says a “freak weather event” kept Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas and several cargo ships offshore. The cruise ship finally docked Tuesday evening.

For the 2,000 cruise ship passengers – including Ohio State University football coach Urban Meyer – it meant an extended vacation. The Tampa Tribune (http://bit.ly/1A5Y3QL) reports Meyer was participating in a fundraiser along with Ohio State alumni, fans and current and former football and basketball players.

The cruise left Tampa on Thursday and was scheduled to return Monday. Three Coast Guard vessels escorted the ship to the port and the passengers left the ship Tuesday evening.

Local Headlines

Refreshing Tuesday morning, then a warm and sunny afternoon

The Weather Authority is tracking a cool Tuesday morning start with seasonal afternoon temperatures, bringing in suns and clouds.

Lehigh Acres crash shuts down Bell Boulevard South

A crash on Bell Boulevard South has shut down traffic in both directions, creating heavy traffic delays in Lehigh Acres.

2 dead following deadly motorcycle crash south of US-41

Two people are dead following a deadly motorcycle crash that occurred late Monday night south of US-41 in Fort Myers.

Observation Wheel proposed for Downtown Fort Myers

Councilman Johnny Streets is taking his vision for the city of Fort Myers to new heights. He’s asking the council to consider building an observation wheel downtown, similar to the ones seen in places like Miami or Myrtle Beach.

Woman injured during barge party honoring crash victim

The Matlacha community has endured much recently. Tragedy struck again over the weekend after a woman got injured during a barge party in honor of Mary-Lou Sharp.