The Thames River Heritage Park's hop-on, hop-off water taxi began its fifth season on Friday, with boats operating at 50% capacity and with a mask requirement due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Riders can get on or off at any of the three landing sites: Fort Trumbull in New London, City Pier in New London, and Thames River Landing in Groton.

The water taxi will operate 11:40 a.m. to 6:20 p.m. Friday through Sunday and holidays, with the season ending Sept. 13, according to a news release. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 4-12, $5 for active military with ID, and free for children age 3 and under. Season passes are $50 for adults and $30 for children.

Gail Braccidiferro MacDonald, a local author and a journalism professor at the University of Connecticut, will be leading a new "Women of the Thames" boat and walking tours celebrating the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage.

Previous tours returning this year are "Submarines, Battlefields, and Betrayers: Military Stories on the Thames," "Canoe to Submarine" and "Revolutionary War Ghosts on the Thames." The schedules for the 90-minute tours, which are $20 or $25 and depart from City Pier, have not yet been finalized.