Steve Fuchs, a retired Marine master sergeant from Kalihi, said he was going to take a cab ride home, courtesy of the Superferry, after being told that security concerns over possible protests had canceled today's trip.

"Stuff happens. They do not want to put passengers through the inconvenience of last night," Fuchs said. "They were very nice about it."

Fuchs said other passengers from Kaua'i are now stranded in Honolulu, but the Superferry will pay for their cab ride to a hotel and for the lodging. The company is offering refunds or vouchers for future trips, he said.

Teresa Osthoff of 'Ewa Beach wasn't so understanding. She was traveling with her hanai daughter Ashley, 15.

"I'm so mad. We caught the bus all the way from 'Ewa Beach."

She was on last night's trip that got turned away at Kaua'i after sitting in the harbor for about three hours.

Osthoff said she was so persistent to get onboard again because she wanted to visit her son, a Kaua'i policeman who is on his way to a military deployment to Iraq, and her grandson.

"It was my opportunity with a reasonable rate to go. It's not fair."

Mary Traynor and her husband, Greg, of Hau'ula, were dropped off by friends and walked to the Superferry building from Chinatown and arrived to get the news today's trip was canceled.

"We're very disappointed," Mary Traynor said. "This is one of the only means of transportation for us local people.

Although the ferry was not going to Kaua'i, officials offered passengers a chance to board the Alakai in the harbor.

Several passengers took the company up on its offer, including the Traynors.

Irene Bills of Hale'iwa brought her car and surfboards for what would have been her first trip to Kaua'i today. She had to cancel her reservations at a Kaua'i bed and breakfast. She said she was disappointed because she wanted to "cruise on a nice new boat. Sailing around would have been great."

But for her trouble, Bills said, Superferry officials promised to send her vouchers for five round-trip tickets.

Lynn Defebaugh of Punchbowl originally wanted to go to Maui, but then could only get a $5 fare on today's Kaua'i trip "just for the fun of a boat ride."