The ferry Alakai last night peacefully completed a one-day, court-sanctioned trip to Maui and back to rescue vehicles stranded when legal problems halted Superferry operations last month.

More than 50 cars, two motorcycles and two bicycles were unloaded from the ferry at Honolulu Harbor after what passengers described as a pleasant, uneventful trip that was in marked contrast to several problem-plagued voyages when the company first began operations.

"It was a great trip. We're happy to have our bikes back," said Will Sankey of 'Aiea, who along with wife Julie had sailed on an initial Superferry voyage to Maui to see a full eclipse of the moon from Haleakala, then couldn't get their bicycles home when a court order halted the ferry.

The couple, who flew home last week, returned to Maui yesterday to get their bicycles. They took the ferry both ways and promised to use it again as soon as its legal hurdles are cleared.

"We'd be back in a heartbeat," Sankey said. "We can't wait."

When that will happen remains uncertain. A Circuit Court judge is reviewing a request to allow the ferry to operate on its Maui route while the company conducts an environmental assessment ordered last month by the state Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, Superferry chief executive John Garibaldi said last night that the company is ready to resume trips to Kaua'i as soon as it receives the go-ahead from the Coast Guard, which is studying ways to protect the ship in the face of protests last month that kept the ship from docking one day in Lihu'e.

A Kaua'i Circuit Court judge on Friday declined to issue an injunction against ferry operations, sought by environmentalists there.

"We're ready to go. We just haven't gotten the green light yet from the Coast Guard," Garibaldi said.

Yesterday's trip to Maui enabled passengers to pick up and return about 100 vehicles that had traveled on the ferry and been stranded on O'ahu and Maui when the injunction was issued.

"It was well planned and very organized," said Honolulu resident Michael Miller, who delivered his sister's car home to Maui, picked up some tangerines from his mother, then rode the ship back to Honolulu. "I just hope the company has the patience to get its problems worked out, because I'll be back without a doubt," he said.

The ferry arrived in Kahului Harbor at 1:45 p.m., escorted by two Coast Guard vessels and a Department of Land and Natural Resources boat.

The only sign of protest was a man on the beach holding an anti-ferry sign.

About 30 cars were off-loaded from the vessel, and others that had been parked at the harbor since ferry service was suspended Aug. 24 were driven onto the Alakai before it pulled away from the pier and headed back to Honolulu.

Rita Barksdale, 86, and Betty Beggs, 82, were standing on the beach at Kahului Harbor, having driven from Kihei to get a look at the 350-foot catamaran.

"We had not seen it and we wanted to see how it comes in," Barksdale said. "We just felt like we need to keep up with what's happening on Maui."

She described the vessel as "very impressive," and both women said they would consider sailing aboard the Alakai in the future.

A 44-year-old Kula woman was waiting outside the ferry's vehicle exit for her husband to drive off the vessel with their Volkswagen camper van and kayak.

They had heard about the special $5 fares on Aug. 27 and caught the ferry to Honolulu that same day.

The woman, who said she did not want to be named to protect her privacy, said they hadn't really been following the news and weren't aware that ferry service might be suspended as a result of a Maui court order. She said she has traveled on ferries in Canada, and "I don't know what the big deal is."

The couple spent their first night on O'ahu at Waimanalo Beach Park and their second night in a hotel before flying back to Maui on Hawaiian Airlines on Aug. 29.

Her husband flew back to Honolulu yesterday morning to retrieve their van and return on the ferry.

"I think it's bogus. It's silly," she said of opponents' concerns about the interisland ferry service causing increased traffic, spreading invasive species and threatening humpback whales.

Exiting from the ferry property in his van was Andrew Feltenstein, 30, of Kihei, who had planned a surfing safari to O'ahu with his wife and two friends. They left Maui on Aug. 27 on the Alakai's last regular voyage to Kahului.

He said they knew there was a risk they might get stranded on O'ahu but were willing to chance it.

"I knew in the back of my head that something might happen but I couldn't pass up a $5 offer," he said. "And we caught a good south swell."

Feltenstein said his group didn't have a laptop computer and was unable to get through on the Hawaii Superferry phone line once ferry service was suspended. They didn't know the company had offered to pay for hotels, meals and other costs for stranded passengers, so they spent several nights sleeping in their van.

When Hawaii Superferry announced it hoped to resume service that Friday, Aug. 31, Feltenstein decided to wait an extra day on O'ahu, missing a day of work at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse before flying home.

He flew back to Honolulu yesterday morning to board the ferry and was apprehensive when passengers were told there were protesters on Maui, although as it turned out, there was only one man holding an anti-ferry sign.

"I thought maybe they were going to throw eggs. Why are people who I live with going to attack me?" Feltenstein said.

Yesterday's sail to Maui was pretty smooth, he said, and his main complaint was that passengers had to pay for food and beverages despite the inconveniences they suffered.

With several loud blasts of its horn, the Alakai backed out from the pier at 2:45 p.m. and headed out to sea.

"Good riddance," said Herb Chang, 53, of Ha'iku, who was one of about 30 onlookers who had gathered piecemeal on the beach while the vessel was in port.

Chang had brought 4-year-old son Gasum to get their first look at the ferry.

"I don't think we really need it. There would just be more congestion at the harbor and it's more expensive to take your vehicle with you" than current cut-rate air fare and car rental prices, he said.

"It was shoved down our throats by the government."

Despite his seeming opposition, Chang said he might consider taking the Alakai if the price was right.

Reach Mike Leidemann at mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com and Christie Wilson at cwilson@honoluluadvertiser.com.