Nawiliwili, Kaua'i — About 100 people gathered at Nawiliwili Park yesterday as opponents of the Hawaii Superferry celebrated their success in forcing the vessel to turn back to O'ahu last week without docking on Kaua'i.

"It's an appreciation picnic," said Rich Hoeppner, founder of People for the Preservation of Kauai, which formed to demand an environmental assessment of ferry service to the island. "Without the people, none of this would have been possible."

He said attorneys for the group plan to seek a temporary restraining order tomorrow in Kaua'i Circuit Court to halt ferry service to the island until an environmental assessment is completed.

A Maui judge last week granted a restraining order that halts service to that island while the court considers the state's request to allow ferry operations to resume while the environmental report — recently ordered by the state Supreme Court — is conducted.

"We're not a bunch of radicals, and we're not against O'ahu," said Louise Sausen, a Ha'ena resident originally from Waimanalo. "We just want due process. We just want the government to follow their laws."

Gov. Linda Lingle has said the Superferry is being unfairly singled out because airlines, barges and cruise lines did not have to undergo similar environmental reviews, and that the state determined the Superferry did not need an environmental assessment.

The company has said that Kaua'i voyages are suspended at least through Wednesday, and Maui sailings at least through Sept. 11.

Hawaii Superferry is providing refunds, air and ground transportation, car rentals, hotel accommodations and car shipment for stranded passengers who took the ferry.