KALAELOA — TheBoat sailed for the first time yesterday from Kalaeloa Harbor to Aloha Tower's Pier 9 and arrived on schedule, but about one-third full, after a ride that had its share of excitement.

The Melissa Ann — one of two 72-foot, double-deckers that will operate as municipal ferries — started its regular Monday-through-Friday service at 5:30 a.m. yesterday with 55 passengers aboard a vessel designed to carry 149.

It arrived at Aloha Tower about 55 minutes later and unloaded its passengers — and two bicycles — in about five minutes before putting more passengers aboard for a return trip.

The Melissa Ann pushed away from Kalaeloa's newly named "ferry pier" in the darkness yesterday and began bumping and bucking as it cleared Barbers Point, sending a coffee maker crashing to the deck and hot coffee across the floor of the boat's tiny galley.

Some passengers slept through the rocking. One ate. Two worked on laptop computers. A brother and sister studied on their way to their classes at Honolulu Community College and the University of Hawai'i-Manoa.

Others grew queasy for much of the 55-minute trip.

Pearl Pruett, of 'Ewa Beach, enjoyed the trip with her daughter, Julie, and granddaughter, Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn, 3, particularly enjoyed the rocking and rolling and said the first leg around Barbers Point "made my tummy tickle."

"I would definitely ride TheBoat more often," Pearl Pruett said. "But for some people, it will definitely make them queasy."

Her advice for passengers who might be prone to seasickness: "Definitely bring an extra bag."

CHOPPY RIDE IS NORMAL

Veteran harbor pilot Ed Enos said yesterday's morning conditions were a bit rougher than normal. Even during a more typical day, Enos said, passengers can expect the trip from Kalaeloa to Aloha Tower to be bumpy.

"All things being fairly normal, and with the general trade wind and sea pattern, that's going to be expected," he said. "I support the idea (of TheBoat). But it's obviously not going to be for everybody. It's not meant to be."

Enos, however, encouraged even curious potential passengers to give TheBoat a try. For anyone who thinks they might get seasick on the Kalaeloa-to-Honolulu leg, he recommended eating or drinking something light in the morning: coffee, fruit juice, crackers or toast. He also advised taking seasickness medication as recommended before getting aboard — and sitting on the left side of the boat to watch the Honolulu skyline.

But as rough as the trip may get from Kalaeloa to Aloha Tower, Enos said, the return cruise to Kalaeloa promises to be calm and beautiful.

"Even though some people might be anxious to go from Kalaeloa to Honolulu, most people — even those who are tentative about being on a boat — should find going back a pretty nice ride. Even during the bumpiest conditions — a pretty windy, breezy day — the boat is going downhill, so to speak, with the winds and seas behind. It should be nice, and the sun will be setting."

After he greeted the first paying customers yesterday, Mayor Mufi Hannemann said TheBoat's $2 one-way fare that connects passengers to TheBus system is "the best bargain in town."

"You can relax, have a snack on board and think about your day ahead, or take another hour to get some sleep," Hannemann said. "No stress, and it's $2 that'll allow you to have a boat ride and two bus transfers."

The City Council has approved a plan that will let passengers ride for free all next week, he said.

Yesterday's first official passengers arrived at Kalaeloa Harbor from three new bus routes from Wai'anae, Makakilo and Kapolei because parking remains limited at Kalaeloa to 19 stalls reserved for carpoolers.

City officials are negotiating for nearby land that can handle 30 more parking spots, Hannemann said. A paved area next to the ferry pier, however, allows plenty of room for what Hannemann calls a "kiss-n-ride" area where passengers can be dropped off by private vehicles.

The mayor acknowledged that some trips "will be a little rough."

On Sunday, he took a 20-minute cruise to Waikiki aboard TheBoat with about 125 passengers, some of whom got queasy.

"It was a little choppy," he said.

Many of the people on yesterday's initial cruise were fine with the ride and said they were curious to see whether the logistics involved in getting to and from TheBoat make it a preferable alternative to crawling through traffic to get to town.

SECOND BOAT DUE

Officials said 51 passengers took the 8 a.m. ferry, but the number who took a special express bus that replaced the 6 a.m. ferry was not immediately available. The bus will continue operating until the the city's second ferry is cleared for operations, possibly by Sept. 26.

Fale Esekia, of Nanakuli, woke up at 4 a.m. yesterday, couldn't figure out how to make bus connections to Kalaeloa and ended up parking her car in one of the 19 spots intended for carpoolers.

She also did not know how to get from Aloha Tower's Pier 9 to her job as a construction project assistant on Sand Island by 7 a.m.

So Esekia arranged to have a co-worker pick her up at Aloha Tower on the co-worker's drive in from Kaimuki.

"To me, this is a good opportunity to try something different to see if it's better," she said.

Marjorie Kirschner woke up half an hour earlier than usual at her Iroquois Point home, drove to the Kapolei Transit Center and caught TheBus to Kalaeloa — to get to her job as an accountant at 'Iolani Palace by 8 a.m.

Kirschner estimates she'll now ride TheBoat two to three times a week and save about $60 on gas.

"This should work out for me," she said.

The one-year pilot program, operated by Hornblower Marine Services, is funded by $5 million in federal grants. The city is also spending $1 million to operate buses linked to TheBoat.

A sister vessel, the Rachel Marie, awaits Coast Guard certification and won't be ready until at least Sept. 26. So original plans for continuous Monday-through-Friday boat service will be replaced by bus trips on some legs.

Wi-Fi Internet access and limited food service also are planned.

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com.