April 30, 2001 – The territory's latest experiment with high-speed ferry service between St. Thomas and St. Croix ended Sunday when the 150-foot catamaran Salacia glided away from the Gallows Bay terminal in Christiansted at 10:30 p.m. and, once free of the harbor channel, roared away in the darkness toward Charlotte Amalie, one hour and 15 minutes away.
The last person to board was Kevin Matthews, director of operations for Boston Harbor Cruises, which brought the queen of its fleet, named for Neptune's wife, to the Virgin Islands early this month to test the market for a possible return early in December for a five-month season.
"Can we move people or can we move people," Matthews exalted as he carried aboard the cash register used to sell tickets on the Gallows Bay dock.
He was referring to the fact that for each of four southbound trips Sunday Salacia sold all 600 of its tickets, although there were some no-shows at the boarding area on the St. Thomas waterfront.
When Salacia left St. Croix for the last time, she was running one hour and 45 minutes late. That was because of delays in boarding passengers and their considerable baggage on St. Thomas. Almost all the southbound passengers Sunday were Crucians heading home from Carnival.
"It was the hangover cruise of all time," one weary but happy passenger admitted.
Matthews cleared up one point about the return of ferry service next December. Earlier this month, officials of his firm speculated they might assign a smaller boat to the Virgin Islands.
"No," Matthews said firmly. "It has to be Salacia. Only she has the equipment to take the kind of seas you have down here."
He made it clear his company can't return in December unless it receives concessions from the Port Authority:
— A reduction in the current per-passenger fee of $5.70, compared to the 50 cents the VIPA charges for each passenger on the St. Thomas to St. John ferries.
— Better infrastructure, including vehicle parking and staircases in lieu of gangplanks, on both islands.
— Agreement that Salacia should be based on St. Croix, not on St. Thomas as was the case during the 23-day test.
Observers speculated St. Croix Sen. Alicia "Chucky" Hansen might well lead the charge against the Port Authority; she and her Carnival troupe used the ferry to travel to and from the adults parade on St. Thomas Saturday.
Salacia will stay on St. Thomas on Monday while the engines are tuned and the crew catches up on sleep. Tuesday, or Wednesday at the latest, she departs on the trip back to Boston and summer service there.
"It's been a wonderful test," Matthews said. "Now we know how to do it better."
