Islanders took advantage of free fast ferry rides at the weekend.

?It?s definitely an incentive to go when it?s free,? Sheldon Fox told yesterday.

?The ferries are great. They are fast, clean and cool. It?s just a good way to get around,? Mr. Fox said.

The majority of passengers said they were trying out the ferries again because of the promotion. An elderly passenger, who did not wished to be named, said he liked going to Dockyard from Hamilton. ?I like to spend some quality time on the ferry. It gets me out and I meet people. It?s better than medicine. I like a Sunday afternoon outing,? he said.

Even Sea Express employees on board the which was going to Dockyard at 3 p.m. yesterday, said they had noticed ?a lot of people taking advantage of the promotion?.

Asked if they had seen a large increase in passengers on their route from Hamilton to Dockyard because of the free rides, one of their employees replied: ?Yes, too many.?

But the ability to jump on any ferry for free left a sour taste with visitors Logan Scott and Katherine Donohoe from Washington D.C. Ten minutes before getting onto the ferry they were sold two all-day passes at the temporary bus station. ?I asked the person behind the booth whether the passes were good for the ferries and they said yes,? Mr. Scott said.

Mr. Scott said the person who sold him the tickets ?must not have known the ferries were free this weekend.?

One visitor said the free ferry promotion did not work because he ?wanted to go on a ferry anyway. I wanted to go if it was free or not.?