biggest dip in figures, dropping nine percent, according to figures released by the Department of Marine and Ports.

In all, 61,668 ferry tickets were sold in August, as opposed to 65,211 sold in August 1996. Usage for the Hamilton/Somerset run remained relatively constant, 37,874 passages were recorded in 1996 with 36,822 passes being sold in August 1997 -- a drop of 2.7 percent.

Tickets for the summer East/West ferry were sold to 3,824 passengers for the new service introduced earlier in the summer.