Thanks again for all the great experience/advice from you folks. Looks like the ferry made the decision for us as we are having to take the 5pm from STT and arriving around 6pm. Have a friend who took this ferry a week or so ago and said they didn't clear C&I until 8pm. With that it would seem to remove any advantage of an evening start, plus the rate is now 1/2 your daily charter rate so we chose to stay in the Mariners Inn and we plan to be at the check in desk when they open. Then get provisions, phone, etc. and make the most of it.