“The St. Nicholas will pull into Clinton Saturday morning to pick up people for a free trip to downtown Seattle. Beginning Nov. 27, the boat will provide daily service between Clinton and Mukilteo until a State Ferries construction project is completed.The ride is free, but make a reservationThe St. Nicholas trip to Seattle on Saturday is free, but Mosquito Fleet would appreciate that those planning to ride make reservations. To do so, call 1-800-325-6722.The boat can be boarded at Everett Marina at 8:30 a.m., arriving in Clinton at 8:50 to pick up more passengers. It departs Clinton at 9, arrives in Edmonds at 9:30, and leaves Edmonds at 9:40. It will arrive at Bell Street Harbor on the Seattle waterfront at 10:30 a.m. Passengers can peruse the waterfront or Pioneer Square and return to the boat for departure at 2:30 p.m.Whidbey Islanders will become well acquainted with a boat named the St. Nicholas, but their only opportunity for a free ride will occur this Saturday.The St. Nicholas, part of the Everett-based Mosquito Fleet operation, is offering a free demonstration ride to anyone interested on Saturday morning. Be at the boarding dock on the north side of the Clinton ferry terminal in time for the 9 a.m. departure. The boat will leave Seattle at 2:30 p.m. for the return trip.After Saturday, the St. Nicholas will become a temporary fixture at the Clinton loading dock owned by the Port of South Whidbey. Beginning Monday, Nov. 27, it will provide daytime passenger service between Clinton and Mukilteo while the car ferry detours to Edmonds due to repairs being made on the Mukilteo dock. The cost of the ride will be the same as a walk-on ticket to board a regular ferry.Mosquito Fleet owner Mike Bennett, who doubles as St. Nicholas’ lead captain, said Saturday’s demonstration is meant to remind people of the possibilities of passenger-only ferries. I’ve been interested in passenger-only ferry service to Seattle for about 10 years, he said. Now I’d like to take the opportunity to show the public an alternative way of commuting to Seattle. It’s short notice, but it seemed like a good idea to me.This isn’t the first time Mosquito Fleet has pitched passenger-only ferries to area residents. In the last decade, former manager Marty Behr was highly visible as he sought local, state and federal funding to underwrite the effort. The Port of South Whidbey built its dock in Clinton with Mosquito Fleet service in mind, but it never materialized. Mosquito Fleet worked for years to acquire federal transportation funding, but the goal was never achieved. Since then, Mosquito Fleet has been satisfied with operating popular whale watching and sightseeing tours out of Everett.But Bennett, who purchased Mosquito Fleet about a year ago, said passenger ferry service is still a dream. I want to get people talking about it again, he said. The free ride to Seattle is offered with that goal in mind.The St. Nicholas is a four-engine catamaran built by a Nichols Brothers competitor, Allen Marine of Sitka, Alaska. It’s a really good rough water boat, Bennett said.The boat features two enclosed, atmosphere-controlled lower decks with comfortable seating offering panoramic viewing for 149 passengers. Coffee, soft drinks and snacks will be available for purchase. “