William Goodfellow hopes the lessons Explore has learnt can be passed on to the Waiheke Island community and whichever operator might be next to take on the route.

Waiheke Island Explore ferry took on Fullers Ferries and lost, but believes another challenger could still succeed.

The company announced on April 27 that its last ferry sailings between Matiatia and downtown Auckland would be on May 8. The two-year-old service was not attracting enough passengers, although Waiheke Island residents had welcomed the competition with Fullers, the main operator on the route.

Outcry from the community resulted in a public meeting at Morra Hall on Sunday, organised by Waiheke resident and tour operator Graeme Ransom and attended by around 80 residents.

GEORGE GARDNER/FAIRFAX NZ The Waiheke Island community was delighted when Explore started its ferry service, in October 2014.

Goodfellow said that while the company experienced good patronage to begin with, the numbers dropped off.

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Problems with berthage and buses were also contributing factors but, he said, eventually, the service's demise was like "death by a thousand cuts".

"It wasn't one specific thing. It was a bundle of things. We gave it our best shot but I hold my head high that at least the island has an improved standard and greater frequency [of ferry service]."

Goodfellow said Explore went into the market 18 months ago to provide a credible second ferry service.

"Before we launched, we looked at the feasibility of different strategies and came to the conclusion we weren't going to get the market share unless we had an almost like-for-like service [with Fullers].

"We made the decision, right or wrongly, that trying to provide a full service was the right way to go.

"I think, moving forward, once some of the infrastructure issues have been sorted out, then maybe there is an opportunity for an operator to come in with a smaller, lesser service than we tried to do.

"I certainly believe in the future there will be room for two operators. It's a big market – tourism. All the reasons why we put our hands up and jumped in to start with still exist, but we were perhaps a little too ahead of ourselves."

Goodfellow said he was open to working with those interested in making sure the lessons Explore had learned could be passed on to the community and whichever operator might be next.

"I wouldn't give up on the fact that there will never be another operator on the Auckland-Matiatia route. Unfortunately for us it's the end of the road."