Swells 4m high and 75km/h winds are wreaking havoc on Cook Strait ferry crossings, disrupting holiday travel with cancellations and delays stretching into the week

Several Interislander and Bluebridge crossings were cancelled over the weekend and others faced significant delays due to rough sea conditions.

MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor says while the swells are starting to ease, conditions remain challenging for crossings.

“The good news is that the swell is easing, but there are still big waves in there today and swells of about 4m,” O’Connor said.

“There’s still quite a strong southerly blowing through. That’s 75km/h southerly winds, showers as well. So all in combination, not a pleasant crossing if we do get across today.”

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters told Newstalk ZB delays to the service have “always been the way”.

“Ever since we’ve had ferries there and even when one was going to Lyttelton and one was going to Picton, the reality was we’ve always had those sorts of disruptions.”

“They’re born about the fact that the Cook Strait is not the most calmest passage of water and we just have to face geographic, climatic realities.”

“So that’s not a surprise. It’s just unfortunately happened over Christmas time.”

Interislander passenger Sarah Franks spent much of the night waiting in her car before finally sailing on the Kaitaki, leaving for Picton in the wee hours of the morning, and said the crossing was so rough when they finally began sailing, people were vomiting.

Franks, who is driving from Auckland to Christchurch, said she hoped Interislander would cancel the crossing and let her go back to her hotel.

”We were all just waiting parked up at the ferry terminal waiting. The sailing was [scheduled for] 8.30pm and we left at 1 in the morning,” she said.

She said some people were walking their dogs around the terminal and children were running around.

It seemed people accepted the weather was out of anybody’s control, Franks said.

She said the sailing was “really rough”.

”It was very windy and it was rough trying to get out of Wellington Harbour.

”Then it just got really rough through the Cook Strait.

”Lots of people were sick. We were instructed to sit down. No one was really allowed to stand up unless they were moving to go to the toilet.

”The crew were giving passengers cups of water, ice and sick bags.

”People weren’t very happy at that stage, I don’t think, with the big swells.”

She was planning to continue driving from Picton to Canterbury, but was tired and considering trying to find accommodation in Picton to get a rest tonight.

O’Connor says the rough conditions are due to a low-pressure system to the east of the country.

“That’s been what is bringing all the colder, showery weather and that same wind direction for a longer time – it just builds up those waves.”

“Tomorrow things will settle down over most of the country … It’s still cold, unfortunately.”

The rough weather forced Interislander to cancel the sailings of the Aratere out of Wellington at 6.15am today and 11am from Picton.

Affected passengers had been rebooked on other sailings, an Interislander spokesperson said.

Interislander advised passengers to prepare for seasickness, recommending sitting toward the rear of the ship, avoiding an empty stomach and considering seasickness remedies such as ginger ale or pills.

On Sunday night, delays were widespread.

The Kaitaki ferry, carrying more than 800 passengers, was scheduled to leave Wellington at 8.30pm, but faced a delay of over four hours.

According to an email sent to passengers at 10pm, Interislander explained the hold-up was due to “rougher sea conditions than forecast”.

“We will be commencing loading asap but will not be leaving Wellington until the Master is comfortable to depart … this could be at least 4 HRS.”

The Kaitaki eventually departed about 1am, according to the ship-tracking website MarineTraffic.com.

Meanwhile, the Kaiarāhi, with 500 passengers aboard, was also delayed, leaving Picton shortly before midnight.

Delays are expected to disrupt schedules for the next few days, with passengers being directly informed of updated departure times.

- NZ Herald