Rough seas caused travel chaos for many travellers heading home at the end of their Christmas break, with both the Interislander and Bluebridge ferries cancelling sailings that left passengers and vehicles stranded.
Interislander told passengers that large swells delaying sailings would continue to disrupt schedules for a few days, while Bluebridge acknowledged the significant disruption caused by strong winds and large swells.
On Facebook, locals were trying to get people and vehicles home to Nelson, with some unable to get another booking on a ferry for a week. While flying home was an option to get back to work, it left the dilemma of getting a vehicle home.
In a statement on Monday, a KiwiRail spokesperson for the Interislander said two sailings that day were also being cancelled due to the rough conditions in the Cook Strait and all of those passengers had been moved to alternative sailings, almost all within 24 hours of their original booking.
“A series of unseasonal southerly gales has caused significant swells in Cook Strait since Christmas, causing disruption for some ferry sailings.”
On Sunday night, the sea conditions were worse than forecast and the spokesperson said the masters of Kaitaki and Kaiārahi delayed their departures to wait for the swells to ease.
"The safety of our passengers and crew is paramount and we do not sail unless it is safe to do so. In the event of weather disruptions such as this, we do all we can to re-book people as quickly as possible on alternative sailings and appreciate the patience of our passengers during this busy holiday period.”
Between the two ferry companies, multiple sailings have been cancelled along with numerous delays, which have affected more than 1,300 passengers.
The Cook Strait is one of the most unpredictable waters in the world and during the weekend 4m-high swells combined with 75kmh winds put a halt on many ferry crossings.
On sailings that did go ahead, the Interislander recommended passengers who were worried about seasickness to sit towards the rear of the ship rather than the bow which experiences the most movement. It said they should be prepared for sea sickness by avoiding travelling on an empty stomach and having remedies on hand.
