Decision to sail in storm under review

The Kaitaki. File picture / Mark Mitchell. (Click on 'more pictures' below for images of a landslip in Eastbourne last night)

The Toll interisland ferry master's decision to sail in severe storm conditions yesterday will be the subject of a Maritime New Zealand review.

The sailing took 10 hours and passengers had to endure 9m swells.

Maritime NZ spokeswoman Julia Lang said it was interviewing a number of passengers from the nightmarish voyage, and also expected to see findings from Toll's internal debrief by the end of the day.

The Kaitaki left Picton at 1pm yesterday with 800 passengers aboard, but extremely rough seas forced the ferry to take shelter in Cloudy Bay, near the entrance to the Tory Channel.

The vessel docked in Wellington after 11pm with the assistance of a tugboat.

Passenger Christine Brown told National Radio this morning: "It was consistently rough for quite some time. I was on the seventh deck and you certainly knew the waves were right in your face.

"All the very sick people had been moved to the centre of the boat and below."

Ms Lang said the Maritime NZ had been made aware of Toll's intentions before the ferry set out, but the decision to go ahead was up for review.

"The decision to sail is up to the master and Toll did keep us well informed throughout the day, but that will be subject to a review by Maritime NZ."

Ms Lang said it was important to recognise the difference between passenger discomfort and safety.

"The passengers weren't at risk. The seas were rough and they didn't have a great ride over, but they were never unsafe," Ms Lang said.

Toll spokeswoman Sue Foley earlier said other ships had been out in the same conditions, and that Maritime NZ had given the company credit for its actions.

"Safety was totally our number one priority. The master made the decision to seek shelter -- otherwise he would have had to try and go back through the swell," she said.

The Kaitaki is Toll's largest ship at 182 metres long. It can carry 1600 passengers and 600 cars.

Meanwhile, torrential rain in the Wellington region last night caused a landslip in the Lower Hutt suburb of Eastbourne after nearly 24 hours of continuous rain.

Two residents were evacuated, and emergency accommodation was set up at the Eastbourne Fire Station for people who could not get home.

Council engineers and contractors worked to clear the debris and the road was re-opened by 3am, but drivers were told to use extreme care.

Part of State Highway 1 was also closed after slips at Mangaweka in Rangitikei district south of Taihape.

- NZPA

Were you or someone you know on the ferry?
>> Email us your story

I was a passenger on the sailing, and felt no sense of danger at any point. I've had a lot of boating experience in the Sounds and have sailed Cook Strait in the ferries many times.

The captain in my view made the right call to leave when he did, and it only became clear as we were about half way across the Strait that the southerly had worsened significantly. He also made the right call in not attempting to enter the Wellington Heads when he did, so as not to expose the ship or the passengers to any danger as he made clear to us at the time.

The crew was tremendous under the circumstances, and I can't fault Toll for keeping us informed at every key stage.

The trip was simply one of those which happens often in the Cook Straits. The weather changes too fast to anticipate clearly or with certainty.

I am not at all sure that the maritime safety people would have had any more splendid foresight than the captain. He should be congratulated, not pilloried, for his leadership yesterday.

- Max Bradford