Bad weather forces cancellation of ferries

Strong winds and rough seas have caused the cancellation of all Cook Strait ferry sailings this morning.

Tranz Rail said the swells of 7-11 metres and 60 knot winds whipped up by a low pressure system across the country had forced the company to cancel today's crossings by the Lynx fast ferry.

Tranz Rail spokesperson Sue Foley said the morning services of the slower Arahura and Aratere ferries had also been cancelled, but they were optimistic that as conditions eased this afternoon, the two ferries could resume services.

She said if the conditions abated, the backlog of passengers and freight from the cancelled crossings should be cleared by the end the day.