Eighteen Pompallier College students had an uncomfortable but safe trip in a chartered boat from Great Barrier Island to Sandspit during Friday's bad weather, the school's principal Richard Stanton said.
The college has been both criticised and praised for making the call to get the Year 11 physical education students and two teachers back to the mainland on the scheduled day rather than sit out the forecast next two stormy days.
Several students were seasick during the rough, four hour crossing but recovered quickly once they landed at Sandspit, near Warkworth, Mr Stanton said. He described the trip as "without incident".
The group was returning from a camp at Great Barrier Island Outdoor Pursuits Centre.
Mr Stanton said the school's decision to keep to the scheduled return on Friday, on the same chartered fishing vessel that took the group there, was made after lengthy consultation with Maritime New Zealand, Police, the Outdoor Pursuits Centre and the skipper.