Stormy seas strand visitors on Auckland's Tiritiri Matangi Island

Thirteen visitors are stranded on Tiritiri Matangi Island in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf after ferry sailings were cancelled because of stormy seas. Photo / NZPA

Visitors to Tiritiri Matangi Island in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf have been stranded by the cancellation of their ferry due to the stormy weather.

"It's extremely windy and big seas are running - too big for the ferry to come and too big for the water taxis to get over here too," said Barry Fraser.

"We are pretty much stuck here until it dies down a bit," he told the Herald.

An Aucklander, he is staying at the Department of Conservation bunkhouse on the island, a wildlife sanctuary in the Hauraki Gulf about 3.5km off the eastern tip of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula.

Fraser is there with his daughter and son-in-law and their two children, aged 5 and 9.

They had intended to stay for only one night so were now rationing their food as they settle in for a second.

"We are looking at what people have left in the freezer. There's not a great deal here.

"We are not going to starve: the shop sells chocolate and we have plenty to drink."

Other visitors have a flight booked to Brisbane tomorrow, Fraser said.

He said about 18 people were staying at the bunkhouse.

Wind gusts of up to 81km/h were recorded at the Tiritiri Matangi lighthouse this afternoon up to 3pm, according to MetService data.

The Fullers ferry company said its service to the island this morning was cancelled because of windy conditions.

Marketing and communications manager Steph Bell said the only other Fullers Auckland ferries affected by the weather were the services to Rangitoto Island, which were diverted to Islington Bay, from their usual wharf on the island; and services to Northcote Point, where the wharf remained closed due to the weather.

Buses would take ferry passengers between Birkenhead and Northcote Point this evening.

A Department of Conservation spokesman said the people at the bunkhouse would remain there tonight "then see what happens with the weather tomorrow".

The Department of Conservation bunkhouse on Tiritiri Matangi Island. Photo / NZPA

Fraser hopes they may be able to get off the island tomorrow morning if a boat can be arranged.

"The weather looks as though there might be a short period between 6 and 8 to get back before the winds come up."

Tiritiri Matangi is home to many native bird species, including saddlebacks, stitchbirds and takahe.