Stranded tourists rescued from Tapeka Pt rocks

Bay Rescue had turned back after a member of the public rescued the two tourists and took them to Paihia in his boat. Photo / Thinkstock

Two overseas tourists who became stranded on rocks while trying to return to Paihia ended up being rescued by a boatie.

The stranding happened at notorious Tapeka Pt, near Russell, in the Bay of Islands, about 3pm yesterday.

Police search and rescue co-ordinator for Northland, Senior Sergeant Cliff Metcalfe, said the tourists were staying in Paihia and had hopped on a ferry to Russell. At Russell, they had visited a museum and after obtaining a brochure of routes in the areas, had decided to walk back to Paihia.

"They unfortunately walked around rocks and got stuck by incoming tides.

"They couldn't go back or forward and that's when they called for help from their cellphone," he said.

Coastguard had dispatched Bay Rescue from Dove's Bay and also relayed a call on its marine radio for boaties to respond if they could.

Bay Rescue had turned back after a member of the public rescued the two and took them to Paihia in his boat.

Mr Metcalfe said language was a barrier as the tourists, men in their 20s, spoke little English.

"They said they had gone south but, in fact, they went north, but they were never in any danger and didn't require any medical treatment."

He said it was not the first time someone had got stranded at Tapeka Pt.

"We've had three to four rescues in the last two years. People don't understand the terrain and what they've set themselves up for," he said.

Kaikohe Senior Sergeant Brian Swann said the tourists did the right thing by calling for help because patches of the coastal walk between Russell and Paihia were dangerous.