Caught out by rock

'Dangerous' Dave rescued. Photo / Supplied

The infamous Southern Ocean almost claimed one of New Zealand's most famous fishermen yesterday.

In high westerly winds and surging seas, Dangerous Dave Williams, star of reality fishing show Million Dollar Catch, was stranded on Stewart Island after a rock ripped into the hull of his boat Reliance.

Williams and a crew member were returning from the Titi Islands where Reliance was ferrying passengers to the annual muttonbird hunt. Reliance ran into the rock just off Shark Island about 11.50am.

Southern Lakes Helicopter's rescue pilot Chris Green picked up Williams and his friend from Big Hellfire Beach.

"They had a dinghy behind the boat that they had earlier been using for passenger transfers," Green said. "They started taking on water so they hopped into the dinghy. They had lifejackets and were well-prepared. "

Bluff Maritime Radio operator Mary Leask said emergency services and radio operators were kept busy by yesterday's foul weather off the Deep South.

At 12.40pm a recreational fishing boat called Boomerang ran out of fuel 4km east of Dog Island. Coastguard boats and local fishing vessels assisted Boomerang and brought its five men to safety.

Leask said taking a small boat out in such conditions was unwise. "If they'd talked to me or listened to the weather forecast, they'd have never gone out. A few boats went out earlier and made it back only by luck. The sea was very unsettled. "

Leask described Williams as a "gentleman with nine lives". TV producer Philip Smith, whose company made Million Dollar Catch, said Williams survived shipwrecks before and, although the sinking was sad, surviving it was "another notch" for Williams' reputation.

Williams and his friend were unhurt in the incident.